





























































































































































































































































































































































J 





















THE 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY 

BEING 

A RECORD OF BRITISH VALOUR AND 

CONQUEST 

BY SEA AND LAND, 

ON EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. 

PROJECTED AND COMMENCED 

BY THE LATE MAJOR JOHNS, R.M. 

' • / 

CONTINUED AND COMPLETED 
BY 

LIEUT. P. H. NICOLAS, R.M. 



LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. 

1855 . 

















P R E F A C E. 


England is not less indebted, for her high position in 
the scale of nations, to her valour in the field, and on 
the sea, than to her spirit of commercial enterprise. 
From the earliest ages, and in every quarter of the globe, 
wherever her forces have contended with a foreign foe, 
they have acquired a renown that would have gratified 
the pride of the greatest military power in Europe. On 
the ocean, the exploits of her sons are, if possible, even 
more distinguished. The names of Howe, Duncan, Jervis, 
and Nelson are enrolled on the pillars of Fame, with those 
of Howard, Blake, Drake, and Rooke; and the decisive 
and important victories of the Nile and Trafalgar esta¬ 
blished her Naval supremacy throughout the world. 

Animated by these views, the author was induced to 
compile the “ Calendar of Victory ; ” from which it will 
be seen that the indomitable courage of the British 
soldiers who conquered at Crecy, at Poitiers, and at 
Agincourt, has not degenerated; and that those who 

A 3 











VI 


PREFACE. 


fought and vanquished in Egypt, in the Peninsula, at 
Waterloo, and in India, have left no unworthy successors 
in the heroes of the Alma and of Inkermann. 

The plan of the work is exceedingly simple. Begin¬ 
ning with January 1st, the successes of the English arms 
by sea and land are briefly related for each successive 
day throughout the year. This synopsis of our vic¬ 
torious achievements is accompanied by a carefully 
prepared Index, which, while it gives the date of any 
enterprise, and directs the inquirer to the source of 
more extended information, at the same time supplies a 
chronology of Military and Naval occurrences from the 
wars of the crusades, to the heroic struggle in the Crimea 
in the present year. 

The authorities which have been consulted are too 
numerous to be cited here ; but among the more im¬ 
portant are Beatson’s Naval and Military Memoirs of 
Great Britain, Scliomberg’s Naval Chronology, James’s 
Naval History, Allen’s Battles of the British Navy, 
Coxe’s Memoirs of the Duke of Marlborough, and more 
especially Napier’s History of the Peninsular War, to 
whose truthful pages the “ Calendar of Victory ” is in¬ 
debted for many a graphic sketch. 


April, 1855. 










CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 


&rmg. 


1066. Oct. 14. Battle of Hastings. 

109!*. July 15. Capture of Jerusalem. 
1119. Aug. 19. Battle of Brenville. 

1138. Aug. 22. Battle of the Standard. 
1191. May 7. Richard 1. takes the Is¬ 
land of Cyprus. 

„ July 12. Reduction of Acre. 

„ Sept. 16. Battle of Ascalon. 

1217. May 19. Battle of Lincoln. 

1295. Jan. 1. Reduction of Bayonne. 

1296. April 27. Battle of Dunbar. 

1298. July 22. Battle of Falkirk. 

1304. July 20. Stirling Castle sur¬ 
renders. 

1333. July 19. Battleof Hallidowne Hill 
1344. Aug. 9. Battle of Auberoche. 

1346. July 27. Reduction of Caen. 

,. Aug. 26. Battle of Cressy. 

1347. Aug. 4. Reduction of Calais. 

„ Oct. 17. Battle at Nevil’s Cross. 
1349. Jan. 1. French defeated under 
the walls of Calais. 
1356. Sept. 19. Battle of Poitiers. 

1364. Sept. 29. Battle of Auray. 

1369. April 3. Action near Najara. 

1402. Sept. 14. Battle near Holmedon 

Hill. 

1403. July 21. Battle of Shrewsbury. 
1410. Feb. 12. Battle of Herrings. 

1412. Nov. 9. St. Cloud taken. 

1415. Jan. 2. Reduction of Falaise. 

„ Oct. 25. Battle of Agincourt. 

„ Sept. 18. Reduction of Harfleur. 

1417. Aug. 9. Reduction of Tongue. 

„ Sept. 4. Caen taken. 

1418. Feb. 16. Falaise Castle surrenders. 

1419. Jan. 19. Surrender of Rouen. 

1420. June 11. Surrender of Sens. 

„ June 23. Montereau stormed. 

,, July 5. Montereau surrenders. 

1422. May 2. Meaux surrenders. 

1423. Aug. 15. Surrender of Ivry. 

1513. Aug. 18. Battle of the Spurs. 

„ Sept. 9. Battle of Flodden. 

1543. Sept. 14. Surrender of Boulogne. 

1545. Feb. 6. French defeated near 

Boulogne. 

„ July 18. Invasion of Sussex de¬ 
feated. 

1546. May 22. Action near Boulogne. 

1547. Sept. 10. Battle of Musselburg. 
1549. May 1. Attack on Bullonberg 

repulsed. 


1557. Aug. 10. Battle of St. Quentin. 

1558. July 13. Battle of Gravelines. 
1563. July 3. Defence of Havre. 

1586. Jan. 1. St. Domingo stormed. 

,. Feb. 21. Werle taken. 

1589. May 30. Cascais surrenders. 

1597. April 7. Capture of Porto Ca- 
valhos. 

„ Sept. 25. Surrender of Amiens. 
1600. July 2. Spanish army defeated. 
1602. Jan. 2. Spanish invasion defeated 
„ Jan. 7. Attack on Ostend re¬ 
pulsed. 

„ Jan. 7. Reduction of Porto Bello. 
„ Oct. 23. Battle of Edge Hill. 

1643. Sept. 20. Battle of Newbury. 

1644. Oct. 27. Battle of Newbury. 

1645. June 14. Battle of Naseby." 

1650. Sept. 3. Battle of Dunbar. 

1651. Sept. 3. Battle of Worcester. 

1658. June 14. Battle of Dunkirk. 

„ June 26. Dunkirk surrenders. 

1671. Jan. 14. Capture of Venta Cruz. 

„ Jan. 17. Capture of Panama. 

„ May 13. Surrender of Acadia. 

„ July 1. Battle of the Boyne. 

1690. July 14. Surrender of St. Chris¬ 
tophers. 

1692. Aug. 3. Battle of Steenkirk. 

1695. July 8. Siege of Namur. 

,, July 9. Reduction of Casal. 

1696. July 5. Landing at Howat. 

1702. July 20. Reduct, of Gravenbrook. 
„ Sept. 23. Venloo surrenders. 

,, Oct. 6. Reduction of Ruremont. 

„ Oct. 12. Reduction of Vigo. 

1703. April 28. Assault of Bonn. 

1704. Aug. 13. Battle of Blenheim. 

„ July 2. Battle of Donawert. 

„ July 7- Reduction of Aicha. 

1705. July 16. Attack upon Gibraltar 

repulsed. 

„ April 28. Valencia taken. 

„ May 2. Sortie from Gibraltar. 

„ May 9. Albuquerque surrendered 
„ Sept. 5. Surrender of Dender- 
mond. 

„ Sept 28. Reduction of Barcelona 

1706. Mar. 23. Defence of Montjuich. 

„ May 23. Battle of Ramilies. 

„ July 6. Reduction of Ostend. 

„ Oct. 4. Reduction of Ath. 

„ Aug. 25. Menin surrenders. 


A 4 













via 


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


1706. Sept. 7. Battle of Turin. 

1708. June 30. Battle of Oudenarde. 

,, Sept. 28. n.s. Battle of Wynendale. 
„ Dec. 8. Reduction of Lisle. 

„ Dec. 30. Reduction of Ghent.' 

1709. Sept. 10. Surrender of Tournay. 

„ Battle of Malplaquet. 

„ Oct. 20. Surrender of Mons. 

1710. July 16. Spanish army defeated. 

,, Aug. 28. Reduction of Bethune. 

„ Sept. 30. Reduction of Annapolis 
Royal. 

„ Oct. 29. Reduction of St. Venant. 
„ Nov. 8. Reduction of Aire. 

1711. Feb. 10. Mahe surrenders. 

., Sept. 14. Bouchain surrenders. 
1715. Nov. 12. Battle of Preston. 

1719 ‘ | Reduction of Vigo. 

„ Oct. 14. Reduction of Ponte 
Vedra. 

„ Oct. 19. Reduction of Messina. 

1741. Mar. 9. Landing at Carthagena. 

1742. July 7. Action at Georgia. 

1743. June 16. Battle of Dettingen. 

1745. June 15. Reduction of Louisbourg. 

1746. April 16. Battle at Culloden. 

„ June 17. Assault at Cuddalore. 

.. Oct. I. Battle of Roucoux. 

1748. Mar. 8. Reduction of St.Domingo 

1751. Aug. 31. Reduction of Arcot. 

1752. Feb. 28. Conjeveram surrenders. 

„ May 28. Action near Volcondah. 

„ July 8. Fort of Vellore surrend. 
,. Oct. 31. Capture of Covelong. 

1753 Jan. 5. Mahrattas defeated near 
Trivadi. 

„ Sept. 21. Action of the Golden 
Rock. 

1754. Aug. 16. Battle of the French 

Rock. 

1755. April 2. Severndroog surrenders. 
„ April 9. Bancole surrenders. 

I 1756. Feb. 13. Geriah surrenders. 

1757. Jan. 2. Calcutta recaptured. 

„ Mar. 23. Reduction of Chanderna- 
gore. 

„ June 23. Battle of Plassey. 

1758. June 5. Landing at St. Malo. 

„ June 8. Landing at Louisbourg. 
,, July 26. Reduction of Louisbourg. 
„ Aug. 7. Reduction of Cherbourg. 
„ Dec 10. French defeated near 
Condore. 

1759. Feb. 13. Fort Louis stormed. 

„ Mar. 4. Surat surrenders. 

„ April 7. Surrender of Musulapa- 
tam. 

„ April 16. Surrender of Conjeve¬ 
ram. 

,, May 1. Surrender of Guadaloupe. 
„ July 4. Surrender of Fort Ticon- 
derago. 

„ Aug. 1. Battle of Minden. 

„ Sept. 13. Battle of Quebec. 

,, Sept. 18. Surrender of Quebec. 

„ Nov. 24. Submission of Chensu- 
rah. 

„ Nov. 29. Surrender of Wande- 
wash. 

1760. Jan. 7. Action at Eyback. 

„ Jan. 22. Battle of Wandewash. 


1760. Feb. 4. Timery surrenders. 

„ Feb. 10. Arcot surrenders. 

,, Feb. 22. Action near Patria. 

,, Feb. 29. Surrender of Trinomalee. 
„ Mar. 5. Surrender of Permacoil. 

„ Mar. 12. Surrender of Alampar- 
vah. 

„ April 4. Reduction of Villaporam. 
,, April 5. Reduction of Carical. 

,, May 20. Attack of Cuddalore. 

„ May 24. Nabob of Poorma de¬ 
feated. 

„ May 27. Indians routed near Ets- 
loey. 

„ July 16. Action near Emsdorf. 

„ July 31. Battle of Warbourg. 

„ Sept. 5. Capture of Zirenberg. 

,, Sept. 8. Reduction of Montreal. 

1761. Jan. 15. Reduction of Pondi¬ 

cherry. 

„ April 5. Fort of Gingee surren¬ 
ders. 

„ April 22. Invasion of Belleisle. 

„ May 13. Enemy repulsed at Belle- 
isle. 

„ June 6. Reduction of Dominica. 

„ June 7. Reduction of Belleisle. 

„ July 15 I Action at Kirch Derc- 
and 16. J kern. 

1762. Feb. 4. Surrender of Fort Royal. 
„ Feb. 16. Martinique surrenders. 

„ Mar. 5. Grenada surrenders. 

,, June 7. Landing at the Havan- 
nah. 

„ June 11. Reduction of the Ha- 
vannah. 

„ July 11. Surrender of Waldeck. 

” and l i5 3 j Attack of St> John ’ s - 
„ Sept. 17. Recovery of Newfound¬ 
land. 

,, Oct. 5. Action at Villa Velha. 

1763. July 14. Action at Cutwa. 

,, July 19. Army of Cassun Ali 
routed. 

,, Aug. 2. Battle of Gheriah. 

„ Aug. 25. Action at Auda Nulla. 

„ Sept. 4. Enemy routed at Auda 
Nulla. 

„ Oct. 11. Reduction of Mongheer. 

1764. May 3. Sujah Dowla defeated. 

,, June 24. Battle of Graverstein. 

1767. Sept. 3. Battle of Changama. 
Sept. 26. Battle of Trinomalee. 

1772. April 2. Capture of Ramnada- 

poram. 

1773. Sept. 1. Reduction of Tanjore. 

1775. April 19. Action at Concord. 

„ April 28. Action at Sabmattee. 

„ May 18. Battle of Arras. 

,, June 17. Battle of Bunker’s Hill. 

1776. May 6. Siege of Quebec raised. 

,, Aug. 27. Battle at Long Island. 

„ Sept. 15. Capture of New York. 

„ Oct. 28. Battle of White Plains. 

„ Nov. 16. Capture of Fort Wash¬ 
ington. 

,, Nov. 18. Passage of the North 
River. 

„ Dec. 9. Capture of Rhode Is¬ 
land. 

1777. April27. Action at Dunburv- 
















ARMY. 


1777. June 26. Action near Quibble 

Town. 

„ July 7. Reduction of Hubberton. 
,, Sept. 11. Battle at Brandywine. 

„ Oct. 6. Assault of Forts Mont¬ 
gomery and Clinton. 

„ Dec. 7. Action at Edge Hill. 

1778. May 4. Action at the Crooked 

Billett. 

,, May 7. Action at Borden Town 
„ May 25. Americans defeated at 
Warren. 

„ Aug. 29. Capture of Rhode Island. 
„ Oct. 14. Expedition to Egg Har. 
hour. 

„ Oct. 17. ReductionofPondicherry. 
„ Dec. 14. Reduction of St. Lucie.' 
Dec. 27. Reduction of Savanhah. 

1779. May 1. Landing at Jersey re¬ 

pulsed. 

,, May 3. Action at Brier’s Creek. 
„ May 31. Attack of Stoney Point. 

„ Jur^ 9. Surrender of Sunbury. 

1780. Feb. 15. Ahmedabad stormed. 

„ May 11. Surrender of Charles¬ 
town. 

„ May 29. Action at Walsaw r . 

„ June 6. Action at Elizabeth 
Town. 

„ Aug. 3. Gwalior stormed. 

„ Aug. 16. Battle of Camden. 

„ Sept. 6. Battle of Perambaucum. 

1781. Jan. 6. Invasion of Jersey re¬ 

pulsed. 

„ Jan. 21. Carrangooly stormed. 

„ Feb. 3. Reduction of St.] Eusta- 
tia. 

„ Feb. 5. Surrender of St. Martin. 
,, Feb. 9. B’Hore Pass forced. 

„ Mar. 15. Battle of Guildford. 

,, April 25. Battle of Hobkirk. 

,, June 26. Americans repulsed near 
James River. 

,, July 1. Battle of Porto Novo, 
Cuddalore. 

„ July 6. American army routed 
near James Town. 

„ Aug. 23. Trepassore stormed. 

,, Sept. 8. Defeat of American army. 
„ Sept.22. Capture of Fort Paloor. 

,, Oct. 16. Reduction of Sumatra. 

,, Oct. 21. Mahadapatam taken. 

„ Nov. 10. Reduction of Chittoor. 

„ Nov. 12. Reduction of Negapatam. 
„ Nov. 13. Battle of Hillsborough. 

„ Nov.27. Sortie from Gibraltar. 

1782. Jan. 11. Trincomalee taken. 

„ Jan. 13. Surrender of Calicut. 

1783. Feb. 14. Ananpore stormed. 

„ Mar. 9. Bednore taken. 

„ April 2. Fortress of Caroor taken. 
„ April 18. New Providence taken. 

„ June 2. Delaporam taken. 

,, June 13. Battle of Cuddalore. 

„ July 4. Attack upon Mangalore 
repulsed. 

1784. May 6. French repulsed near 

Rousalier. 

1789. May 20. Collungooiiy taken. 

1790. Sept. 22. Capture of Paulckaut- 

cherry. 

1791. Mar. 21. Bangalore stormed. 

„ Mar. 28. Army of Tippoo defeated. 


1791. May 15. Action at Arikera. 

„ July 30. Kayacotta surrenders. 

„ Sept. 17. Raymaughur surrenders. 
„ Oct. 19. Reduction of Nundy Dur- 
gam. 

., Dec. 21. Reduction of Severn- 
droog. 

„ Dec. 24. Reduction of Otradroog. 

1792. Feb. 6. Action near Seringapa- 

tam. 

„ Feb. 7. Tippoo defeated at Se- 
ringapatam. 

1793. April 15. Reduction of Tobago. 

„ May 8. Action near St. Amand. 
„ July 28. Valenciennes surrenders 
„ Aug. 18. Battle of Lincelles. 

„ Aug. 23. Surrender of Pondi¬ 
cherry. 

,, Sept. II. Surrender of Quesnoy. 

1794. Feb. 10. Fort Mortella, Corsica, 

surrendered. 

„ Feb. 11. Pigeon Island, Marti¬ 
nique, surrendered. 

,, Feb. 17. Convention Redoubt, 
taken. 

„ Mar. 23. Reduction of Martinique. 
„ April 4. St. Lucie surrenders. 

„ April 21. Guadeloupe ditto. 

„ April 24. Action near Cambray. 

„ April 26. Action on the heights of 
Cateau. 

„ April 30. Surrender of Landrecy. 
„ May 9. Action near Tournay. 

„ May 22. Espierres stormed. 

„ June 1. AssaultofFortBizzoton. 
„ June 4. Reduction of Port au 
Prince. 

,, Aug. 10. Reduction of Calvi. 

1795. Jan. 5. Enemy defeated at Guel¬ 

der Malsen. 

„ Jan. 8. Victory of Bueren. 

,, Aug. 7. Dutch routed near My- 
zenberg, C. G. H. 

„ Aug. 3. Fort Ostenburgh sur¬ 
renders. 

„ Sept. 16. Reduction of Cape Good 
Hope. 

1796. Feb. 16. Reduction of Amboyna. 
„ Feb. 16. Reduction of Ceylon. 

,, Mar. 8. Reduction of Banda. 

„ April 22. Reduction of Demarara. 

„ May 2. Reduction of Berbice. 

„ May 25. Reduction of St. Lucie. 

,, June 11. Reduction of St. Vin¬ 
cent. 

„ June 11. Reduction of Grenada. 

„ July 10. Surrender of Porto Fer- 
rago. 

1797. Feb. 24. Invasion of Wales, de¬ 

feated. 

1798. Sept. 5. Invasion of Ireland, de¬ 

feated. 

„ Nov. 14. Reduction of Minorca. 

1799. Mar. 6. Action at Seerdasseer. 

„ Mar. 27. Battle of Malvelly. 

„ April 5. Fort Caroor surrenders. 
,, May 1. Assault of Acre repulsed. 
„ May 4. Seringpatam stormed. 

„ May 11. Fort Chittedroog sur¬ 
renders. 

„ July 12. Reduction of Fort St. 
Elmo. 

„ July 27. Surrender of Capua. 







X 


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 


1799. 


) 800. 

1801. 


1803 


1804 


5> 


Aug. 19. Reduction of Surinam. 
Aug. 27. Reduction of the Helder. 
Sept. 9. Action of Zuyper-Sluys. 
Oct. 2. Battle of Bergen. 

Oct. 11. Action at Lemmertown. 
Dec. 30. Surrender of El Arisch. 

, Sept. 5. Reduction of Malta. 
Sept. 10. Action at Conaghul. 
Mar. 8. Landing in Egypt. 

Mar. 13. Battle of Maadie. 

Mar. 21. Battle of Alexandria. 
Mar 24. Reduction of St. Martin. 
April 8. Capture of Hosetta. 

April 19. Fort St. Julian sur¬ 
renders. 

June 27. Grand Cairo retaken. 
Aug. 17. Sortie near Alexandria 
repulsed. 

Aug. 21. Marabout Castle sur¬ 
renders 

Sept. 2. Alexandria surrenders. 

. Jan. 2. Lumbalpore surrenders. 
Feb. 7. Sasne taken. 

Mar. 12. Fortress of Calchoura 
taken. 

June 22. Morne Fortunee car¬ 
ried. 

July 1. Tobago taken. 

Aug. 12. Reduction of Ahmed- 
nuggar. 

Sept. 11. Victory of Delhi. 

Sept. 23. Battle of Assaye. 

Sept. 24. Reduction of Aleghur. 
Oct. 10. Capture of Cuttack. 

Oct. 13. Reduction of Barrabu- 
tee. 

Oct. 17. Reduction of Agra. 

Nov. 1. Battle of Laswaree. 
Dec. 15. Surrender of Gawlig- 
hur. 

. Feb. 4. Surrender of Gwalior. 
Feb. 5. Action near Mankaiser. 
April 30. Expedition to Surinam. 
May 15. Fortress of Tonkram- 
poor taken. 

May 29. Submission of Holkar. 
July 2. Fort Hinglaishur storm¬ 


ed. 

1805. Mar. 31. Holkar routed. 

1806. Jan. 8. Dutch defeated at Blue 

Mountain, C. G. H. 

„ Jan. 9. Surrender of Cape Good 
Hone. 

„ July 4. Battle of Maida. 

1807. Jan. 20. Capture of Monte Video. 
„ Feb. 3. Monte Video stormed. 

„ Mar. 20. Alexandria surrenders. 

„ July 19. Action near Montevideo. 
„ Sept. 7. Surrender of Copenha¬ 
gen. 

1808. Aug. 15. Action at Obidos. 

„ Aug. 17. Combat at Rorica. 

„ Aug. 21. Battle of Vimeira. 

1809. Jan. 7. Reduction of Cayenne. 

„ Jan. 16. Battle of Corunna. 

„ Jan. 30. Landing at Martinique. 

„ Feb. 1. Action at Timery. 

„ Feb. 10. Storm of Arambuli. 

„ Feb. 13. Fort Ajayerh surrenders. 
„ Feb. 17. Action at Arambooly. 

„ Feb. 25. Reduction of Martinique. 
„ May 11. Action at Grijon. 

„ May 12. Passage of the Douro. 


1809. July 6. St. Domingo surrenders. 

„ July 27. Action near Talavera. 

„ July 28. Battle of Talavera. 

,, Oct. 3. Surrender of Zante. 

Oct. 12. Surrender of Cerigo. 

1810. Jan. 3. Shenaz stormed. 

„ Jan.. 13. Convent of Santa Cruz 
carried. 

„ Feb. 5. Surrender of Guada- 

loupe. 

„ Feb. 16. Reduction of Amboyna. 

„ Mar. 19. Action on the Agueda. 

,, April 16. Reduction of Santa 
Maura. 

,, July 8. Reduction of Isle of 

Bourbon. 

„ Sept. 27. Battle of Busaco. 

„ Dae. 3. Reduction of Isle of 

France. 

1811. Mar. 5. Battle of Barossa. 

„ Mar. 11. Skirmish at Pombal. 

„ Mar. 12. Action at Redenha. 

„ Mar. 14. Action near Casal Nova. 

„ Mar. 15. Combat at Fons d’- 
Aronce. 

„ Mar. 25. Action near Campo 
Mayor. 

„ April 3. Action of Subugal. 

„ April 7. Cavalry attack at Valde 
Mula. 

„ April 15. Surrender of Olivenza. 

. May 3. Combat of Fuentes d’- 
Onoro. 

„ May 5. Battle of Fuentes d’- 
Onoro. 

„ May 10. Sortie from Badajoz re¬ 
pulsed. 

„ May 16. Battle of Albuera. 

,, Aug. 4. Reduction of Java. 

,, Aug. 8. Surrender of Batavia. 

„ Sept.25. Combat of El Bodon. 

„ Oct. 28. Action at Aroyo Molino. 

„ Dec. 31. Siege of Tarifa. 

1812. Jan. 4. French repulsed at Ta¬ 

rifa. 

„ Jan. 8. Redoubt of San Francisco 
carried. 

,, Jan. 14. Convent ditto stormed. 

„ Jan. 19. Capture of Ciudad Ro¬ 
drigo. 

„ Mar. 19. Sortie from Badajoz. 

„ Mar. 25. Assault of the Picurina. 

„ April 6. Assault of badajoz. 

„ April 11. Action near Llerena. 

„ April 25. Reduction of Palern- 
berg. 

,, May 29. Fort Napoleon stormed! 

„ June 20. Djojocarta stormed. 

„ June 24. Marmont repasses the 
Tormes. 

„ July 18. Action near Castrejon. 

„ July 22. Battle of Salamanca. 

,, July 23. Action at La Serna. 

„ July 24. Skirmish at Ribera. 

,, Aug. 14. The lletiro captured. 

„ Aug. 16. Surrender of American 
Army. 

„ Aug. 13. Skirmish at Monasterio. 

„ Oct. 23. Affair at Muriel. 

,, Oct. 26. Passage of the Carion. 

„ Nov. 17. Combat of the Huebra. 

1813. Jan. 22. Action at Riviere du 
Raisin. 


















ARMY. 


xi 


1813. 


99 

99 


99 

99 


Jan. 29. 
P'eb. 3. 
Feb. 15. 
Feb. 20, 

Feb. 26, 
Mar. 6. 
April 13. 
May 26. 
June 2 
June 6. 

June 7. 

June 12. 
June 18. 
June 21. 
June 25. 
June 25. 
J une 28. 
July 12. 
July 17. 

July 25. 
July 25. 
July 27. 
July 28. 
July 30. 
July 30. 
July 31. 
Aug, 2. 

Aug. 31. 
31. 
9. 

7. 

8 . 


Aug. 

Sept 
Oct. 

Oct. 

Nov. 12. 
Dec. 9. 
Dec. 10, i 

11, & 12. j 


Capture of Lagosta. 
Reduction of Curzola. 
Pietra Nera stormed. 

. Enemy repulsed at Be- 
jar. 

. Reduction of Ponza. 

. Action at Alcoy. 

. Action of Castalla. 

. Action near Salamanca. 
. Action at Morales. 

. Action of Burlington 
Heights. 

Fort St. Felippe sur¬ 
renders. 

Action at Hormillas. 

. Action near St. Millan. 
Battle of Vittoria. 

Attack of Hampton. 
Action near Tolosa. 
Reduction of Sambas. 
Capture of Ocracoke. 
Convent of St. Bartho¬ 
lomew stormed. 

Battle of Roneesvalles. 
Battle of Maya. 

Action at Saurozen. 
Battle of Saurozen. 

Ditto ditto. 
Combat of Buenza. 
Combat of Donna Maria. 
Combat of Echellar and 
Ivantelly. 

Combat of Vera. 

Assault of St. Sebastian. 
Surrender ofSt.Sebastian. 
Passage of the Bidassoa. 
Combat of Vera. 

Passage of the Nivelle. 
Passage of the Nive. 

Actions of the Nive. 


„ Dec. 13. Battle of St Pierre. 

,, Dec. 19. Reduction of Fort Nia¬ 
gara. 

1814. Jan. 6. French defeated at La 
Coste and La Bastide. 
,, Jan. 6. French defeated at Me- 
rexem. 

„ Feb. 14. Action at Hellette. 

„ Feb. 15. Combat at Garris. 

„ Feb. 17. Action at Arreveriete. 

„ Feb. 23. Passage of the Adour. 

„ Feb. 24. Passage of Gave d’Oleron 
„ Feb. 26. Ditto ditto. 

„ Feb. 27. Battle of Orthes. 

„ Mar. 2. Combat of Aire. 

„ Mar. 19. Action of Vic Bigorre. 

„ Mar. 20. Combat at Tarbes. 

„ Mar. 22. Cavalry defeated at St. 
Gaudens. 

„ Mar. 30 Action at La Colie Mill. 
„ Mar. 31. Battle at Romainville. 

„ April 5. Action at Etauliers. 

„ April 8. Action at Croix d’Orade. 
„ April 10. Battle of Toulouse. 

„ April 12. Wellington enters Ma¬ 
drid. 

„ April 14. Sortie from Bayonne, 

„ May 6. Fort Oswego stormed. 

„ July 11. Reduction of Moose Is¬ 
land. 

„ Aug. 24. Battle of Bladensburg. 


1814. Sept. 12 Battle of Baltimore. 

„ Dec. 1. Capture of Prome. 

„ Dec. 23. Defeat of American 
Army. 

1815. Jan. 1. Defence of Corigaum. 

„ Feb. 11. Fort Bowyer surrenders. 
,, June 16. Battle of Quatre Bras. 

„ June 18. Battle of Waterloo. 

„ June 24. Cambray taken by esca¬ 
lade. 

1816. Feb. 28. Action near Muckwarn- 

pore. 

„ Mar. 1. Action at Hurriapore. 

1817. Nov. 5. Battle of Kirkee. 

,, Nov. 26. Battle of Sectabaldee. 

„ Dec 16. Battle of Nagpore. 

„ Dec. 21. Battle of Mahedpore. 

1818. Jan. 3. Action at Sereenuggar. 

„ Jan. 17. Action near Malasunky. 

„ Jan. 29. Storm of Juwud. 

„ Feb. 8. Surrender of Pallee. 

„ Feb. 15. Houraporra taken. 

„ Feb. 15. Boorah taken. 

,, Feb. 18. Badaumy taken. 

„ Mar. 2. Singhur Fort surren¬ 
dered. 

„ Mar. 11. Fort of Russaulghur sur¬ 
rendered. 

„ Mar. 16. Seedeghur taken. 

,, Mar. 24. Dhamonie surrendered. 

„ April 25. Fort Trimbuck surren¬ 
dered. 

„ May 10. Mahratta army defeated. 
,, May 10. Shalapore surrendered. 

,, May 20. Capture of Chunda. 

1819. Jan. 21. Action at Omeerkan. 

„ Jan. 31. Fort Nowah stormed. 

1824. May 21. Ashantees defeated. 

„ May 28. Burmese routed near 
Rangoon. 

„ Dec. 4. Burmese defeated. 

„ Dec. 15. Burmese Stockades 
stormed. 

1825. Dec. 2. Heights of Napadee 

stormed. 

1835. Feb. 12. Caffres routed at Fish 
River. 

1839. Jan. 19. Reduction of Sidon. 

,, July 23. Gliuznee stormed. 

„ Nov. 13. Bokhera stormed. 

1840. July 5. Attack upon Aden re¬ 

pulsed. 

,, July 5. Reduction of Chusan. 

,, Oct. 10. Reduction of Beyrout. 

„ Nov. 2. Defeat of Affghans. 

1841. Jan. 3. Action at Lundie Nowah. 

„ Jan. 7. Capture of Chttenpee. 

,, Feb. 20. Fort Napanee taken. 

,, Feb. 26j Capture of Wantong. 

„ May 24. Attack of Canton. 

,, May 27. Reduction of Canton. 

„ June 10. Fort Badamee surren¬ 
ders. 

1842. Mar. 11. Sortie from Jellalabad. 

„ Mar. 11. Assault of Jel'alabad. 

„ April 5. Khyder Pass forced. 

„ April 12. Action near Candahar. 

„ Aug. 24. Affghans defeated. 

„ Sept. 5. Reduction of Ghuznee. 

,, Sep 11. Capture of Cabul. 

„ Dec. 17. Triumphant return from 
Cabul. 


















Xll 


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 


1843. Feb. 17. Battle of Meeanee. 

„ Dec. 29. Battle of Maharajpore. 

,, Dec. 29. Battle of Punniar. 

1845. Dec. 18. Battle of Moodkee. 

„ Dec. 22. Battle of Ferozeshah. 

1846. Jan. 28. Battle of Aliwal. 

„ Feb. 10. Battle of Sobraon. 

1849. Jan. 13. Battle of Chillianwallah. 


1849. Feb. 21. 
1854. Sept. 14. 

„ Sept. 20. 
„ Oct. 25. 
„ Oct. 26. 

„ Nov. 5. 


Battle of Goojerat. 
Expedition lands in the 
Crimea. 

Battle of the Alma. 
Action at Balaklava. 
Sortie from Sebastopol 
repulsed. 

Battle of Inkermann. 




1217. Aug. 24. Eustace the Monk de¬ 
feated near Calais. 

1340. June 24. Battle of Sluys. 

1350. Aug. 29. Spaniards defeated near 
Winchelsea, by Edwd. 
111 . 

1387. Mar. 24. Flemish fleet defeated 
near Sluys. 

1416. Aug. 15. Duke of Bedford defeats 
French fleet near Bar- 
fleur. 

1512. Aug. 10. Sir Edward Howard, de¬ 

feated the French fleet 
near Brest. 

1513. July 1. Sir Thomas Howard, de¬ 

feats the French flee'. 
1545. July 18. French defeated near the 
Isle of Wight. 

1588. July 20-28. Destruction of Spanish 
Armada. 

1594. Nov. 1. Reduction of Brest, by 
Sir Martin Frobisher. 
1596. June 2). Cadiz taken and the for¬ 
tifications destroyed. 
1601. Feb. 12. First Expedition of the 
East India Company 
sailed. 

1652. May 18. Blake attacked Tromp in 

the Downs. 

„ Aug.1,2. Bodley engages Cornelius 
Troinp, in Mediterra¬ 
nean. 

„ Aug. 16. Ayscue engages De 
Ruyter. 

„ Sept. 27. Blake engages De Witte. 
„ Nov. 26. Action of Commodore 
Appleton, and Van 
Galen, near Leghorn. 

,, Nov. 29. Action of Blake and 
Tromp, off the Good¬ 
win. 

1653. Feb. 18,7 Blake, after three days’ 

19, 20. j engagement,defeats the 

Dutch fleet under 
Tromp, off Portland. 

„ June 2, 3. Tromp defeated in the 
North Sea, by Monk. 
Gen. Deane killed. 

„ July 29. 7 Dutch fleet defeated by 
and 31.3 Monk. Tromp killed. 


1657. April 20. Blake destroys Spanish 
galleons,in Santa Cruz. 

1665. June 3. Dutch fleet under Op- 

dam, defeated by Duke 
of York. 

1666. June 1,7 English under Earl of 
2, 3, 4. 3 Albemarle defeat the 

Dutch under De Ruy¬ 
ter near the Goodwin. 

„ July 25. Dutch defeated off the 
Foreland by Prince 
Rupert and Monk. 

„ Aug. 9. Sir R. Holmes takes the 
Island of Schellingand 
destroys 160 ships. 

1672. May 28. English and French 

fleets under Duke of 
York and Count d’Es- 
trees defeat the Dutch 
under De Ruyter off 
the Gunfleet. 

1673. May 28. Dutch defeated by Sir 

Edward Spragge. 

„ June 17. . . - „ ° 

and 4. t A S am defeated. 

1690. June 30. Action off Beachy Head 
between English and 
Dutch under Earl of 
T orrington and F rench 
under Comte de Tour- 
ville. 

1692. May 18. Battle off La Hogue. 

Adm. Russell, with 
English and Dutch 
fleets, defeats the Fr. 
under De Tourville. 

„ May 21. Vice-Adm. Delaval de¬ 
stroys ships in Cher¬ 
bourg. 

„ May 23. Vice-Adm. Rooke burnt 
French fleet in har¬ 
bour of La Hogue. 

1693. Nov. 17. 7 Benbow bombards St. 

and 18. j Malo. 

1695. Jan. 27. Content, 60, captured by 
Commod. Killegrew. 
1702. Aug. 20. Vice-Adm. Benbow en¬ 
gages French squad¬ 
ron under Rear-Adm. 
Du Casse. 



















NAVY. xiii 

1702. Aug. 24. The action renewed, 

1748. Mar. 8. Port St. Louis, Cuba, 

and Benbow mortally 

destroyed by Rear-Ad. 

wounded. 

Knowles. 

„ Oct. 12. Sir George Rooke burns 

1755. June 6. Alcide and Lys, of 64 

French and Spanish 

guns, taken by Vice- 

shipping in Vigo, and 

Adm. Boscawen. 

sacks the town. 

„ Nov. 14. Esperance, 74, taken by 

1703. July 25. Boats of a squadron un- 

Adm. Byng, in the 

der Rear-Adm. Dilkes 

Channel. 

destroys 40 sail near 

1757. May 13. Aquilon, 50, driven on 

Granville. 

shore in Audiernebay, 

,, Nov. 16. Hazardous, 50, captured 

by Antelope, 50. 

by fleet of Sir C. Sho- 

„ Sept. 12. Emerande, 26, taken by 

vel. 

Southampton. 32. 

1704. June 24. Gibraltar bombarded ; 

„ Nov. 2. Hermione, 28, taken by 

surrenders to English 

Unicorn, 32. 

and Dutch fleet, under 

1758. Jan. 8. Vengeance, 32, taken by 

Sir Geo. Rooke. 

Hussar, 28. 

,, Aug. 13. Battle off Malaga. En- 

,, Feb. 28. Orphee, 64, taken by Re- 

glish and Dutch fleets 

venge, 64, and Fou- 

under Sir Geo. Rooke, 

droyant, 84, by Mon- 

and French fleet under 

mouth, 64. 

Comte De Tholouse. 

„ April 29. Vice-Adm. Pocock en- 

Oct. 25. Sir John Leake relieves 

gages Comte d'Ache, 

Gibraltar, and destroys 

in East Indies. 

7 French ships. 

„ May 29. Raisonnable, 64, taken 

1705. Mar. 10. Vice-Admiral Sir John 

by Dorsetshire, 74, 

Leake captures and 

and consorts. 

destroys 5 ships-of- 

„ June 7. St. Malo reduced by Ld. 

war, near Gibraltar. 

Anson. 

1710. Feb. 10. French 60-gun ship cap- 

„ July 26. Reduction of Louisbourg 

tured off Cape Clear, 

by Vice-Ad. Boscawen. 

by Salisbury, 50, and 

„ Aug 15. Cherbourg demolished 

St. Alban’s, 50. 

bv Com. Howe. 

„ July 29. Superb, 56, taken in the 

„ Nov. 2. Belliqueux, 64, taken by 

Channel, by Kent, 70. 

Antelope, 50. 

1718. July 31. Spanish fleet under Adm. 

1759. Feb. 21. Bellone, 32, taken by 

Castaneta, defeated off 

Vestal, 32. 

Syracuse, by Adm. Sir 

„ Mar. 27. Due de Chartres, 60, 

G. Byng; 15 ships 

taken by Windsor, 60. 

captured,4 burnt. 

„ Mar. 28. Dana£, 40, taken by Me- 

1739. Aug. 21. Porto Bello taken by 

lampe, 36, and South- 

fleet under Vice-Adm. 

ampton, 32. 

Vernon. 

„ April 4. Comte de Florentin, 60, 

1740. April 18. Princeza, 74, captured 

captured by Achilles, 

off Cape Finisterre, by 

60. 

70-gun ships Lennox, 

„ May 18. Arethuse, 32, taken by a 

Orford, and Kent. 

squadron. 

1741. Mar. 9. Adm. Vernon attacks 

,, Aug. 18. 7 Vice-Admiral Boscawen 

Carthagena. 

and 19. J defeats De la Clue, in 

1744. Jan. 29. Rosario, 12, taken by 

Lagos Bay. 

Fly, 8. 

„ Sept. 10. Vice-Adm. Pocock en- 

Feb. 11. Adm. Matthews engages 

gages Comte d’Ache. 

French and Spanish 

,, Nov. 21. Adm. Hawke defeats 

fleets off Toulon. 

French fleet under De 

1745. July 9. Lion, 54. beats off Eliza- 

Conflans. 

beth, 64, after a con- 

1760. Feb. 28. Blonde and Terpsichore, 

test of 5 hours. 

French frigates, taken 

1746. Feb. 9. Auguste, 50, taken by 

by iEoltis and consorts. 

Portland, 50. 

„ Oct. 17. Sirenne, 32, and consorts, 

„ Oct. 11. Mars, 64, taken by Not- 

captured by Boreas, 28, 

tingham, 60. 

and consorts. 

1747 May 3. Vice-Adm. Anson de- 

1761. Jan. 4. Bien Aimee, 20, taken 

feats Com. La Jon- 

by Trent, 28. 

quiere, and captures 4 

„ Jan. 8. Unicorn, 32, captures 

ship§. 

Vestale, 32. 

Oct. 14. Rear-Adm. Hawke de- 

„ Jan. 23. Warwick, 60, en flute, 

feats Com. Letendeur, 

taken by Minerva. 32. 

and captures 5 ships. 

„ Jan. 24. Felicite taken by Rich- 

1748. Jan. 31. Magnanime. 74, taken 

mond, 32. 

by Nottingham, 60, and 

„ Jan. 30. Brune, 36, taken by Ve- 

Portland, 50. 

nus, 36, and Juno, 32. 






XIV 


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


1761. Mar. 13. Entreprenante, 44, en 

flute , taken by Ven¬ 
geance, 26. 

„ April 1. Oriflamme, 50, taken by 
Isis, 50. 

„ June 5. St. Anne, 64, captured by 
Rear-Adm. Holmes. 

,, June 7. Belleisle surrenders to 
Adm. Keppel and Gen. 
Hodgson. 

„ July 17. Achille, 64, and Bouffon, 
32. captured by Thun¬ 
derer, 74, and consorts. 

„ Aug. 14. Courageux, 74, captured 
by Bellona, 74; two 
frigates, consorts of the 
enemy, beat off by Bril¬ 
liant. 

1762. Mar. 14. Ventura, 26, taken by 

Fowey, 24. 

„ May 21. Hermione, treasure-ship, 
taken by Active, 28, 
and Favorite, 18. 

„ Aug. 14. Havannah surrenders to 
the fleet and forces 
under Adm. Pocock 
and the Earl of Albe¬ 
marle. 

„ Oct. 5. Manilla surrenders to 
the united forces under 
Vice-Admiral Cornish 
and Gen. Draper. 

! 1778. June 12. Arethusa, 32, engaged 

Belle Poule, 40, near 
Ushant. 

July 27. Engagement of AdmKep- 
pel and Comte d’Or- 
villiers, near Ushant. 

,, Nov. 3. Lion, 40, taken oy Maid¬ 
stone, 28. 

1779. Jan. 31. Oiseau, 26, captured by 
Apollo, 32. 

„ June 2. Prudente, 36, taken by 
Ruby, 64. 

„ July 6. Vice-Admiral Byron en¬ 
gages the French fleet 
under Comte d’Es- 
taing. 

„ Sept. 14. Santa Monica, 28, cap¬ 
tured by Pearl, 32. 

„ Oct. 6. Quebec, 32, after a close 
engagement with Fr. 
40-gun frigate Surveil- 
lante, took fire, and 
was destroyed. 

„ Oct. 24. Alcmdne, 40, captured 
by squadron. 

„ Nov. 11. Santa Margaritta, 38, 

taken by Tartar, 28. 

,, Dec. 12. San Carlos, 50, taken by 
Salisbury, 50. 

„ „ 20. Fortunee, 40, and 

Blanche, 36, taken by 
squadron of Rear- 
Adm. Parker. 

1780. Jan. 1. Adm. Rodney captured 
Spanish squadron be¬ 
longing to the Carracas 
Company. 

,, Jan. 17. Adm. Rodney attacked 
a Spanish fleet under 
Adm. Langara, and 


takes six ships of the 
line. 

1780. Jan. 16. Engagement between 
English fleet under 
Rodney and French 
under De Guichen. 

„ June 15. Apollo, 32, takes Stanis¬ 
laus, 32. 

,, July 1. Artois, 40, captured by 
Romney, 50. 

,, July 4. Capricieuse, 32, taken by 
Prudente, 36, and In¬ 
come, 32. 

„ July 14. Nonsuch, 64, captures 
Belle Poule, 32. * 

„ Aug. 10. Nymphe, 36, taken by 
f lora, 36. 

„ Aug. 13. Compte d Artois, 64, 
captured bv Bienfai- 
saut, 64, and consorts. 

„ Sept. 30. Pearl, 32, captures Espe- 
rance, 28. 

„ Senegal, 18, taken by Ze¬ 

phyr, 14. 

„ Dec. 30. Princess Caroline, 54, 
captured by Be) Iona,74. 

1781. Jan. 4. Minerva, 32, taken by 
Courageux and Va¬ 
liant, 74. 

„ Jan. 5. Rotterdam, 50, taken by 
Warwick, 50. 

„ Feb. 3. Island of St. Eustatia 
surrenders to Adm. 
Rodney. 

,, Feb. 25. Grana, 28, taken by Cer¬ 
berus, 32. 

„ April 16. French squadron re¬ 
pulsed by Commodore 
Johnstone in Porto 
Praya Bay, St. Jago. 

„ May 14. Nonsuch, 64, engages 
Actif, French 74. 

„ May 30. Flora, 36, and Crescent, 
28, engage two Dutch 
frigates, and capture 
one, the Brill, 36. 

„ Aug. 5. Rear-Adm. Sir H. Par¬ 
ker engaged the Dutch 
squadron under Rear- 
Adm. Zoutman off the 
Doggerbank. 

„ Sept. 2. Magicienne, 32, taken by 
Chatham, 50. 

„ Sept. 5. Action of the Chesa¬ 
peake, between the 
fleets of Sir Samuel 
Hood and Comte de 
Grasse. 

„ Dec. 12. Rear-Adm. Ivempenfelt 
engages French fleet 
of superior force un¬ 
der De Guichen, near 
Ushant. 

1782. Jan. 26. Action off St. Kitts, be¬ 
tween the fleets of Sir 
Samuel Hood and De 
Grasse ; the latter 
thrice repulsed. 

„ Feb. 17. Vice-Adm. Hughes, near 
Madras, engages Fr. 
squadron under De 
Suffrein. 


















NAVY. 


1782. Mar. 16. Santa Catalina. 34, taken 

by Success, 32. 

„ April 9. Admiral Rodney attacks 
French fleet under l)e 
Grasse, near Dominica. 

„ April 12. Vice-Adm. Hughes en¬ 
gages De Suffrein off 
Trincomalee. 

„ April 12. Rodney defeats De 
Grasse near Marti¬ 
nique, and takes five 
ships of the line. 

„ April 19. Caton, 61, Jason, 64, Ai- 
mable, 32, captured by 
Sir S. Hood. 

„ April 20. Pegase, 74, captured by 
Foudroyanr, 84. 

„ April 23. Actionnaire, 64, en flfite, 
taken by Queen, 98. 

„ July 6. Vice-Adm. Hughes en¬ 
gages De Suffrein near 
Negapatam. 

„ July 29. Amazone, 36, captured by 
Santa Margaritta, 36. 

„ Aug. 20. Royal George, 100, sunk 
at Spithead. 

„ Sept. 1. Aigle, 22, taken by Due 
de Chartres, 18. 

„ Sept. 3. Vice-Adm. Hughes again 
engages the squadron 
of De Suffrein off Trin¬ 
comalee. 

„ Sept. 4. Hebe, 40, taken by Rain¬ 
bow, 44. 

„ Sept. 13. Bombardment of Gibral¬ 
tar defeated. 

„ Sept. 15. Aigle, 40, captured by 
squadron in the De¬ 
laware. 

„ Sept. 18. Scipion, 74. destroyed by 
London, 90, and con¬ 
sorts. 

„ Sept. 18. Gibraltar relieved by 
fleet under Lord Howe. 

„ Dec. 12. Mediator, 44, attacked 
5 French armed ships, 
and captured Mena- 
gdre, 30, and Alex¬ 
ander, 24. 

1783. Jan. 6. Sibylle, 36, captured by 

Hussar, 28. 

„ June 20. Vice-Adm. Hughes en¬ 
gages De Suffrein off 
Pondicherry. 

1791. Nov. 20. Resolue, 32, captured by 
Phoenix, 36, at Man¬ 
galore. 

1793. Mar. 13. Scourge, 16, captures 
Sans Culotte, 12, off 
Scillv. 

„ May 13. Iris, 32, engages Ci- 
toyenne Frangaise, 32. 

„ May 27. Venus, 32, beat off Se- 
miilante, 36. 

„ June 17. Nymphe, 36, captures 
Cleopatre, 36, off the 
Start. 

„ July 31. Boston, 32, engaged Em- 
buscade, 36, off New 
York. 

„ Oct. 20. Crescent, 36, captured 
Reunion, 36, off Bar- 
fleur. 


1793. Oct. 22. Agamemnon, 64, en¬ 

gages 5 French fri¬ 
gates off Sardinia. 

„ Oct. 24. Thames, 32, beat off 
Uranie, 36, in the 
Bay. 

,, Nov. 25. Inconstante, 36, taken 
by Iphigenia, 32, and 
Penelope, 32, St. Do¬ 
mingo. 

,, Dec. 1. Antelope packet captures 
Atalante, 8. 

1794. Mar. 22. Reduction of Martinique. 

„ April 4. Reduction of St. Lucie. 

,, April 23. Pomone, 44, Engageante, 

36, and Babet. 20, cap¬ 
tured near Guernsey 
by 5 frigates under 

Commodore Warren. 

„ May 5. Orpheus, 32, captures 
Duguay-Trouin, 34, in 
East Indies. 

,, May 29. Cary»fort. 28, 

„ May 29. Lord Howe engages 

French fleet under 

Adm. Villaret, in the 
Bay. 

,, June 1. Lord Howe defeats the 
same armament; 6 sail 
of the line taken and 
one sunk. 

„ June 17. Romney, 50, captures 
Sibylle, 40, in Miconi. 

„ July 4. Reduction of Guadaloupe 

„ Aug. 23. Volontaire, 36, driven 
on shore on Penmarcks, 
by Commod. Warren. 

„ Oct. 21. Revolutionnaire, — 40, 
taken by Artois, — 38, 
and consorts. 

,, Nov. 6. Alexander, 74, taken by 
French squadron under 
Rear-Adm. Nielly. 

1795. Jan. 5. Blanche, 32, captures 

Pique, 36, off Gua- 
daloupe. 

„ Mar. 13. Lively, 32, captures 
Tourterelle, 28, near 
Ushant. 

,, Mar. 7. Berwick, 74, taken by 
French fleet near Leg¬ 
horn. 

„ Mar. 13. Adm Hotbam engages 
French fleet under 
Adm. Martin, near 
Toulon. 

„ Mar. 14. The action renewed; 

Ca Ira, 74, and Cen- 
seur, 74, captured. 

„ April 10. Gloire, 36, taken by 
Astrea, 32; Gentille, 
36, taken by Hanibal, 
74. 

„ May 17. Raison and Prevoyante 
storeships taken by 
Hussar, 28, and Thetis, 
38. 

,, May 25. Courrier National, 18 
captured by Thorn, 16 

„ June 24. Minerve, 40, taken by 
Lowestoffe and Dido, 
28, near Toulon. 

,, June 17. Vice-Adm. Cornwallis, 













XVI 


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


with 5 ships of the 
line, 2 frigates and a 
brig, effected a mas¬ 
terly retreat from 
Vice-Admiral Vence, 
with 12 ships of the 
line and 11 frigates, 
near L’Orient. 

1795. June 23. Adm. Lord Bridport, 

with 17 ships of the 
line, attacked the 
French fleet of Vice- 
Adm. Vence near Isle 
of Groix, and cap¬ 
tured 3 ships of 74 
guns. 

„ July 13. Adm. Hotham, with 23 
sail of the line, en¬ 
gaged the French fleet 
of 17 ships of the line 
under Adm. Martin, 
near Hy£res, and cap¬ 
tured one ship of 74 
guns. 

„ Aug. 18. Trincomalee surrenders. 

„ Aug. 22. Alliance, 36, taken by 
Stag, 32. 

„ Aug. 27. Fort Ottenburg taken. 

„ Sept. 29. Southampton, 32, en¬ 
gages Vestale, 28. 

„ Sept. . Cape Good Hope sur¬ 
renders to Vice-Adm. 
Elphinstone and Gen. 
A. Clarke. 

1796. Feb. 17. Amboyna surrenders to 

Rear-Adm. Rainier. 

„ Mar. 8. Banda, ditto. 

„ Mar. 10. Bonne Citoyenne, 24, 
captured in the Bay 
by Phaeton, 38. 

„ Mar. 18. Etourdie, 18, and convoy 
destroyed at Herqui 
by Diamond, 38, and 
consorts. 

„ Mar. 13. Unite, 36, taken by Re- 
volutionnaire, 38, in 
the Channel. 

„ Mar. 20. Virginie, 40, taken by 
Indefatigable, 44, in 
the Channel. 

May 4. Volcan, 12, taken by 
Spencer, 16. 

„ May 12. Argo, 36, taken by Phoe¬ 
nix, 36, and consorts. 

„ May 27. Revanche, 12, taken by 
Suffisante, 14. 

„ June 8. Tamise, 36, and ? Tri¬ 
bune, 36, captured by 
Santa Margaritta, 36, 
and Unicorn, 32. 

„ June 9. Utile, 24, captured by 
Southampton, 32, in 
Hy&res roads. 

June 13. Proserpine, 35, taken by 
Drvad, 36, off Cape 
Clear. 

„ July 15. Glatton, 50, on coast of 
Flanders, defeats a 
squadron of 4 French 
frigates and 2corvettes 

„ June 22. Aimable, 32, engages 
French 36-gun frigate 
PensfceoffGuadaloupe. 


1796. Aug. 8. Mermaid, 32, engages 

Vengeance, 36, off 
Guadaloupe. 

„ Aug. 17. Dutch squadron under 
Rear-Adm. Lucas sur¬ 
renders to Vice-Adm. 
K. Elphinstone, Cape 
Good Hope. 

„ Aug. 23. Andromaque, 36, driven 
on shore near Arcas- 
son, bv squadron of 
Sir J. B. Warren. 

„ Aug. 28. Elizabeth, 36, taken by 
squadron under Adm'. 
Murray, off the Chesa¬ 
peake. 

,, Sept. 23. Pelican, 18, engages 
Medee, 36, off Gua¬ 
daloupe. 

,, Oct. 13. Mahonesa, 32, taken by 
Terpsichore, 32, off 
Carthagena. 

„ Dec. 13. Vestale, 36, taken by 
Terpsichore, 32, off 
Cadiz. 

„ Dec. 19. Mindrve, 40, Commodore 
Nelson,near Gibraltar, 
captured Spanish 34- 
gun frigate Sabina. 

„ Dec. 24. Polyphemus, 64.captures 
French 50-gun ship 
Justine, en flute, and 
on 31st, Tortue, 40. 

1797. Jan. 13. Indefatigable, 44, and 

Amazon, 36, attacked 
French 74, Droits de 
P Homme, which ship 
after a severe action 
was wrecked in Audi- 
erne Bay, on the 14th. 

„ Jan. 31. Andromache, 32, engages 
an Algerine of equal 
force off Tangiers. 

„ Feb. 14. Adm. Jervis, with 15 
sail of the line, defeats 
Spanish fleet of 26 of 
the line, under Adm. 
Cordova, near Cape St. 
Vincent, and captures 
two of 112, one of 80, 
and one of 74 guns. 

,, Feb. 17. Island of Trinidad sur¬ 
renders to Rear-Adm. 
Harvey, and Lieut.- 
Gen. Abercromby. 

„ Feb. 22. Resistance, 40, and Con¬ 
stance, 22, captured 
near Brest, by San 
Fiorenza, 38, and 
Nymphe, 36. 

„ Mar. 1. Terpsichore, 32, engages 
Santissima Trinidada, 
130, off Cadiz. 

„ Mar. 13. Viper, 14, captures Vir¬ 
gin Mary, 10. 

„ April 26. St. Elena and Nin fa, 34, 
captured by Irresisti¬ 
ble, 74, and Emerald, 
36, in Conil Bay. 

„ May 29. Mutine, 14, cut' out of 
Santa Cruz, by boats 
of Minerve, under 
Lieut. T. M. Hardy. 















NAVY. xvii 

1797. July 3. Gun-boats from fleet in 

1798. July 15. Lion, 64, engages 4 

Cadiz, under Commo- 

Spanish frigates near 

dore Tyrason, defeated 

Carthagena, and cap- 

by British boats, under 

tures the St. Dorotea, 

Rear-Admiral Nelson, 

34. 

who captured the 

„ Aug. 1. Battle of the Nile, Rear- 

Spanish Commodore. 

Adm. Nelson, defeats 

„ July 16. Calliope, 26, driven on 

French fleet, consisting 

shore on Audierne Bay, 

of 1 of 120, 3 of 80, 

bv Commodore Sir J. 

and 9 of 74 guns, under 

B. Warren. 

Adm. Brueys,in Abou- 

„ July 20. Isle of Teneriffe attacked 

kir Bay ; and cap- 

by Rear-Adm. Nelson, 

tures 2 of 80, and 8 of 

with squadron of 3 sail 

74 guns. The Orient, 

of the line, 1 of 50 

120, blew up in the 

guns and 3 frigates. 

Action. 

„ Aug. 10. Gaiete, 20, taken in the 

„ Aug. 4. Aventurier, 14, cut out of 

Channel by Arethusa, 

Coregion, by boats of 

38. 

Melpomene, 38, 3nd 

„ Aug. 21. Oiseau, 18, and Express, 

Childers, 14. 

14, captured near 

„ Aug. 7. Vaillante, 20, taken by 

Scilly, by Penguin, 

Indefatigable, 44. 

16. 

„ Espoir, 14, engages Li- 

,, Oct. 11. Battle of Camperdown. 

guria, 26. 

Adm. Duncan, with 

,, Aug. 18. Leander, 50, captured 

7 ships of 74 guns, 7 

near the Island) of 

of 64, and 2 of 50, 

Candia, by French 74- 

defeated Dutch fleet 

gun ship Genereux, 

under Vice-Adm. De 

after a gallant defence 

Winter, and captured 

of 5 hours. 

2 of 74 guns, 5 of 64, 

,, Aug. 22. Decade, 36, taken by 

1 of. 50, and 2 frigates, 

Naiad and Magnanime, 

out of a fleet consisting 

near Cape Finisterre. 

of 4 of 74 guns, 7 of 64, 

Flore, 32, taken by 

and 4 of 50 guns, 4 

Phaeton and Anson, 

frigates, and 6 sloops. 

frigates. 

,, Oct. 25. Hyaena, 20, taken off 

„ Oct. 12. Commodore Bompart, 

Teneriffe. by Indefati- 

with one ship of 74 

gable, 44. 

guns and 8 frigates. 

„ Dec. 20. Nereide, 36, taken by 

defeated by squadron 

Phoebe, 36,westward of 

under Commodore Sir 

Ushant. 

J. B.Warren, on Coast 

Dec. 29. Daphne, 20, captured by 

of Ireland. Four fri- 

Anson, 44. 

gates escaped ; but on 

1798. Jan. 5. Cherie, 26, taken by Po- 

Oct. 14. Resolue, 36, was cap- 

mone, 40, off Ushant. 

tured by Melampus, 36. 

Jan. 8. Betsey, 18, taken by 

„ Oct. 18. Loire, 44, by Anson, 44 ; 

Kingfisher, 18, near 

and on 

Lisbon. 

„ Oct. 20. Immortalite,44, captured 

„ Jan. 23. Volage, 22, taken by Me- 

by Fisgard, 38. 

lampus, 36. 

„ Oct. 24. Furie,36, andWaakzaam- 

,, Feb. 25. Cobourg, 12, captures 

heid, 24, taken off the 

Revanche, ,6. 

Texel by Sirius, 36. 

„ April 17. Recovery, 10, captures 

„ Dec. 5. Ambuscade, 32, was cap- 

Revanche, 10, in West 

tured in the Bay, by 

Indies. 

French 28-gun ship 

,, April 21. Hercule, 74, taken by 

Baionnaise. 

Mars, 74, near Brest. 

Dec. 7. Armee d’ltalie, 18, taken 

„ May 13. Mondovi, 18, cut out of 

by Perdriz, 22, in W r est 

Cerigo, by boats of 

Indies. 

Flora, 36. 

1799. Feb. 6. Santa Teresa, 34, taken 

May 31. Confiante, 36, destroyed 

by Leviathan, 74, near 

near Havre, by squad- 

Majorca. 

ron. 

Feb. 9. Prudente, 36, taken by 

,, June 22. Princess Royal, 6, cap- 

Dcedalus, 32, Cape of 

tures Aventurier, 16. 

Good Hope. 

June 26. Sensible, 36, taken by 

,, Feb. 22. Espoir, 14, captures 

Seahorse, 38, near 

Africa, 14, off Malaga. 

Sicily, j 

,, Mar. 1. Forte, 44, taken by Si- 

June 29. Seine, 40, captured in the 

bylle, 38, near Madras. 

Bay, by Jason, Pique, 

,, Mar. 15. Siege of Acre. This 

and Mermaid frigates. 

fortress, defended by 


a 






xviii CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


Capt. Sir S. Smith, re¬ 
pulsed every attack by 
Bonaparte, who raised 
the siege on 20th May. 

1799. Mar. 18. Hirondelle, 16, taken by 

Telegraph, 16. 

„ April 9. San Fiorenzo and Ame¬ 
lia, 36, engaged Cor- 
nelie and Vengeance, 
40, and Semillante,36, 
near Belleisle. 

„ June 9. Boats of Success, 32, 
capture" a polacre of 10 
guns, at La Selva. 

„ Aug. 3. Dutch squadron of Adm. 

Storey, in the Texel, 
surrenders to Admiral 
Mitchell. 

„ Aug. 20. Clyde, 38, captures Ves¬ 
tate, 36, off Bordeaux. 

„ Aug. 25. Tamar, 38, captures Re- 
publicain, 28. 

„ Sept. 9. Arrow, 24, and Wolve¬ 
rine, 13,capture Draak, 
24, and Gier, 14, in the 
Texel. 

„ Oct. 16. Thetis and Santa Bri- 
gida, 34, laden with 
treasure, captured by 
Naiad, 38, Ethalion, 
38, Triton, 32, and 
Alcmene, 32. 

,, Oct. 25. Hermione, 32, cut out 
of Puerto Cabello, by 
boats of Surprise, 32, 
ted by Capt. Edward 
Hamilton. 

„ Nov. 23. Courier, 12, captures 
Guerrier, 14. 

,, Dec. 11. Preneuse, 40, destroyed 
near Port Louis, Isle 
of France, by boats of 
Adamant, 50. 

„ Dec. 26. Viper, 14, captures Fu- 
ret, 14, near the Dod- 
man. 

1800. Feb. 5. Pallas, 40, taken near 

Cape Frehel, by Loire, 
38, and consorts. 

„ Feb. 18. Genereux, 74, taken off 
Malta, by squadron un¬ 
der Lord Keith. 

„ Mar. 3. Vengeance, 18, taken by 
Nereide, 36, off the 
Penmarcks. 

„ Mar. 21. Ligurienne, 16, taken by 
Peterel, 16, near Mar¬ 
seilles. 

„ Mar. 31. Guillaume Tell,84, taken 
near Malta, by Fou- 
droyant, 80, Lion, 64, 
and Penelope, 36. 

„ May 20. Prima, galley, cut out of 
Leghorn by 10 boats of 
Minotaur, and con¬ 
sorts. 

„ July 6. Desiree, 40, boarded and 
carried in Dunkirk 
Roads, by Dart, 30, 
Capt. Pat. Campbell. 

„ July 25. Danish 40-gun frigate 
Freija captured by Ne¬ 
mesis, 28. 


1800. July 26. Cerbere, 9, cut out of 

Port Louis, by boats 
of Viper, 10, under 
Lieut. Coghlan. 

,, Aug. 20. Vengeance, 40, taken by 
Seine, 38, near Mar¬ 
tinique. 

„ Aug. 24. Diane, 40, taken by Suc¬ 
cess, 32, near Malta. 

„ Aug. 29. Guepe, 18, cut out of 
Vigo by boats of Re¬ 
nown, and squadron 
under Lieut.IL Burke. 

„ Sept. 3. Esmeralda and Paz, 22, 
cut out of Barcelona 
Roads, by boats of 
Minotaur, and con¬ 
sorts. 

,, Sept. 5. Malta capitulated to 
Capt. G. Martin and 
Gen. Pigott. 

„ Oct. 28. San Josef, 14, cut out 
from fortress of Fuen- 
girola, near Malaga, by 
boats of Phaeton, 38. 

,, Nov. 13. Milbrook, 16, beat off 
Bellone, 30, off' Oporto. 

,, Nov. 17. Reolaise, 20, destroyed 
in Port Navalo by 
squadron. 

1801. Jan. 3. Senegal, 18, taken by 

boats of Melpomene, 
38, in Senegal River. 

„ Jan. 28. Dedaigneuse, 36, taken 
by Oiseau, 36, off Cape 
Finisterre. 

„ Feb. 19. Phoebe, 36, captures 
Africaine, 40, near 
Gibraltar. 

„ Mar. 8. The army under Gen. 

Abercromby effected a 
landing in Aboukir 
Bay from a fleet under 
Adm. Lord Keith. 

,, April 2. Battle of Copenhagen. 

Vice-Ad. Lord Nelson 
with 10 sail of the line, 
2 of 50 guns, 5 frigates, 

2 sloops, and 7 bombs, 
attacked the Danish 
line of defence. After 
a bombardment from 
lOh. a. M.until 3h. p.m., 
hostilities ceased. 

„ May 6. Game, 32, boarded and 
carried by Speedy, 14, 
near Barcelona. 

„ July 6. Rear-Adm. Saumarez, 
with 6 ships of the 
line, attacked Rear- 
Adm. Dumanoir, with 

3 sail of the line and a 
frigate, moored under 
the batteries of Alge- 
siras. The Hannibal 
took the ground, and 
was captured. 

„ July 12. Adm. Saumarez attacked 
the combined French 
and Spanish squadron 
of 9 sail of the line, in 
the Gut of Gibraltar. 
2 ships of 112-guns 







NAVY. 


blew up, and the St. 
Antoine, 74, was cap¬ 
tured. 

1801. July 22. Chevrette, 20, cut out 
from under the batte¬ 
ries of Camaret, by 9 
boats, under Lieut. 
Keith Maxwell. 

„ July 31. Sylph, 18, engages Ar- 
temese, 36. 

,, Aug. 3. Carrfere, 38, taken near 
Elba, by Pomone, 38, 
and consorts. 

,, Aug. 15. Boulogne flotilla attack¬ 
ed by a force under 
Vice-Adm. Lord Nel¬ 
son. 

„ Aug. 19. Chiffonne, 36, taken by 
Sybille, 38, near the 
Seychelle Islands. 

,, Aug. 20. Neptuno, 20, cut out of 
Corunna, by boats of 
Fisgard, and consorts. 

„ Sept. 2. Bravoure and Succes 
driven on shore near 
Vasa. 

,, Oct. 28. Rosario, 10, taken by 
Pasley, 14, near Cape 
de Gatt. 

1803. May 28. Franchise, 36, captured 

by Minotaur, 74, in the 
Channel. 

„ June 27. Venteux, 10, cut out 
from under the batte¬ 
ries of Isle of Bas, by 
boats of Loire, 38. 

„ June 30. Creole, 36, captured off 
St. Domingo, by Cum¬ 
berland and Vanguard, 
74. 

,, July 2. Mindrve, 38, having 
grounded at the en¬ 
trance of Cherbourg, 
surrendered after a 
gallant defence. 

„ July 11. Lodi, 10, taken by Rac¬ 
coon, 18, oft’ St. Do¬ 
mingo. 

„ July 24. Duquesne, 74, taken by 

British squadron off 

Cape Francois. 

„ Aug. 17. Mutine, 18, driven ashore 
near St. Jago de Cuba, 
by Raccoon, 18. 

„ Nov. 30. Clorinde, 40, taken by 

squadron at the evacu¬ 
ation of St. Domingo. 

1804. Feb. 3. Curieux, 16, cut out 

from Martinique, by 

boats of Centaur, 74, 

under the orders of 
Lt. R. C. Reynolds. 

„ Feb. 5. Eclair, 12, beat off Grand 
Decide, 22, near Tor¬ 
tola. 

„ Mar. 7. Goree recaptured by 
Capt. E. S. Dickson. 

„ Mar. 25. Egyptienne, 36, gun pri¬ 
vateer, taken by Hip- 
pomenes, 14, in West 
Indies. 

„ Mar. 24. Wolverine, 13, captured 
by French 30-gun pri¬ 


vateer, after a gallant 
defence. 

1804. Mar. 31. Atalanta, 16, cut out 

from the Texel by 
boats of Scorpion and 
Beaver, led by Capt. 
Hardinge. 

„ April 9. Wilhelmina en flute en¬ 
gages Psyche, 32, near 
Trincomalee. 

„ May 5. Reduction of Surinam, 
by Com. Sir Samuel 
Hood. 

“ July 11. Boats of Narcissus and 
consorts captured a 
convoy at La Vau- 
dour. 

„ Aug. 17. Blonde, 30, taken by 
Loire, 38. 

„ Sept. 15. Centurion, 50, attacked 
by Marengo, 74, and 2 
frigates in Vizagapa- 
tam roads. 

„ Oct. 5. Three Spanish frigates, 
laden with treasure 
captured near Cadiz 
by 4 frigates, ' under 
Capt. G. Moore, and 
a fourth exploded. 

1805. Feb. 8. Dame Ernouf, 16, taken 

by Curieux, 16, near 
Barbadoes. 

,, Feb. 15. Psyche, 32, taken off Vi- 
zagapatam by San Fio- 
renzo, 36. 

,, Feb. 17. Cleopatra, 32, captured 
by Ville de Milan, 40. 

„ Feb. 23. Ville de Milan taken, and 
Cleopatra recaptured 
by Leander, 50. 

,, Mar. 29. Adm. Villeneuve, with 
12 sail of the line, sailed 
from Toulon, and be¬ 
ing joined by 6 ships 
of the line from Cadiz, 
proceeded to the West 
Indies. Lord Nelson, 
with 10 ships of the 
line, followed him with 
such vigour that the 
combined squadron re¬ 
turned to Europe, pur¬ 
sued by Nelson, who 
joined the channel fleet 
in July. 

„ June 2. Boat’s crew of Loire, 38, 
led by Lieut. J. L. Yeo, 
stormed Fort Muros. 

„ July 19. Blanche, 36, captured by 
a French squadron. 

„ July 22. Vice-Admiral Sir R. 

Calder, with 15 sail of 
the line and 2 frigates, 
off Cape Finisterre, 
engaged the combined 
French and Spanish 
fleet of 20 ships of the 
line and 4 frigates. 
2 Spanish ships of the 
line were captured. 

„ Aug. 10. Didon, 40, taken off Cape 
Ortegal by Phoenix, 36. 

„ Sept. 25. Calcutta, 50, captured by 







CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


xx 


squadron of Rear-Adm. 
Allemand. 

1805. Oct. 9. Cyane, 26, recaptured by 

Princess Charlotte, off 
Tobago. 

„ Oct. 21. Battle of Trafalgar. Vice- 
Adrn. Lord Nelson, 
with 27 sail of the line 
and 4 frigates, off Cape 
Trafalgar, defeated 
combined French and 
Spanish fleet of 33 ships 
of the line and 5 fri¬ 
gates. 19 of the line 
were captured and one 
burnt. 

„ Nov. 4. Capt. Sir R. Strachan, 
with 4 sail of the line 
and 4 frigates, off Cape 
Ortegal, captures 4 
French ships of the 
line under Rear-Adm. 
Dumanoir. 

,, Dec. 24. Libre, 40, taken by Egyp- 
tienne, 44, and Loire, 
38. 

1806. Jan. 7. Raposa, 12, cut out of 

Campeachy Bay, by 
boats of Franchise, 36. 

,, Feb. 6. French squadron of 5 
sail of the line, under 
Vice-Adm.Leisseigues, 
captured in bav of St. 
Domingo by 7 ships of 
the line under Vice- 
Adm. Duckworth. 

„ Mar. 13. Marengo, 74, captured 
by London, 98, and 
Belle Poule, 40, by 
Amazon, 38, in com¬ 
pany with a squadron. 

„ Mar. 26. Phaeton and Voltigeur, 
16, taken by Pique, 36, 
near Sr. Domingo. 

„ Mar. 28. Nearque, 18, taken by 
Niobe, 38, off the Gle- 
nans. 

„ April 4. Vigilante, 18, taken by 
Renommee, 36, off 
Cape de Gata. 

„ April 6. Tapageuse, 14, cut out of 
the Gironde by boats 
of Pallas, 32. 

„ April 17. Sirius, 36, defeated a 
squadron off the Tiber, 
and captured Berg^re. 
18. 

„ May 14. Pallas, 32, attacked Mi- 
nerve, 40, and 3 brigs, 
in Basque roads. 

„ May 27. Diligente, 16, taken by 
Renard, 18, in West 
Indies. 

„ July 9. Bellone, 34, captured by 
Powerful, 74, off Cey¬ 
lon. 

„ July 15. Cesar, 16, cut out of 
Verdon roads by boats 
of squadron, under 
Lieut. E. R. Sibly. 

„ July 19. Guerriere, 40, taken by 
Blanche, 38, off the 
Faro islands. 


1806. July 26. Greyhound, 32, and Har¬ 

rier, 18, defeated a 
Dutch squadron in the 
Java seas, and captured 
two armed Indiamen. 

,, July 28. Rhin, 40, taken by Mars, 
74, in the bay. 

„ Aug. 23. Pomona, 34, taken by 

Anson, 44, and Are- 

thusa, 38, under the 

batteries near the Ha- 
vannah. 

„ Sept. 25. Gloire, Armide, Infa- 
tigable, and Mindrve, 
40-gun frigates, taken 
off Rochefort, by squa¬ 
dron of 6 sail of the 
line, under Com. Sir S. 
Hood. 

„ Sept. 27. President, 40, taken 

in the bay by squadron 
under Rear-Adm. Sir 
T. Louis. 

„ Oct. 18. Maria, 36, taken by Ca¬ 
roline, 36, in Batavia 
roads. 

„ Dec. 13. Neptuno, 12, taken by 
Halcyon, 18. 

1807. Jan. 1. Reduction of the island 

of Cura^oa by 4 fri¬ 
gates under Captain 
Charles Brisbane. 

,, Jan. 21. Lynx, 16, captured off 
the Caraccas by boats 
of Galatea, 32, under 
Lieut. W. Coombe. 

„ Jan. 27. Favourite, 29, captured 
by Jason, 32. 

„ Feb. 5. Buenos Ayres, surrender¬ 
ed to Rear-Admiral 
Stirling. 

„ Feb. 14. Ajax, 74, burnt by ac¬ 
cident off the entrance 
of the Dardanelles. 

„ Feb. 19. Squadron under Vice- 
Adm. J. T. Duck¬ 
worth passed the Dar¬ 
danelles. 

,, Mar. 3. The squadron repassed 
from before Constan¬ 
tinople. 

„ Mar. 21." Chesapeake, 36, sur¬ 
rendered to Leopard, 
50, near Cape Henry. 

„ Aug. 14. Frederickscoarn, 32, 
taken by Comus, 22, 
on coast of Norway. 

„ Sept. 7. Copenhagen capitulated 
to fleet under Adm. 
Lord Gambier and 
Gen. Lord Cathcart. 

„ Dec. 21. Reduction of Island of 
St. Thomas, West lnd. 

,, Dec. 24. Madeira surrenders to 
Rear-Admiral Sir S. 
Hood. 

„ Dec. 25. Reduction of Sta. Croix, 
West Indies. 

1808. Jan. 16. Courier, 18, taken by 

Linnet, 14, off'Barfleur. 

„ Mar. 2. Admiral Yawl. 28, taken 
by Sappho, 18, off Scar¬ 
borough. 







NAVY. 


xxi 


1808. Mar. 8. Piemontaise, 40, taken i 

by San Fiorenzo, 36, 
off Cape Cormorin, 
East Indies. 

„ Mar. 12. Baleine, 30, en flute, de¬ 
stroyed by Amphion, 
32, in bay of Rosas. 

„ Mar. 14. Childers, 14, engages 
Lougen, 18, in the 
Baltic. 

„ Mar. 15. Terpsichore, 32, engages 
French 36-gun frigate 
Semillante, near Cey¬ 
lon. 

„ Mar. 22. Prindts Christian Fre¬ 
derick, 74, taken on 
coast of Jutland by 
64-gun ships Stately 
and Nassau. 

„ Mar. 22. Seine, 36, driven on 
shore on Isle of Groix, 
by Aigle, 36. 

„ May 19. Guelderland, 36, taken 
by Virginie, 38. 

„ July 5. Seahorse, 38, in the Ar¬ 
chipelago, captures 
Badere Zaffer, mount¬ 
ing 52 guns. 

„ Aug. 11. Comet, 18, captures 
Sylphe, 16, in the Bay. 

„ Aug. 26. Sewolod, 74, taken by 
Centaur, 74, in com¬ 
pany with Implacable, 
74, off Rogerwick. 

„ Sept. 6. Recruit, 18, engages Di- 
ligente, 18. 

„ Sept. 12. Laurel, 22, captured by 
Cannonidre, 40, off the 
Isle of France. 

„ Oct. 3. Carnation, 18, captured 
by Pal inure, 16, near 
Martinique. 

„ Oct. 31. The Palinure was taken 
by Circe, 32. 

„ Nov. 11. Thetis, 40, taken by 

Amethyst, 36, off L’O- 
rient. 

1809. Jan. 1. Manly captured by Onyx. 

„ Jan. 3. Capture of Iris, 26, 'by 

Aimable, 32. 

„ Jan. 22. Topaze, 40, taken by 

Cleopatra, 36, and 

Jason, 38, near Gua- 
daloupe. 

„ Feb. 6. Niemen, 40, taken by 

Amethyst, 36, off Bor¬ 
deaux. 

„ Feb. 10. Junon, 40, taken by Ho¬ 
ratio, 38, and consorts, 
off the Virgin Islands. 

„ Feb. 14. Var, 26, taken by Belle 
Poule, 38. 

„ Feb. 24. Reduction of Martinique 
by fleet under Rear- 
Adm. Cochrane and 
Lieut. Gen. Beckwith 

„ Feb. 24.'Cybele, Italienne, and. 

Calypso, of 40 guns, 
destroyed under Sables 
d’Olonne by Rear- 
Adm. Stopford. 

„ April 11. Fleet in Aix roads at¬ 
tacked by squadron 


under Lord Cochrane; 
3 ships of 74 and 1 of 
50 guns destroyed. 

1809. April 15. D’Hautpoult, 74, taken 

in West Indies by 
Pompee, 74, and con¬ 
sorts. 

„ May 18. Island of Anholt surren¬ 
ders to Standard, 64, 
and consorts. 

,, June 25. Islands of Ischia and 
Procida surrender. 

„ June 27. Cyane, 22, engages Ce- 
r£s, 40, and Faina, 28, 
near Naples. 

„ July 5. Furieuse, 40, en flute , 
taken by Bonne Citoy- 
enne, 20, near Halifax. 

„ July 28. Walcheren expedition 
sails from the Downs. 

„ Sept. 11. Zephyr, 14, taken by 
Diana, 10, near Mo- 
nado, E. I. 

„ Oct. 26. Robuste, 80, and Lior., 
74, destroyed in Gulf 
of Lyons, by squadron 
under Rear-Admiral 
Martin. 

„ Dec. 13. Junon, 38, captured by 
four French frigates. 

„ Dec. 14. Bearnais, 16, taken by 
Melampus. 

,, Dec. 18. Seine, 40, and Loire, 40, 
en flute, destroyed at 
Anse la Barque, by 
squadron under Capt. 
Ballard. 

1810. Jan. 10. Amiable Nelly, 16, taken 

by Cherokee, 10, off 
Dieppe. 

,, Jan. 11. Oreste, 16, taken by Scor¬ 
pion, 18, near Guada- 
loupe. 

„ Feb. 6. Guadaloupe surrenders 
to Vice-Adm. Sir A. 
Cochrane and Lieut.- 
Gen. Beckwith. 

„ Feb. 10. Havik, 10, taken by 
Thistle, 10. 

„ Apr. 12. Esperance, 22, en fl&te, 
taken by Unicorn, 32, 
off Rochefort. 

„ Apr. 16. Santa Maura surrenders. 

„ May 3. Spartan, 38, engages Ce¬ 
res, 40, Fama, 28, and 
captures Sparvidre, 8, 
in Bay of Naples. 

„ July 8. Reduction of Isle of 
Bourbon. 

„ July 9. Banda Neira captured 
by Caroline and Pie¬ 
montaise frigates. 

„ Aug. 13. Isle de la Pape stormed 
by boats under Lieut. 
J. W. Watling. 

„ Aug. 23. Sirius, Iphigenia, Magi- 
cienne, and Nereide, 
frigates, were captured 
in an attack on a 
French squadron at 
Grand Port, Isle of 
France. 

„ Sept. 13. Africaine, 38, captured 














CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 


xxii 


by two French 40-gun 
frigates, near Isle of 
France. 

1810. Sept. 17. Ceylon, 32, taken by 

Venus, 40, near Isle 
Bourbon, was re-cap¬ 
tured on the same day 
by Boadlcea, 38, Otter, 
18, and Staunch, 14, 
and the Venus also 
taken. 

„ Oct. 14. Sans Souci, 14, taken by 
Briseis, 10. 

„ Dec. 3. Isle of France capitulated 
to Vice-Adm. Bertie 
and Major-Gen. Aber- 
cromby. 

,, Dec. 7. Maraudeur, 14, taken by 
Rinaldo, 10, near 
Dover. 

1811. Mar. 13. Amphion, 32, Active, 38, 

Cerberus, 32, and Vo- 
lage, 22, defeat a 
French squadron of 6 
frigates, near the Island 
of Lissa, and capture 
Corona, 40, and Bel- 
lona, 32. 

„ Mar. 27. Garrison of the Island of 
Anholt, repulse an 
attack made by a large 
Danish force. 

„ Mar. 30. Giraffe and Nourrice, 26, 
destroyed in Bay of 
Sagone, by Pomone, 38, 
and consorts. 

„ May 16. Little Belt, 20, taken by 
President, 44, off Sandy 
Hook. 

„ May 20. Astrea, 38, Phoebe, 36, 
and Galatea, 36, defeat 
three French frigates 
near Tamatave, and 
capture Renommee, 40. 

„ May 26. Alacrity, 18, captured 
near Elba, by French 
brig Abeille, 20. 

„ July 27. Fort Marrack, Island of 
Java, stormed by two 
boats’ crews of Minden, 
74,led by Lieut. Edward 
Lyons. 

„ Sept. 18. Reduction of Java, by 
fleet under Rear-Adm. 
Stopford. 

„ Sept. 21. Ville de Lyon, 12, cap¬ 
tured by Naiad, 38, off 
Boulogne. 

„ Nov. 27. Corceydre, 40, taken by 
Eagle, 74, in the Adri¬ 
atic. 

„ Nov. 29. Pomone, 40, and Per- 
sanne, 26, captured near 
the Island of Augusta, 
by Alceste,38, Active, 
38, and Unite, 32. 

1812. Feb. 2. Amethyste, 40, taken by 

Southampton, 32, near 
Havti. 

,, Feb. 16. Rivoli, 74, taken near 
Venice, by Victorious, 
74, and Weazel, 18. 

„ May 22. Northumberland, 74, and 


Growler, 12, destroyed 
two French frigates and 
a brig near L’Orient. 

1812. June 4. Dorade ,14, destroyedjby 

boats of Medusa, 32,in 
Arcasson. 

„ June 18. Belvidera, 36, engaged by 
American squadron un, 
der Commodore Ro¬ 
gers. 

,, July 6. Dictator, 64, and con¬ 
sorts, captured a 
Danish 40-gun frigate, 
with three brigs 12 
miles up a creek in 
Norway. 

„ Aug. 13. Alert, 16, captured by 
Essex, 32. 

,, Aug. 19. Guerriere, 38, captured 
by Constitution, 44, 
near Halifax. 

„ Sept. 8. Laura, 10, captured by 
Diligente, 18, off the 
Delaware. 

„ Oct. 18. Frolic, 18, captured by 
Wasp, 18. 

„ Oct. 25. Macedonian, 38,captured 
by United States, 44. 

„ Oct. 30. Java, 38, captured by 
Constitution, 44, near 
St. Salvador. 

1813. Feb. 7. Amelia, 38, engages 

French 40-gun frigate 
Arethuse, on Coast of 
Africa. 

„ Feb. 24. Peacock, 18, captured 
near Demerara, by 
Hornet, 20. 

,, June 1. Shannon, 38, captures 
Chesapeake, off Bos¬ 
ton. 

,, July 12. Anaconda, 18, taken at 
Ocracoke, by a force 
under Capt. Ross. 

„ Aug. 12. Argus, 20, taken on Coast 
of Ireland, by Pelican, 
18. 

,, Sept. 5. Boxer, 14, captured by 
Enterprise, 16, Coast 
of America. 

„ Oct. 13. Flibustier, 16, taken by 
< Telegraph, 12, near 
Bayonne. 

„ Oct. 21. Weser, 40, taken by Rip- 
pon, 74, in the Channel. 

„ Oct. 23. Trave, 40, taken by An¬ 
dromache, 38, near 
Ushant. 

1814. Jan. ‘5. Fortress of Cattaro, in 

the Adriatic, sur¬ 
renders. 

,, Jan. 6. Ceres, 40, taken by Niger, 
38, and Tagus, 38, off 
Cape de Verd Islands. 

,, Jan. 16. Alcmdne, 40, taken by 
Venerable, 74. 

„ Jan. 20. Iphigenie, 40, consort of 
Alcmene, surrendered. 

„ Jan. 23. Sultane, 40, and Etoile, 
40, near Cape de Verd 
Islands, engaged 36- 
gun frigates, Creole 
and Astrea. 







NAVY. xxiii 

1814. 

Feb. 3. Terpsichore, 40, taken 
by Majestic, 50.' 

1815. June 17. Pilot, 18, off Cape Corse, 


beat off Leg6re, 28, 

99 

Feb. 25. Clorinde, 40, taken by 

after an action of 1 h. 


Eurotas, 38, near 

40 m. 


Ushant. 

„ June 30. Nautilus, 14, belonging 

99 

Mar. 26 Sultane, 44, taken by 

to H. E. I. Company, 


Hannibal, 74. 

captured by U. S . cor- 

99 

Mar. 27. Etoile, 40, taken by He- 

vette Peacock, 18, in 


brus, 38, near Jersey. 

Straits of Sunda. 

99 

Mar. 28. Essex, 32, taken by 

„ July 18. Rbin and consorts cap- 


Phoebe,36, and Cherub, 

ture a convoy in har- 


24, near Valparaiso. 

boar of Corigeou. 

99 

April 20. Frolic, 18, American 

1816. Aug. 27. Algiers bombarded by 


corvette, taken by Or- 

squadron under Adm. 


pheus, 38. 

Lord Exmouth. 

99 

April 29. Epervier, 18, taken by 

1827. Oct. 20. The combined British, 


American corvette 

French, and Russian 


Peacock, 18. 

squadrons,under Vice- 

99 

May 6. Fort Oswego stormed by 

Admiral Sir Edward 


battalion of marines, 

Codrington, destroy 


under Lieut. Col. Mai- 

Turkish fleet in the 


colm, and 200 seamen. 

harbour of Navarino. 


under Capt Mulcaster. 

1840. July 6. Chusan surrenders to 


June 28. Reindeer, 18, captured 

squadron under Com- 


by U. S. 18-gun cor- 

modore J. G. Bremer. 


vette Wasp. 

„ Sept. 27. Sidon stormed by a 


Sept. 1. Avon, 18, captured by 
Wasp, off L’Orient. 

united British and 


Turkish force under 


Dec. 14. Boats of the fleet under 

the direction of Com- 


Capt. N. Lockyer cap- 

modore C. Napier. 

„ Nov. 3. St. Jean d’Acre bom- 


tured American flotilla 


on Lake Borgne, near 

barded by fleet under 


theChandeleur Islands. 

Adm. Stpford, and 

1815. 

Jan. 15. U. S. 44-gun frigate 

compelled to surren- 


President captured by 

der. 


Endymion, 40, having 

1841. Feb. 26. The squadron under 


chased from a squa- 

Commodore Bremer 


dron off Sandy Hook. 

forces the Bocca Ti- 


Feb. 20. Cvane, 22, and Levant, 

gris. 


20, captured near Ma- 

„ Aug. 3. Amoy surrenders. 


deira by U. S. 44-gun 

,, Oct. 12. Reduction of Chinghae. 


frigate Constitution. 

1842. July 20. Chin-Keang-Foo sur- 


Feb. 26. St. Lawrence, 13, cap- 

renders. 


tured by American 14- 
gun privateer Chas- 

1854. Aug. 16. Reduction of Bomarsund. 


„ Oct. 17. Bombardment of Sebas- 


seur. 

topol by combined En- 


Mar. 23. Penguin, 18, captured 

glish and French fleet 


off Tristan d’Acunha 

of 24 sail of the line 


by U. ‘S. 22-gun cor- 

and above 20 steam- 


vette Hornet. 

vessels, under Vice- 


April 30. Melpomene, 40, captured 

Admirals Dundas and 


off the Island of Ischia 
by Rivoli, 74. 

Hamelin. 







*** The word denotes those actions which are commemorated by 

that decoration, as notified in the London Gazette of June 1st, 1847. 

ERRATA. 

Page 548. for “ J. Watling” read “ J. W. Watling.” 

„ 549. “ Comus and Frederickscoarn,’' for “ Wates ” read/ 1 Watts.” 

„ 555. the same. 

„ 559. Amphion, for “shoaliness ” read “ shallowness.” 

„ „ „ for “ Pivie ” read “ Piavie.” 

The word Jiftcttal has been inadvertently omitted in :— 

Page 438. “ Resistance and Constance.” 

„ 439. “ Lively and Tourterelle.” 

„ 440. “ Action off Lissa.” 

„ 553. “ Hawk and Flotilla.” 





CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 




January 1. 

1295. Reduction of Bayonne. 
—The city of Bayonne was, on 
the Festival of the Circumcision, 
surrendered to Sir John St. John, 
then acting under the command 
of Edmund Earl of Lancaster, 
brother of Edward I., in whose 
war with France this success was 
obtained. The city had under¬ 
gone a short but severe siege, and 
when it yielded, the citadel yet 
stood out for eight days. The 
English fleet was actively en¬ 
gaged in these operations. 

1349. Action under the 
Walls of Calais. — Calais, in 
the year 1347, after a memorable 
siege, surrendered to Edward III., 
who once more returned to his 
own kingdom, leaving his new 
conquest, strongly garrisoned, un¬ 
der charge of Aymeri de Pavia, a 
knight of Lombardy. The year’s 
truce between the monarchs of 
France and England had hardly 
ended, when Philip had recourse 
to stratagem and treachery to re¬ 
gain the city. Geoffrey, Seigneur 
de ChaYny, then governor of St. 
Omer, succeeded in persuading 
De Pavia to betray his trust, and, 
according to Froissart, it was 
agreed that, on the eve of the 
New Year, 1349, the French were 
to be admitted into Calais. Cau¬ 
tiously as the treason was con¬ 
cocted, a rumour of it reached 
the ear of Edward, who sent for 


Aymeri de Pavia to England, 
taxed him with his treachery, and 
countermined the treason. The 
governor of Calais returned to 
his post. The night of the 31st 
of December arrived,—the stipu¬ 
lated guerdon, 10,000 florins, was 
paid,—and twelve French knights, 
with one hundred men-at-arms, 
were silently admitted within the 
walls of the town, and conducted 
towards the castle. Here they 
were met by Edward, who had 
secretly landed at Calais that 
night, and they were at once 
obliged to surrender. Before 
daylight, on the 1st of January, 
1349, the gates of Calais were 
thrown open, but not, as the 
enemy lurking without its walls 
expected, for their admittance to 
support the treasonable entry of 
the previous night. Two bands 
sallied forth, one led by Edward 
the Black Prince, the other by Sir 
Walter de Manny, under whose 
banner fought Edward III. in¬ 
cognito;— he honoured not the 
treacherous French by his ac¬ 
knowledged presence. The suc¬ 
cess of the English was complete; 
600 of the enemy were slain. 
The Seigneur de Charny was 
among the prisoners, and, with 
many other French knights and 
nobles, was that day chivalrously 
feasted as a captive in the city he 
had hoped to obtain at the hand 
of treason. 

1586. St. Domingo stormed. 


B 







2 CALENDAR 


—Sir Francis Drake and Lieut. - 
Gen. Carliel landed at Hispaniola, 
and took the town of St. Domingo 
by storm. 

1812. — Skirmish with the 
French, near Almiendrago, Spain. 
Lieut.-Gen. Lord Hill. 

1815. Defence of Corigaum. 
— A detachment under Captain 
Francis Staunton, consisting of 
2nd battalion of 1st regiment 
N. I., 300 irregular horse, and 
two 6-pounders of the Madras 
artillery,—in all 800men,— after 
a fatiguing march, reached the 
high grounds overlooking the vil¬ 
lage of Corigaum, on the Beerna, 
as the morning dawned, on the 
1st January, and suddenly found 
themselves in the presence of the 
Peishwa’s whole army, amounting 
to 20,000 cavalry, and 5000 in¬ 
fantry. This small British force 
had to maintain itself against the 
immense disparity of the op¬ 
posing Mahratta army until nine 
o’clock at night. Lieut. Patter¬ 
son, though mortally wounded, 
led the grenadiers in a desperate 
charge, and recovered a G-pounder 
which the enemy had taken. A 
choultry was seized by the Mah- 
rattas, who murdered Surgeon 
Wingate; but his fall was avenged 
by Lieut. Jones and Dr. Wylie, 
who retook the choultry, in spite 
of superior numbers and despe¬ 
rate resistance. The Peishwa, 
Gokla, and Trimbuck Danglia, 
witnessed the conflict, and di¬ 
rected the attacks. When night 
approached, the Peishwa made a 
precipitate retreat, and Avas ac¬ 
tively pursued. 

January 2. 

1418. Reduction of Falaise. 
—This conquest Avas one of the 
triumphs which marked King 
Henry V.’s second invasion of 
France. The toAvn Avas beleaguer¬ 


OF VICTORY. January 2. 


ed from Ilolland-tide until the 
20th Dec. 1417, on which day the 
besieged demanded parley ; and 
Thomas Earl of Salisbury, Henry 
LordFitz-Hugh, Sir John Corn- 
Avall, and Sir William Harrington, 
Avere empoAvered by Henry to treat 
Avith them. It Avas agreed that, 
if the King of France, the Dau¬ 
phin, or the Constable of France, 
did not raise the siege before the 
2nd of January following, the 
town Avas to be surrendered. The 
articles of agreement Avere most 
minute in their stipulations, espe¬ 
cially that relief Avas not to be 
afforded to the castle, which yet 
held out. On the day named, no 
succour appearing, the toAvn of 
Falaise Avas given up to the En¬ 
glish. 

1602. Spanish Invasion de¬ 
feated. —Don Juan Aguila, Avith 
a Spanish force, having landed in 
Ireland, and taken possession of 
the toAvn of Kinsale, in support 
of the Earl of Tyrone, then in re¬ 
bellion against Queen Elizabeth, 
he Avas besieged therein, and 
obliged to capitulate. The capi¬ 
tulation was signed on the 2nd of 
January, 1602, and he and his 
troops Avere then permitted to re¬ 
turn to Spain, having failed in 
rescuing Ireland from the “jaAvs 
of the devil: ” thus, in his mani¬ 
festo on landing, had he termed 
Protestant England’s dominion 
over the sister island. 

1753. Sortie fromTrincoma- 
lee.— Trincomalee, in possession 
of the English, besieged by French 
and Mahrattas. On the 2nd of 
January, 1753, the garrison made 
a successful sally, and captured 
5 guns and 1 pair of colours. 

1757. Calcutta recaptured. 
— The recapture and reoccupa¬ 
tion of Calcutta by the British fol- 
loAved in less than six months the 
disastrous taking of that city by 
Suraja DoAvla, and the sufferings 









January 3. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 3 


of our countrymen in the me¬ 
morable “ Black Hole ” were 
avenged; as from this day, the 
2nd of January, 1757, may be 
dated the downward career of the 
tj^rant who had for a brief space 
of time paled the star of British 
ascendancy in the East. A com¬ 
bined expedition, consisting of a 
squadron commanded by Admiral 
Watson, and an army, English 
and native, under Clive,— the un¬ 
disputed founder of our Asiatic 
domination, — anchored at the 
mouth of the Hoogley, below 
Calcutta, on the 1st of January, 
1757. The forts Thanah and 
Alighur, the only defences here, 
had been abandoned by their gar¬ 
risons, and were taken possession 
of; after which the whole squa¬ 
dron, with the exception of one 
ship left to command the entrance, 
proceeded up the river ; and the 
next day the troops were landed. 
The conquest proved an easy one. 
Army and navy acted well to¬ 
gether, for Clive and Watson were 
both worthy of command. With 
the loss of but few men, they, on 
the 2nd of January, 1757, planted 
the British standard once more on 
the walls of Calcutta ; and there 
it yet remains, marking the seat 
of government over the prostrate 
thrones of India and millions of 
subjugated people. 

1803. Surrender of Sumbal- 
pore. — During the Mahratta 
war, Sumbalpore, to the eastward 
of Berar, and then a conquest of 
the rajah of that country, surren¬ 
dered to Lieut.-Col. Broughton. 
The British were hailed as deli¬ 
verers by the inhabitants, and 
after the capitulation of the gar¬ 
rison, had to protect the Mah- 
rattas from the vengeance of the 
people they had enslaved. 


January 3. 

1563. Harfleur. —A success¬ 
ful skirmish with the French on 
the beach near Harfleur by the 
British troops, who, according to 
a treaty entered into with Queen 
Elizabeth the previous year, were 
fighting in the cause of the Hu¬ 
guenots ; but they made her a sorry 
return, ere the year was at an end, 
making peace with Charles IX. 
of France, and common cause 
with him against England. 

1753. Ensign Monachin took 
Cauranchandypollam from the 
Mysoreans, India. He soon after 
sustained a siege therein. 

1759. Action at Trivambore. 
—Captain Preston, with a small 
detachment of the 1st Madras 
European Regiment and 600 
sepoys, came to the support of 
the British ally, Mahomed Issoof, 
whose troops had been routed by 
the French at Trivambore, a 
village about six miles south of 
Madras, during the siege of that 
city by Lally. Captain Preston 
turned the fortune of the day, 
retaking some guns, and obliging 
the French to retreat with about 
100 men killed or wounded; 
among these were thirty-one Eu¬ 
ropeans, while two only of the 
English were killed and six 
wounded, but our sepoys suffered 
severely. 

1792. Simoga was surrendered 
to an English sepoy detachment 
commanded by Captain Little, 
acting with our ally Purseram 
Bhow. 

1803. Sortie Repulsed. — 
Sasnee, a strong fortress of a pro¬ 
vince ceded to England by the 
Nabob of Furruckabad, but held 
by a contumacious rajah, belea¬ 
guered by a British force under 
Lieut.-Col. Blair. This day a 
desperate sally made by the be- 

















4 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


January 4. 


sieged on the besiegers was re¬ 
pulsed. 

1810. Storm of Shenaz. —A 
British expedition, engaged in 
breaking up the stronghold of the 
Joassamees, and putting down 
piracy in the Gulf of Persia, in 
conjunction with some troops of 
the Imaum of Muscat, besieged 
for several days, and on the 3rd 
of January carried by storm, the 
town of Shenaz, midway between 
Muscat and Cape Mussuundour. 
Capt. Wainwright, in H. M.’s 
frigate ChifFone, commanded the 
squadron, consisting of H. M.’s S. 
Caroline, Capt. Gordon, and eight 
of the Hon. Company’s cruisers. 
The land forces, — H. M.’s 65th 
regiment of foot, and detach¬ 
ments from II.M.’s 47th regiment 
of foot and the Bombay artillery, 
were under Col. Smith, 65th re¬ 
giment. The Arab defenders of 
Shenaz were most desperate in 
their resistance ; but the town 
having been burnt by our bom¬ 
bardment, they retired to the 
castle, and when this was stormed, 
they fought to the last, refusing 
quarter, till many hundreds of 
these gallant fellows had fallen, 
either killed or wounded. Shenaz 
was given up to the Imaum of 
Muscat. 

1812. French routed in a skir¬ 
mish near Fuente del Maestre, 
Spain, by 2nd hussars and Por¬ 
tuguese cavalry, under orders of 
Lieut.-Col. the Hon. A. Aber- 
cromby: Lieut.-Col. Campbell 
commanded the Portuguese, Ma¬ 
jor Busche the hussars engaged. 

1818. Action at Sereenug- 
gar. — Lieut.-Col. Macmorice, 
with the 1st brigade of native 
subsidiary force and squadron of 
cavalry at Sereenuggar, on the 
southern bank of the Nerbudda, 
India, attacks and beats a strong 
body of the Rajah of Berar’s 
troops, taking guns and baggage. 


1841. Lundie Now t aii. —Capt. 
Farrington despatched, under 
orders of Major-Gen. Nott, into 
Zamin Dawar District, with two 
regiments of native infantry, ca¬ 
valry, artillery, &c., attacks and 
routs a body of insurgents, at the 
village of Lundie Nowah. 

January 4. 

1753. Skirmish near Trivadi. 
—The British forces, under Ma¬ 
jor Lawrence, were encamped 
with the army of the Nabob Ma¬ 
homed Ali, whose cause we were 
espousing under the walls of Tri¬ 
vadi, in the beginning of the year 
1753. It was during this period, 
on the 4th January, according to 
an entry made in Orm’s unpub¬ 
lished MS. papers, that an officer 
of the name of Innis attacked and 
took from the Mahrattas their 
plunder. Four thousand of these 
daring native cavalry, under a 
chief called Morai Row, were at 
this time in the service of the 
French, and were engaged in ha¬ 
rassing our troops and cutting off 
supplies. They occasionally found 
this a dangerous duty to perform, 
and, as in the present instance, 
had to disgorge their spoil. 

1812. Tarifa, — The French 
made an assault upon the town of 
Tarifa, Spain, on the last day of 
the old year ; in this they were 
repulsed, but still remaining be¬ 
fore the place, and their fire con¬ 
tinuing occasionally, another at¬ 
tack was expected, particularly as 
the breach they had before at¬ 
tempted was now considerably 
widened. The surprise of the 
besieged was great when, on the 
morning of the 5th of January, 
they discovered that during the 
previous night the French had 
decamped. It would appear that 
Marshal Victor was present in 
the French camp when the order 






January 5. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 5 


for retreat was given. Col. Skir- 
rett, commanding atTarifa, in his 
despatch well describes the utter 
discomfiture of the enemy. — 
“ We have thus seen the greatest 
effort the French are capable of 
making, frustrated by 1800 Bri¬ 
tish and Spanish troops, with only 
the defence of a paltry wall; and 
an army of 10,000 men, com¬ 
manded by a Marshal of France, 
retreating from them silently in 
the night, after having been re¬ 
pulsed and defeated, leaving be¬ 
hind all their artillery and stores, 
collected at a great expense, and 
by immense exertions.” 

1826. Repulse on Zittang 
River. —This was the gallant de¬ 
fence of a small post on the Zit¬ 
tang River which occurred during 
the co-operation of a field force 
under Col. Pepper (Brigadier), 
with the main army engaged in 
the Burmese war on the banks of 
the Irrawaddy. The Col. marched, 
about the end of Dec. 1825, from 
the town of Pegue, his object 
being to threaten the capital, Ava, 
by taking the towns of Shoeghein 
and Tongho. A corps of light 
infantry, in advance, seized and 
occupied the village of Meekoo, 
and here the British force crossed 
the river, and proceeded on its 
route to Shoeghein, which town 
it took possession of without op¬ 
position. Meekoo was still held 
by a small European and native 
force ; and on the morning of the 
4th January, 1826, the village was 
attacked by between four and five 
hundred of the enemy. Sudden as 
was this assault, it met with im¬ 
mediate resistance. The Burmese 
were gallantly repulsed by the de¬ 
fenders of Meekoo, which post 
Avas held till the conclusion of 
the war, Avhen the field force re¬ 
turned to Pegue. 


January 5. 

1753. RnruLSE of Mah- 
rattas. — A British force, on 
march from Trivadi to Triven- 
dapa, repulsed an attack of Mah- j 
rattas. As Ave have before men¬ 
tioned, 4000 of these hold Asiatics 
Avere at this time acting Avith the • 
French in the war which arose 
out of the disputed Musned of 
of Arcot. The rival armies of 
the English and French Com¬ 
panies and their allies Avere en¬ 
camped within a short distance 
of each other, the former under 
the Avails of Trivadi. Major 
LaAvrence, to protect a commy of 
provisions from Fort St. David, 
had despatched a strong escort, 
and the Mahrattas, according to 
their custom, made a desperate 
charge upon the British ; hut the 
steady fire of our infantry Avas 
too much for these Avild horse¬ 
men, and they Avere repulsed 
with severe loss. In this and 
similar attacks, at the beginning 
of the year 1753, they had alto¬ 
gether 600 men killed or Avounded. 

1783. Capture of Onore.— 
The reduction of this fortress, 
near the Merjee river, was ac¬ 
complished by a conjoint expe¬ 
dition of the British Madras 
army from Paniane and a body 
of troops from Bombay, under 
Gen. MatheAvs, Avho took the 
command of the united forces. 
The English had been belea¬ 
guered by Tippoo Saib at Pani¬ 
ane, and seized the opportunity 
afforded by his sudden departure 
from their neighbourhood, fol¬ 
lowed by his Avhole army, on the 
death of his father Hyder, to 
capture several of his strongholds 
in this part of his dominions. 
Onore Avas carried by storm after 
a feAv days’ siege, during Avhich 
our loss Avas inconsiderable, one 
officer only being killed, Lieu- 















CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 6. 


1 6 


tenant Charles Stuart, mortally 
wounded on the 28th of Decem¬ 
ber. The Killidar and 100 of 
the garrison were made prisoners; 
the remainder, amounting to up¬ 
wards of 200 men, were slain 
during the siege and in the as¬ 
sault. 

1795. Enemy repulsed in 
Holland. — The attack on the 
British post at Guelder Malsen 
was an affair which occurred 
shortly after the Duke of York’s 
departure from the army for 
England, leaving it under the 
command of Gen. Count Wal- 
moden. The last struggle for 
the preservation of the United 
Provinces from the grasp of 
France had proved so unsuccess¬ 
ful, that nothing remained but an 
endeavour to save the remnant 
of the British army, with the 
Hessian and other German sub¬ 
sidiaries, which formed but an 
insignificant force opposed to 
70,000 French under Pichegru. 
Disastrous as was their memo¬ 
rable retreat, the retiring army 
never failed to repel the enemy 
when closely attacked. General 
Dundas, who held the post at 
Guelder Malsen, was attacked by 
a large body of cavalry supported 
by tirailleurs, and forced back 
with the loss of two guns ; but 
the reserve coming to their aid, 
the fortune of the day was 
changed: the guns were reco¬ 
vered, the French repulsed, and 
the post preserved. 

1812. On the retreat of the 
French army from before Tarifa 
being discovered, Major Brand, 
with part of the 47th regiment, 
pursued the enemy, made some 
prisoners, and saved from de¬ 
struction the baggage-waggons, 
stores, ammunition, &c., to which 
the French had set fire. 


January 6. 

1781. Invasion oe Jersey re¬ 
pulsed. — A French force un¬ 
der General Baron Rolancourt, 
amounting to 1000 men, despite 
the loss of some transports and 
armed vessels on the rocks near 
the island of Jersey, effected a 
landing at Banc du Violet, about 
four miles from the town of St. 
Helier, between two posts, which 
they surprised, and immediately 
pushed for the town. Having 
gained possession of the market¬ 
place and secured the ap¬ 
proaches to it, they surrounded 
the government house, and took 
the governor, Major Corbet, pri¬ 
soner. A general alarm quickly 
spread through the island ; and 
by the time the major, to save 
the destruction of the town, had 
signed a capitulation, detach¬ 
ments of the 85th and 95th regi¬ 
ments under Major Pierson, with 
a strong body of militia, had 
formed on the heights close to 
the town. Elizabeth Castle re¬ 
fused to surrender, and fired on 
the invaders, who attempted to 
enforce a nominal capitulation of 
the island. Major Corbet, help¬ 
less in their hands, was sent with 
some French officers to summon 
the force under Major Pierson to 
lay down their arms. It needed 
not a council of war to determine 
this brave officer’s reply, the in¬ 
sulting proposal being instantly 
rejected. A sharp action ensued, 
the danger of which the French 
general insisted on Major Corbet 
sharing, but he was speedily re¬ 
warded for this want of courtesy. 
A shot carried away his chin, and, 
led back to the market-place by 
the ex-governor, his prisoner, he 
shortly expired. Pressed on every 
side by the British force, the 
French now gave way, and the 
officer in command, after the death 













January 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


of the baron, immediately desired 

7 V 

Major Corbet to re-assume his 
command, and put a stop to the 
carnage, by receiving them as 
prisoners of war. In the mean¬ 
time another debarkation of the 
enemy, met at La Roque by a 
part of the 83rd regiment and a 
militia force, were quickly routed, 
many killed, and the rest taken 
prisoners. All further attempts 
by boats full of troops to reach 
the shore were rendered abortive 
by the well-directed fire of the 
artillery. The gallant Major 
Pierson received a mortal wound 
in the moment of victory. The 
British loss amounted to 20 killed 
and wounded. Of the French no 
return was given, but the num¬ 
ber of prisoners was about 700. 

1814. British Posts retaken 
at La Coste and La Bastide, 
Spain. — The French having on 
the 3rd January dispossessed 
Major-Gen. Buchan’s Portuguese 
brigade of the heights of La 
Coste, and forced the major-ge¬ 
neral to retire from the neigh¬ 
bourhood of La Bastide, on the 
6th, the 3rd and 4th divisions of 
the British army under Welling¬ 
ton, commanded by Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Thos. Picton, and Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Lowry Cole, supported by 
cavalry under Major-Gen. Fane, 
and the Portuguese brigade, dis¬ 
lodged the enemy and replaced 
the British posts. 

January 7. 

1602. Attack on Ostend 
repulsed. — Ostend was, at this 
period of its long siege, held for 
Prince Maurice of Nassau, by 
that gallant Knight Sir Francis 
Vere, with a strong body of En¬ 
glish troops lent by Queen Eli¬ 
zabeth in aid of its garrison. On 
the night of the 7th of January, 
1602, the Archduke Albert of Aus¬ 


i 


tria attacked the town with 10,000 
men, but was signally repulsed. 

1760. Action at Etbach.— 
Major Keith’s Highlanders, after¬ 
wards 87 th regiment, which had 
joined the allied army in Ger¬ 
many the year before, attacked a 
regiment of French dragoons at 
the village of Eybach, and, sup¬ 
ported by Luckner’s hussars, 
routed the enemy with great 
slaughter, taking 80 prisoners, 
200 horses, and the baggage of 
the regiment. 

1809. Reduction of Cayenne. 
— An expedition, undertaken 
against the French by Capt., 
afterwards Sir James Yeo, in 
H. M.’s S. Confiance, and ably 
supported by Portuguese troops 
under Col. Manuel Marques, em¬ 
barked in small craft at Appro- 
aque, a little to the eastward of 
Cayenne, coast of Guiana, on the 
6th of January. Capt. Yeo im¬ 
mediately pushed forward with 
250 men in canoes, to gain pos¬ 
session of two batteries,—the one, 
Fort Diamant, commanding the 
entrance of the river Mahuree, 
the other, Grand Cane, protecting 
the great road to the town of 
Cayenne. The main body of the 
expedition anchored, shortly after 
dusk, at the mouth of the Mahuree, 
to wait the result. Both these 
works were carried on the morning 
of the 7th Januarv, 1809. At Fort 
Diamant the French officer in 
command was killed, and Lieut. 
Read, of the Marines, in leading 
his men to the assault, was 
mortally wounded. The flotilla 
now advanced up the river, and 
at noon the whole force was 
landed. By this time intelligence 
was received that the Governor 
of the Settlement, Gen. Victor 
Hugues, was approaching from 
Cayenne with 1000 men; but 
Capt. Yeo, seeing the necessity of 
taking two batteries further up 








8 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 8. 


the river, embarked his seamen 
and marines in boats, and having 
landed, carried the forts by as¬ 
sault, returning only just in time 
to support Col. Marques, at¬ 
tacked by Gen. Victor Hugues 
at Grand Cane. Here, though 
inferior to their enemy in point 
of numbers, the British and Por¬ 
tuguese defeated the French, and 
obliged them to retreat to 
Cayenne. 

1841. Capture or Chuenpee. 
—A force under Major J. L. Pratt, 
26th Cameronians, composed of 
royal artillery, with a howitzer 
and two field-pieces, detachments 
from H. M.’s 26th and 49th regi¬ 
ments, a battalion of royal ma¬ 
rines, the 37th regiment Madras 
N. I., and a detachment of 
Bengal volunteers, together with 
a party of seamen from the 
squadron. The works, which 
were also bombarded seaward by 
H.M.’s ships, were gallantly car¬ 
ried by the troops, and the British 
flag was planted on the upper 
fort. 

January 8. 

1781. Descent on New 
Hampshire. — At Charles City 
Court-house, 9 miles from Rich¬ 
mond, a detachment of Ameri¬ 
cans surprised and routed by 
the English under Lieut.-Col. Sim- 
coe. 

1782. Roux of Hyder.— 
British European and native 
troops, commanded by Major 
Abington, sallied from Telli- 
cherry, and routed Hyder Ali’s 
besieging army under Sudder 
Ivhan, by storming the camp. 

1795. Victory of Beueren. 
— Action near Beueren, Ger¬ 
many, where the English, com¬ 
manded by Major-Gen. Lord 
Cathcart, gained a victory over 
the French. 


1806.—The Dutch army under 
General Janssens defeated by the 
English under Major-Gen. Sir 
David Baird, at Blue Mountains, 
Cape of Good Hope. 

1809. Cayenne. — In the ad¬ 
vance of our expedition against 
Cayenne, already referred to, the 
governor’s country house was 
held and fortified by the French. 
Two flags of truce sent by 
Capt. Yeo, offering to respect pri¬ 
vate property, having been fired 
upon, the enemy was driven out 
at the point of the bayonet, and 
the whole establishment, with the 
exception of the slaves’ houses, 
destroyed. 

1812. Redoubt of S. Fran¬ 
cisco carried. — In the begin¬ 
ning of the year 1812 Wellington 
had concentrated in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of the devoted fortress 
of Ciudad Rodrigo a force of 
some 35,000 men. On the after¬ 
noon of the 8th of January, 1812, 
not a blow had been struck by 
the besiegers, but the light di¬ 
vision of the British army, under 
command of Maj.-Gen. Crawfurd, 
with some Portuguese troops, 
had quietly taken post behind the 
great Teson. Soon after night¬ 
fall, Lieut.-Col. Colborne, of the 
52nd regiment, detached with 
two companies of each of the 
regiments composing this divi¬ 
sion, suddenly advanced to the 
attack of a redoubt on the hill of 
San Francisco, a work which it 
was necessary to carry before the 
first parallel could be commenced. 
We cannot do better than quote 
the words of Napier in describing 
the assault that ensued. “ The 
assailants appeared to be at one 
and the same time at the ditch, 
mounting the parapets, fighting 
on the top of the rampart, and 
forcing the gorge of the redoubt, 
where the.explosion of one of the 
French shells had burst the gate 







January 9. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 9 


open.” A few of the defenders 
were killed, and the remainder, 
about 40 in number, made pri¬ 
soners. The redoubt was no 
sooner taken than the victors were 
saluted by a fire of shot and shell 
from the town; but this stayed 
not their purpose, for that night 
600 yards of the first parallel 
was sunk, and the siege of Ciudad 
Rodrigo commenced. The loss 
of the English in the assault of 
the 8th January was only 6 men 
killed, Capt. Mein and Lieut. 
Woodgate, 52nd regiment, Lieut. 
Hawkesbury, 95th regiment, and 
14 men wounded. 

1818. — After Captain Staun¬ 
ton’s repulse of the Mahrattas on 
the 1st January, they continued 
their retreat uninterruptedly till 
the 8th, when General Pritzler’s 
field force came up with them, 
and routed their rear-guard near 
Sattarah. 

January 9. 

1753. Action near Trivadi. 
—In the lingering war between 
the English and French East 
India Companies, with their na¬ 
tive allies, the contention was 
who should put a nabob on the 
Musnud of Arcot. The French 
had surrendered one army to the 
British in the preceding year, 
and one pretender to the nabob- 
ship, supported by them, had 
been put to death. They had 
now another army in the field 
and another pretender to fight 
for—Rajah Saib, the son of their 
late protege. Commanded by 
Dupleix, they were encamped at 
a little distance from the village 
of Trivadi, then held by the En¬ 
glish, on whom they directed their 
Mahratta allies. Morai Row 
and a strong body of these wild 
horsemen, supported by two com¬ 
panies of Topasses, native in¬ 


fantry in his pay, with several 
guns, advanced and opened a fire 
upon Trivadi. Major Lawrence 
and the Nabob Mahomed Ali on 
the instant got their troops un¬ 
der arms, and the grenadiers and 
sepoys attacking the enemy, cap¬ 
tured the artillery before a second 
round could be fired. The Mah¬ 
rattas, however, retired along 
the plain in good order, Major 
Lawrence following them up with 
his infantry and field-pieces. At 
length, not wishing to be drawn 
far from his camp, the major 
commenced his return, when he 
was suddenly attacked by the 
enemy. It was a moment of im¬ 
minent peril to the little band of 
English and sepoys surrounded 
by Mahrattas, but the infantry 
steadily reserved their fire till the 
horsemen were close to the muz¬ 
zles of their pieces. The artil¬ 
lery also opened upon them, and 
Morai Row was repulsed, with 
the loss of about 100 men, and, 
repairing to the French camp, he 
bitterly reproached Dupleix for 
not coming to his aid. 

1779. Surrender of Sun- 
bury, America. — Sunbury, 
Georgia, North America, surren¬ 
dered at discretion to Gen. Pre- 
vost. 

1806. Surrender of Cape 
of Good Hope.— After the action 
of Blawberg, Cape of Good 
Hope, when 700 of the Dutch 
were either killed or wounded, 
Sir David Baird’s forces took up 
their ground in the valley for the 
night. The next day, 9th Janu¬ 
ary, provisions and a battering 
train having been landed from 
the squadron, the British soon ap¬ 
peared, refreshed and in full 
force, before Cape Town. The 
Gov.-Gen. Janssens, with the 
remains of his army, had re¬ 
tired into the interior after the 
battle of Blawberg, and the 







10 CALENDAR 


second in command surrendered. 
In the evening the 59th regiment 
marched into Fort Kuokke, and 
the formal capitulation of Cape 
Town was signed on the follow¬ 
ing day. 

January 10. 

1781. Repulse of Hyder at 
Yellore. —When Hyder Ali, in 
alliance with the French, was 
bearding the English even in the 
strongholds of the Carnatic, one 
of the first fortresses which he 
invested was Yellore. Situated 
at the entrance of the Amboor 
valley, the commencement of a 
principal pass into the Mysore 
country, from Yellore the En¬ 
glish could intercept Hyder’s con¬ 
voys, and, to make certain of the 
fall of the fortress, a large army 
was sent against it. Col. Lang, 
at the juncture referred to, held 
this strong post with a force con¬ 
sisting of 250 Europeans, 500 
sepoys, and upwards of 1000 ir¬ 
regular troops belonging to the 
Nabob of Arcot. To the right 
of Yellore were three fortified 
hills. The enemy being in pos¬ 
session of the nearest, after three 
Aveeks’ work opened a fire upon 
the fortress, Avhich even its strong 
walls could not resist. One of 
the angles of the fort was com¬ 
pletely demolished, and on the 
night of the 10th January, 1781, 
the Mysoreans in full force ad¬ 
vanced to storm the breach. To 
their astonishment they found it 
repaired. Col. Lang had, by dint 
of hard labour, cut off the ruined 
angle; a deep trench and breast- 
Avork filled the breach, and the 
assailants Avere met with so deter¬ 
mined a fire, that in dense masses 
they recoiled from the walls, with 
great loss. The assault Avas re¬ 
newed towards morning, as 
though in sheer desperation ; but 


F VICTORY. January 10. 


the result Avas equally disastrous 
to the Mysoreans, and their loss 
Avas most severe. Hyder Ali, 
shortly after this, recalled the be¬ 
sieging army, but continued to 
place a sufficient force in the 
neighbourhood to produce all 
the effect of a blockade. On the 
anniversary of the present affair, 
in the year 1782, Sir Eyre Coote 
appeared before Yellore, then in 
great distress, with a convoy of 
supplies, which, through a flooded 
country, and under a cannonade 
from Hyder’s army, he succeeded 
in lodging the next day within 
the Avails of the fortress. 

1781. Americans defeated. 
—After the success of the Bri¬ 
tish on the 8th of January, the 
next descent of our troops on the 
coast of New Hampshire was at 
Fleur de Hundred. Detached 
from the army under Gen. Arnold, 
Lieut.-Col. Simcoe, Avith 300 men, 
proceeded to some cross roads 
Avhere the enemy had taken post. 
The advance-guard of the British 
drove in the American pickets 
on the main body, Avhich opened 
a heavy fire, occasioning us the 
loss of 3 killed and 22 Avounded. 
This check Avas remedied on 
the instant by Lieut.-Col. Simcoe 
charging and routing the Ame¬ 
ricans. The fugitives were fol¬ 
lowed up, until the darkness of 
night and the inclemency of the 
weather put an end to the pursuit. 

1818. Mahrattas routed.— 
Major-General Brown, marching 
from Aurrote, surprised the re¬ 
mains of Mulhar Rao Holkar’s 
infantry and a body of his ca¬ 
valry, in the town of Rampoora. 
Ilolkar had submitted to, and 
made peace with the British; but 
some of his chiefs yet kept the 
field. Two hundred of the enemy 
were killed or Avounded. 









January 11. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


11 


January 11. 

1757. Hoogly taken. — The 
city of Hoogly, on the river of 
that name, about 23 miles above 
Calcutta, was taken by a detach¬ 
ment from the fleet and army 
engaged in the successful ex¬ 
pedition against the latter city. 
The British troops, native and 
European, under Capt. Eyre 
Coote, detached for this service, 
appeared before Hoogly on the 
10th January, 1757. By night¬ 
fall the fire of the British ships 
had effected a breach in the forti¬ 
fications, and before daylight the 
next morning a false attack was 
made by a detachment on the 
main gate, while a strong divi¬ 
sion under Capt. Coote, accom¬ 
panied by some sailors of the 
fleet, mounted the breach and 
gained the ramparts. The enemy 
abandoned their posts in every 
direction, and fled out of a small 
gate leading into the country. 
Only 3 Europeans and 10 sepoys 
were killed in this attack. 

1782.— Trincomalee, a well- 
known port in the Island of Cey¬ 
lon, was marked for conquest by 
the British after their capture of 
Negapatam and other Dutch 
settlements on the coast of Coro¬ 
mandel. Vice-Admiral Sir Ed¬ 
ward Hughes, who commanded 
this expedition, embarked at 
Negapatam a battalion of sepoys 
500 strong and some European 
artillerymen. On the 4th Jan., 
1782, the fleet appeared before 
Trincomalee, 3 miles below the 
fort of that name. The marines 
of the ships, the artillery, with 
two 6-pounders and two compa¬ 
nies of sepoys, having landed, at 
once pushed on and secured the 
the fort. The landing of the 
stores and munitions of war being 
completed by the 8th, an emi¬ 


nence was carried by a party of 
marines and seamen, which com¬ 
manded Fort Ostenburgh, the 
principal work protecting the 
harbour of Trincomalee. This 
effected, the place was summoned 
to surrender. We should state 
that Sir Edward Hughes, with 
many of his officers and men, 
had, ere the breaking out of the 
Dutch war, held the most friendly 
relations with the garrison and 
inhabitants of Trincomalee; and 
the admiral now, in an appeal to 
their private friendship, urged 
the governor to surrender, that 
blood might not be shed; but the 
latter considered it due to his 
character as a soldier and the 
officer entrusted with the com¬ 
mand, to resist every entreaty. 
In the meantime Major Geils, 
of the Hon. East India Com¬ 
pany’s Engineers, who conducted 
the negotiation, had made ob¬ 
servations Avhich convinced him 
that the lower works of Fort 
Ostenburgh might be carried by 
assault Vithout a formal siege. 
The admiral was guided by this 
opinion, and at daybreak on the 
llth January, 1782, a small 
storming party, leading strong 
detachments of marines, sepoys, 
and sailors, entered the lower 
embrasures of the fort. The 
enemy, taken by surprise, was 
driven from the works, and the 
place gained. The loss of the 
garrison was inconsiderable. Two 
officers and 20 men was the ex¬ 
tent of our loss in this expedition. 

1826. Stockade stormed.— 
The storming of Ziltaun stockade, 
one of the most desperate affairs 
of the Burmese war, either by 
misadventure or design, occurred 
during a short period of truce 
with the king of Ava. 


















12 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


January 13. 


January 12. 

1809. Capitulation of Cay¬ 
enne. — After the affair at the 
general’s house, related on the 
8th instant, the English and Por¬ 
tuguese expedition against Cay¬ 
enne continued its advance to¬ 
wards the capital. Perceiving 
that the enemy had neglected to 
occupy an eminence commanding 
the high-road, on the 9th the 
assailants suddenly pushed for¬ 
ward and seized the position be¬ 
fore the French supposed they 
were so close at hand. By this 
bold stroke they were in a po¬ 
sition to dictate terms, for the 
capital was at their mercy. On 
the 10th, Lieut. Mulcaster, of 
II. M.’s S. Confiance, and an 
officer of the Portuguese service 
were despatched to summon the 
town to surrender. These offi¬ 
cers returned, accompanied by an 
aide-de-camp of the Commander- 
in-chief of French Guiana, bear¬ 
ing a proposal for an armistice 
for twenty-four hours ; and this 
being agreed to, the truce was 
prolonged until the 12th. Ar¬ 
ticles of surrender were by that 
time arranged. Victor Hugues, in 
acceding to the terms, observed 
that, although his advanced posts 
had been carried, he owed it to 
the valour and good conduct of his 
troops to declare that he yielded 
less to the force sent against him 
than to preserve the settlement 
from the destructive system pur¬ 
sued by the invaders, — the li¬ 
beration of all the slaves who 
joined them, and the burning 
of the plantations of the co¬ 
lony, as exemplified in the case 
of his own establishment. In 
justification of our proceedings, 
we must observe that when two 
flags of truce had been fired 
upon, and a third message, for¬ 
warded by one of the general's j 


own slaves, disregarded, surely 
the British and Portuguese, in 
self-defence, were justified in dis¬ 
lodging the troops that were 
firing upon them, and destroy¬ 
ing the premises they had made 
their fortress. 

1810. Capture of Booloe 
Comba. — Booloe Comba, to the 
south-east of Macassar, then a 
Dutch settlement and a depend- 
ancy of that place, was captured 
by a small party of troops and 
seamen landed from II. M.’s S. 
Cornwallis, led by Capt. Forbes 
and Lieut. D. Stewart, Madras 
European regiment, — the expe¬ 
dition being under the direction 
of Captain Montague, command¬ 
ing the Cornwallis, 74. 

1842. Action near Candahar. 

— Major-Gen. Nott having pro¬ 
vided for the safety of the city 
of Candahar, on the 12th January 
marched out and attacked Prince 
Suftur Jung, in a strong position 
5 miles west of Candahar, with 
a force of 5000 men. The main 
body of the enemy fled on his 
approach; but the cavalry made 
a stand, until overpowered by the 
charge of our troops, and then 
the rout became general. Their 
loss amounted to 153 killed and 
200 wounded, whilst the English 
had only 3 killed and 30 wounded. 

January 13. 

1558. Sortie from Guisnes. 

— Lord Grey de Wilton, who 
held the Castle of Guisnes with a 
mixed garrison of English and 
continental troops, made a sally 
upon the French, then in posses¬ 
sion of the town. He surprised 
his besiegers, many of whom were 
slain, and he burnt the houses 
which had afforded them shelter, 
the English sustaining but little 
loss in the affair. It was the last 
brave effort in a desperate cause; 







January 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 13 


on the 21st, the castle, no longer 
tenable, was surrendered to the 
Duke of Guise and an overwhelm¬ 
ing force, the little garrison march¬ 
ing out with the honours of Avar. 

1782. Relief of Vellore.— 
The British army under Sir Eyre 
Coote, after having relieved Vel¬ 
lore, triumphantly repassed Hy- 
der’s forces on the 13th Januarv, 
complimented by a heavy cannon¬ 
ade, which the British in defiance 
returned; but Hyder ventured not 
to oppose his numerous hordes to 
the gallant little band, which, 
having fulfilled its mission, re¬ 
turned Avlience it came. 

1782. Surrender of Calicut. 
— After Major Abington had 
routed Hyder Ali’s army before 
Tellicherry on the 8th January, 
he completely demolished the 
works left by the late besiegers, 
and on the 12th appeared before 
the Fortress of Calicut with a 
detachment of his forces. He 
immediately opened a fire upon 
the place, and on the folloAving 
day a shell having exploded the 
principal magazine of the fort, 
making a practicable breach, the 
Mysoreans waited not the assault 
but surrendered. 

1810. — On the 13th January 
the captors of Booloe Comba re¬ 
pulsed a furious attack made on 
them by the natives. During the 
onset a soldier shot through the 
leg nearly fell into the hands of 
the enemy, but Lieut. Steivart 
stepped out from the ranks, threw 
the Avounded soldier upon his 
back, and carried him to the rear. 

1812. Convent of Santa 
Cruz. — In the prosecution of the 
siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, by order 
of Lieut.-Gen. Graham, Capt. 
Laroche dc^ Starkerfels and the 
1st line bat. King’s German Le¬ 
gion, forming part of the 1st 
division of the army under Wel¬ 
lington, attacked and carried the 


Convent of Santa Cruz, thus se¬ 
curing the right flank of the be¬ 
sieging trenches. 

1814. French driven from 
Merxem. — During a recon- 
noissance of AntAverp by the 
Prussians under Bulow and the 
British commanded by Gen. Sir 
Thos. Graham, the French Avere 
dislodged from the village of 
Merxem by Colonel M‘Leod’s 
brigade. A detachment of the 
3rd bat. rifle corps, Capt. Ful- 
larton, the 2nd bat. 78th regt., 
Lieut.-Colonel Lindsay, the 2nd 
bat. 25th regt., Major M‘Donnell, 
and the 35th regt., Lieut.-Col. 
Elphinstone, all share in the ho¬ 
nour of the day. A bold charge 
with the bayonet by the 78th 
regiment was so eft’ectAe that, 
though the French Avere in great 
force, they Avere quickly driven 
out of the village and into 
Antwerp, having suffered con¬ 
siderable loss. Col. M‘Leod was 
among the severely Avounded in 
this affair. 

1818. Pindarrees defeated. 
— Tavo of Holkar’s Pindarree 
chiefs, engaged in plundering and 
burning villages near Gungrain, 
were attached by a detachment 
of the Nagpore subsidiary force 
commanded by Major Clerke, 5th 
native cavalry, which regiment 
surprised and routed the enemy 
in great force, cutting down nearly 
1000 men. 

1819. — Major Duncan routed 
a body of Goands and Pindarrees 
in a valley near Bubye : these 
marauders were noAv nearly ex¬ 
tirpated from India. 

1849. Battle of Chilltan- 
aa'all ail — The British army 
under Gen. Lord Gough Avas 
about to encamp near the village 
of CliillianAvallah, at noon on 13th 
January, when the Sikhs in great 
force came forward in order of 
battle. Sir AValter Gilbert’s di- 





14 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 1*. 


vision formed the right, and that 
of Brigadier Campbell the left, 
each flanked by brigades of ca¬ 
valry and horse artillery. The 
battle raged until night, when the 
Sikhs were completely routed, 
with the loss of many guns; and 
the number of slain was im¬ 
mense, being computed at 3000, 
and 4000 wounded. On the part 
of the British, 26 officers and 730 
rank and file killed, and 66 officers 
and 1446 rank and file wounded. 

January 1£. 

1671. — Early in January, 
Admiral Henry Morgan, with a 
small fleet, appeared off the river 
Chagre, having previously secured 
the castle at the entrance, as will 
be seen in our columns for Dec. 
Here several of his ships were 
wrecked by the violence of the 
weather; but the crews being 
saved, he landed a detachment 
of troops and seamen about 1200 
strong on the Isthmus of Darien, 
to attempt the capture of Panama. 
Marching first on the little town 
of Venta Cruz, on 14th January 
the advance-guard of the daring 
invaders, under Capt. Thomas 
Rogers, fell in with a body of 
Spaniards in a narrow pass within 
two miles of the town, and com¬ 
pletely routed them. On the fol¬ 
lowing day Venta Cruz was 
occupied without opposition. 

1812. — We have already re¬ 
corded the first success of the 
British arms before Ciudad Ro¬ 
drigo, when the redoubt of San 
Francisco was stormed. From 
the 8th of January until the 11th 
the siege went on prosperously, 
the steady gallantry of the British 
troops being frequently brought 
into action by the determined 
defence of the French. Division 
after division laboured in the 
trenches: parallels were sunk and 


batteries constructed, under an 
almost continuous storm of shot 
and shell from the town. Little 
progress was now made until the 
night of the 13th, when, as re¬ 
lated in the preceding page, the 
Convent of Santa Cruz was carried 
and taken possession of. Lord 
Wellington, on account of the in¬ 
clement season of the year, and 
in order to cut short the detail 
of the siege, now determined to 
breach with his counter-batteries, 
and storm without blowing in 
the counterscarp ; he conse¬ 
quently ai'med his works with 
28 heavy guns, and then con¬ 
tinued his approaches by the fly¬ 
ing safe. A sally of the besieged, 
which penetrated very nearly to 
the batteries before it was effec¬ 
tually repulsed, together with the 
heavy fire of the town, preventing 
the breaching-pieces from opening 
until late on the 14th. The scene 
of terrible warfare at this period 
of the siege cannot be more for¬ 
cibly described than in the words 
of Napier:—“ Then was beheld a 
spectacle, at once fearful and 
sublime; the enemy replied to 
their assailants’ fire with more 
than 50 pieces; the bellowing of 
more than 80 large guns shook 
the ground far and wide; the 
smoke rushed in heavv volumes 
upon the battlements of the place, 
or curled in light wreaths about 
the numerous spires; — the shells 
hissing through the air, seemed 
fiery serpents leaping from the 
darkness; the walls crashed to the 
stroke of the bullet, and the dis¬ 
tant mountains faintlv returning 
the sound appeared to moan over 
the falling city; and when night 
put an end to this turmoil the 
quick clatter of musketry was 
heard like the pattering of hail 
after a peal of thunder, — for the 
40th regiment, forming part of the 
4th division, then under com- 








January 15. CALENDAR OF YICTORY. 15 


mand of the Hon. C. Colville, 
assaulted and carried the Convent 
of San Francisco, and established 
itself in the suburb on the left of 
the attack.” 

January 15. 

1706. Action near St. Es- 
tevan. — Colonel Wills, with 
English and Dutch troops of the 
confederate army, attacked by a 
far superior force near St. Este- 
van, Spain, commanded by the 
Chevalier D’Asficld, being the 
advanced guard of the French 
army. The enemy was repulsed 
and driven back upon the main 
body in great confusion. 

1761. Surrender of Pondi¬ 
cherry. —Pondicherry had been 
invested since September of the 
preceding year, and latterly the 
siege was vigorously pushed by 
Col. Eyre Coote. On the night 
of the 30th of December, the ele¬ 
ments had for a brief space of 
time suspended the operations of 
the siege; a fearful hurricane 
drove several of the English 
blockading ships on shore and 
the rest to sea, flooding the coun¬ 
try, ruining the field-works, and 
undermining the batteries. On 
the 5th of January the redoubt of 
St. Thomas, mounting four 28- 
pounders, which was of great 
importance to the enemy, was 
attacked and carried without 
loss. It did not, however, remain 
long in our possession; for at 
daybreak on the following morn¬ 
ing the post was retaken by 300 
grenadiers. By the 12th the ten- 
gun battery was repaired, and 
kept up a brisk fire, which se¬ 
riously damaged the counter¬ 
guard and bastion, and breached 
the curtain. By the morning of 
the 15th, a battery of eleven guns 
and one of ten opened with such 
success that by eight o’clock the 


enemy’s fire was silenced. Never¬ 
theless, in order to effect the 
more speedy demolition of the 
demi-bastion and ravelin of the 
Madras gate. Col. Coote com¬ 
menced a trench to contain the 
royal mortars and three guns. 
Pondicherry might have still held 
out for a month longer, had not 
famine been within the walls. 
The British squadron, under 
A dm. Stevens, being again in the 
offing, no supplies could be 
thrown into the devoted city; no 
relief was expected, all that re¬ 
mained of the French army was 
contained in that garrison. Lally 
was playing for the last stake of 
his country in india, and he 
knew that he had lost it. Battery 
after battery was silenced by the 
British fire; his starving soldiers 
could hardly stand to their guns. 
It being therefore useless to pro¬ 
long the struggle, Pondicherry 
surrendered at discretion on the 
15th of January, 1761. On the 
following day the wreck of the 
French forces, little more than 
1000 veterans, worn by long 
marches, disease, and privations, 
grounded their arms at the feet 
of a generous enemy, who knew 
well how to honour the brave. 
The unhappy French general, re¬ 
turning to France, fell the victim 
of the wounded pride of his 
countrymen. He was made the 
scapegoat of an unpopular mi¬ 
nistry, and died the death of a 
common felon. 

1761. Mogul Army defeated. 
— Major Carnac, with English 
and native forces, defeated the 
Mogul’s army under Shah Zad- 
da, supported by a small French 
force, near Gyali Maunpore. 

1821. Capture of Buggree, 
a fort held by Meenah’s plunder¬ 
ers, Raj pool unah country, Col. 
Maxwell commanding the Ni¬ 
zam’s forces. 









16 „ CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 16. 


1821. Major Macdowall, Sil- 
lidar horse, routed Pindarrees 
near Oomurg, which village they 
had plundered. 

January 16. 

1705. Attack ok Gibraltar 
repulsed.— An attack by the 
Spanish besiegers on Gibraltar 
on the 11th of January having 
failed, the Round Tower was 
stormed by the enemy in the 
night of the 16th. This post 
was held but a short time ; for 
Col. Moncol, of Lord Barry¬ 
more’s regiment, coming to the 
rescue with 500 men, charged the 
Spaniards sword in hand, and 
repulsed them with loss. 

1706. St. Estevan. — Lieut. - 
Gen. Cunningham having rein¬ 
forced Col. Wills after his success 
on the 15th of January, and taken 
the command, the Chev. D’As- 
field returned to the attack on 
the 16th, with the whole of his 
disposable force. The French met 
with a signal defeat; but Cun¬ 
ningham fell mortally wounded. 

1761. Fort of Gurdersberg 
surrendered to the Marquis of 
Granby. 

1809. Battle of Coruna.— 
During the night of the 15th of 
January, Soult made preparation 
for giving battle, and with some 
difficulty established a battery of 
eleven guns on the rocks that 
formed the left of his position, 
which was not above 1200 yards 
from the right of the British line ; 
and, midway, the village of Elvina 
was held by our pickets. The 
enemy remaining quiet on the 
morning of the 16th, Moore made 
every preparation for embarking 
the army as soon as darkness 
would permit the troops to retire 
unperceived ; but about 2 o’clock 
in the afternoon a general move¬ 
ment along the French line gave 


intimation of the approaching 
battle. The British infantry, 
14,500 strong, occupied the in¬ 
ferior range of hills, Baird’s di¬ 
vision forming the right. That 
under General Hope, crossing 
the main road, prolonged the line 
on the right, and occupied strong 
ground on the bank of the Mero 
river. The reserve was drawn 
up near the village of Airis, in 
the rear of the centre, whilst 
Fraser’s division remained on the 
heights close to Coruna. The 
French force is estimated at 
20,000 men. Soult, having made 
his arrangements, opened a heavy 
fire from his battery on the left, 
and descended to the attack wdth 
three solid masses, preceded by a 
cloud of skirmishers. The Bri¬ 
tish pickets were driven back in 
disorder, and the village of Elvina 
carried by the leading column ; 
which dividing, one part fell on 
Baird’s division in front, the other 
turned his right by the valley. 
The second column bore upon 
the centre, whilst the third at¬ 
tacked the left by the village of 
Palavio Abaxo The weight of 
Soult’s guns overmatched the 
English 6-pounders, and their 
shot swept the position to the 
centre. Sir John Moore, observ¬ 
ing that the enemy did not show 
any infantry beyond that which 
outflanked Baird’s right, ordered 
Gen. Paget, with the reserve, to 
turn the left of the French, and 
menaco the great battery. Then, 
directing Fraser’s division to 
support Paget, he threw back the 
4th regiment, which formed the 
right of Baird’s division, and with 
the 50th and 42nd regiments met 
the enemy, breaking through El¬ 
vina. The French were driven 
back with great loss, closely fol¬ 
lowed by the 50th, which pursued 
them beyond the village ; but the 
enemy being reinforced, renewed 








January 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 17 


the fight in repassing the village. 
At this period Major Charles 
Napier, commanding the 50th, 
was wounded and taken prisoner, 
and Elvina became the scene of a 
second struggle. The 42nd regi¬ 
ment, which from some misap¬ 
prehension had fallen back, now 
returned to the attack; and Gen. 
Paget, with the reserve, descend¬ 
ing the valley, vigorously checked 
the advance of the enemy in that 
quarter, whilst the 4th regiment 
galled their flank. The centre 
and left also became engaged; 
Sir David Baird was severely 
wounded; and a furious action 
ensued along the line, in the 
valley, and on the hills. Whilst 
Sir John Moore was earnestly 
watching the result of the conflict 
about Elvina, he Avas struck in 
the left breast by a cannon-shot, 
and thrown Avith violence from 
his horse. He rose in a sitting 
posture, his eye still fixed upon 
the troops engaged ; but in a few 
moments, Avhen satisfied the Bri¬ 
tish were gaining ground, he 
suffered himself to be taken to 
the rear; and the wound being 
considered fatal, the general 
consented to be conveyed to 
Coruna. In the meanAvhile the 
British Avere rapidly gaining 
ground. The resen-e turned the 
enemy’s left, and had even ap¬ 
proached their great battery. On 
their right some companies of 
the 14th regiment, under Col. 
Nicholls, carried the village of 
Palavio Abaxo, and in the 
, centre the obstinately-contested 
village of Elvina was finally held 
by our troops; so that, as the 
day closed, their line Avas con¬ 
siderably advanced beyond the 
original position of the morning, 
and the French Avere falling back 
in confusion. Sir John Hope, 
on Avhom the command had de¬ 
volved, judged it prudent to 


pursue the original plan of em¬ 
barking the army during the 
night; and this operation was 
effected Avithout delay. The pick¬ 
ets, kindling a number of fires, 
covered the retreat of the co¬ 
lumns, and Avere themselves with- 
draAvn at daybreak under the 
protection of Hill’s brigade, 
posted near the ramparts of the 
toAvn. The loss of the British 
amounted to 900 men killed and 
Avounded ; that of the French to 
above 2000. 

January 17. 

1671. Capture of Panama.— 
Having on the 14th inst. intro¬ 
duced this expedition to the reader, 
it may be expected that an excuse 
should be offered for making 
mention of the exploits of Morgan 
the Buccaneer in the Calendar of 
Victory. In the 17th century, and 
especially in the American seas, 
war Avas a rude and most unli¬ 
censed gamo, and every nation 
in turn might be accused of foul- 
play. Morgan the Buccaneer, 
forgotten in “ Panama Morgan,” 
Avas knighted by Charles II., and 
was allowed to act ad Lieut.- 
Governor of Jamaica. He was 
once sent for to England, that 
he might explain aAvay certain 
charges against him, but the 
matter was never legally investi¬ 
gated, and so there is no plea for 
declaring that Morgan was not 
an accredited servant of the 
British croAvn. The Admiral, with 
Major-Gen. Morris, Avho com¬ 
manded the troops of the expe¬ 
dition, with a little army 1200 
strong, appeared before Panama 
on the 16th of January. On the 
morning of the 17th they took 
up position on very advan¬ 
tageous ground, and shortly after 
being charged by 600 Spanish 
horse, repulsed them. The enemy 's 


c 








18 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 18. 


cavalry wheeling off to the right 
and left in some disorder, a body 
of infantry about 2000 strong 
advanced upon the little British 
phalanx, and were gallantly with¬ 
stood. This last attack was, ac¬ 
cording to one account, aided by 
extraordinary auxiliaries : — two 
droves of oxen, each 1500 strong, 
were driven on the flanks of the 
British rear; but men and cattle 
were all routed, and the whole 
army, seized with panic, fled to¬ 
ward the citv, the streets of which 
were barricaded, and had 32 brass 
guns commanding the principal 
thoroughfares. Fortunately, the 
governor only thought of firing 
the town, that it might not be¬ 
come the spoil of the enemy, 
and blowing up the chief fort. 
The English speedily rushed into 
Panama, and gained possession of 
the market-place. Here they met 
with some resistance, and by the 
fire of the artillery lost 4 men, 
and had 5 wounded; but by 
three o’clock in the afternoon 
Morgan had quiet possession of the 
town, — a writer in the Gentle¬ 
man’s Magazine for 1740 quaintly 
adds, “ although on fire.” The 
city burnt till midnight, despite 
the endeavours of the English to 
stop its progress ; the suburbs 
alone were saved from the con¬ 
flagration. Less treasure was 
discovered here then might have 
been expected, much silver and 
gold having been shipped for 
Lima before the arrival of the 
invaders. 

1818. Action near Mala- 
s unky. — By order of Brigadier- 
General Pitzler, Major Doveton, 
E.C.S., with a squadron of H.M.’s 
22nd dragoons, two squadrons of 
the 7 th Madras light cavalry, 
aided by a brigade of galloper- 
guns, under Major Cleaveland, 
did good service against the troops 
of the Ex-Peishwa Bajee Row. 


Some brilliant charges were made 
upon three large bodies of Mah- 
rattas, which were utterly rout¬ 
ed,—several thousands of the ene¬ 
my flying so rapidly before 280 
British swords that only fifty 
were slain. The pursuit led our 
troops nearly six miles from 
camp. 

January 18. 

1806. Surrender of Cape 
of Good Hope. — The Batavian 
army under General Janssens, 
together with the whole settle¬ 
ment of the Cape of Good Hope, 
surrendered to Brigadier-Gen. 
Beresford and the British army, 
under Major-General Sir David 
Baird, at Hottentot Hollands 
Kloof. 

1826. Storm of Bhurtpore. 
— On the 10th December, 1825, 
Lord Combermere appeared be¬ 
fore the walls of Bhurtpore with 
20,000 men. The city stands in 
a plain begirt by an extensive 
forest; a wall runs round the 
town, flanked at intervals by 
towers and bastions, but the cur¬ 
tains are low, while the bastions, 
by their circular form, stand ex¬ 
posed to the fire of a besieging 
artillery. The whole is surround¬ 
ed by a wide ditch To save the 
women and children from the 
horrors of a bombardment and of 
a siege, Lord Combermere pro¬ 
posed to Doorjan Sab safe con¬ 
duct for them through the 
British camp, but this humane 
proposal was not accepted by the 
usurper. On the 23rd the be¬ 
siegers completed their first pa¬ 
rallel at the distance of 800 yards 
from the fort, at the north-east an¬ 
gle of the works. On the 24th and 
the 25th batteries were brought to 
bear, and they having advanced 
to within 250 yards, the defences 
on the east side were in great 










January 19. CALENDAR 


measure destroyed. The remain¬ 
der of December was employed 
in strengthening the advances, a 
constant fire being kept up 
against the town. By the 3rd 
January, 1826, the curtains were 
breached ; but such, however, 
was the tenacity of the tough mud 
walls, that they resisted shot 
better than masonry: recourse 
was therefore had to mining. 
Several mines were sprung with¬ 
out effect until the 16th, when it 
proved so successful that a breach 
was soon reported practicable. 
Early on the morning of the 18th 
the storming party established 
themselves in the advanced 
trenches. The left breach was 
to be mounted by the brigade un¬ 
der General Nicholls, headed by 
the 59 th regiment; that on the 
right by Gen. Reynell’s brigade, 
headed by the 14th regiment. 
At 8 o’clock the mine under the 
north-east angle was exploded 
with terrific effect; the whole 
of the salient angle and part 
of the stone cavalier in the rear 
were lifted into the air. The 
troops immediately mounted to 
the assault, and, spite of a deter¬ 
mined opposition, carried the 
breaches — the grenadiers moving 
up resolutely without drawing 
a trigger. For some time the 
enemy defended the breach, but, 
being at length compelled to 
give way, were closely pursued. 
In two hours the rampart sur¬ 
rounding the town, although de¬ 
fended at every gateway and 
bastion, and also the command 
of the gates of the citadel, were in 
possession of the assailants; and 
in the afternoon the citadel it¬ 
self surrendered. Brigadier-Gen. 
Sleigh, commanding the cavalry, 
being entrusted with a force to 
prevent the escape of the enemy, 
succeeded in securing Doorjan 
Sab, who, with his wife and two 


OF VICTORY. 19 


sons, escorted by 150 chosen 
horse, attempted to force a pas¬ 
sage through the 8th light ca¬ 
valry. The loss of the enemy is 
computed at 4000 killed. All the 
stores, arms, and ammunition fell 
into the possession of the victors. 
The fortifications were demo¬ 
lished. The Full eh Bourse, or 
“ Bastion of Victory,” built, as 
the Bhurtporeans vaunted, with 
the bones and blood of British 
soldiers who fell in the assault 
under Lord Lake, was laid low. 
The fort was in a complete state 
of ruin, open on every direction, 
and would require as much ex¬ 
pense to render it formidable as 
would raise another in a new po¬ 
sition. All the other fortresses 
in the rajah’s dominions imme¬ 
diately surrendered ; the inha¬ 
bitants returned to their abodes, 
and the rajah was reinstated in 
his authority. 

January 19. 

1419. Surrender of Rouen. 
— Beleaguered since the begin¬ 
ning of September, and reduced 
to great straits, Rouen surrendered 
to Henry V. of England, who en¬ 
tered the city in triumph this day. 

1809. — Major Hewitt, with 1st 
battalion 17 th regiment native 
infantry, and a few soldiers of 
H. M.’s 12th regiment, infantry, 
attacked on all sides of Cochin 
Travanese by large bodies of the 
enemy, gallantly repulsed them, 

18 i 2. Capture of Ciudad 
Rodrigo. — The siege of this for¬ 
tress had only lasted twelve days, 
when, on the 19th January, both 
breaches were declared practicable. 
The assault being determined 
upon, that operation, confided to 
the third and light divisions and 
Pack’s Portuguese, was organised 
in four parts. The right attack; 
the centre, or assault of the great 






20 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 19. 


breach; the left, which was to con¬ 
nect the left and centre attacks, 
whilst a storming party attempted 
the small breach; and a fourth 
corps, consisting of Pack’s Portu¬ 
guese, was to make a false attack, 
by an escalade on the St. Iago 
gate at the opposite side of the 
town. Five hundred volunteers, 
commanded by Major Manners 
of the 74th, with a forlorn hope 
under Lieut. Mackie, composed 
the storming party of the third 
division. Three hundred volun¬ 
teers, led by Major George Na¬ 
pier of the 52nd, with a forlorn 
hope of 25 men under Lieut. 
Gurwood, formed the storming 
party of the light division. All 
the troops gained their stations 
unperceived by the enemy; and 
the moment the attack on the 
right had commenced it was taken 
up along the whole line. The 
storming parties of the third di¬ 
vision jumped out of the parallel 
when the first shout arose, but, be¬ 
fore they could reach the ditch, 
Ridge, Dunkin, and Campbell, 
with the 5th, 77th, and 94th regi¬ 
ments, were pushing up the great 
breach amidst the bursting of shells 
and showers of grape; and although 
the French were driven, they ral¬ 
lied behind the retrenchments. 
Meanwhile the stormers of the 
light division, running swiftly to 
the glacis without waiting for the 
hay-bags, jumped down the scarp, 
a depth of 11 feet, and rushed up 
the fausse braye under a heavy 
fire; and as they gained the breach, 
Major Napier, though severely 
wounded, calling to his men to 
trust to their bayonets, all the 
officers simultaneously sprang to 
the front, the charge was renewed 
with a furious shout, and the en¬ 
trance was gained. The sup¬ 
porting regiments coming up in 
sections, reached the rampart; the 
52nd wheeled to the right, the 


43rd to the left, and the place 
was won. During the contest, 
which only lasted a few minutes, 
after the fausse braye was passed, 
the fighting had continued at the 
great breach with unabated vio¬ 
lence, but on the arrival of the 
43rd and the stormei's of the light 
division, the French gave way, and 
at that moment, just as three wall 
magazines exploded, the third di¬ 
vision broke through the retrench¬ 
ments. The garrison still fought 
in the streets, but finally fled to 
the castle, where Lieut. Gurwood, 
who, though wounded, had been 
amongst the foremost at the lesser 
breach, received the governor’s 
sword. The assailants now en¬ 
tered the town from all sides, and 
the regiments throwing off all re¬ 
straint of discipline, committed 
frightful excesses. Three hundred 
French had fallen, and 1500 were 
made prisoners; and, besides the 
immense stores of ammunition, 
above 150 pieces of artillery were 
captured in the place. The whole 
loss of the allies was about 90 of¬ 
ficers and 1200 rank and file ; 
and of these above 60 officers 
and 650 men had fallen at the 
breaches. Gens. Crawfurd and 
Mackinnon were killed; Gen. 
Vandeleur and Col. Colborne 
were among the wounded. Un¬ 
happily, the slaughter did not end 
with the battle; for the next day, 
as the prisoners and their escort 
were marching out by the breach, 
an explosion took place, and 
numbers were blown into the air. 

1818.—A large body of Pin- 
darrees collected in the village of 
Mandapee, flying at the approach 
of a force under Major-Gen. Sir 
W. E. Keir, their rear was over¬ 
taken and many slain. 

1826. Stockades at Mal- 
loone carried. — Negotiations 
for peace, opened on the 1st inst., 
having failed, the British troops 










January 20. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


21 


embarked in boats on the Irra¬ 
waddy, this day, under cover of a 
lieaty cannonade, to attack Mal- 
loone. H. M.’s 13th and 38th re¬ 
giments, forming the 1st Bengal 
brigade, carried by the current to 
its appointed landing-place before 
the other brigades, landed steadily, 
formed, and, without waiting for 
support, took the principal stock¬ 
ades by escalade. Sale, the hero 
of Jellalabad, was wounded in the 
boats, and Lieut.-Col. Prith, se¬ 
cond in command, led the bri¬ 
gade. This discomfiture of nearly 
15,000 men by two British regi¬ 
ments was completed by the other 
brigades falling on the enemy in 
their retreat. 

1839. Reduction of Aden.— 
The fortress of Aden at the mouth 
of the Red Sea was taken by a 
conjoint expedition : the Indian 
army, native and European, com¬ 
manded by Major Bailie, the squa¬ 
dron by Capt. Henry Smith (a.) 
H. M.’s S. Volage. The Arab 
defenders showed some fight, but 
were overcome by the steady gal¬ 
lantry of our countrymen. 

January 20. 

1690. Attack on St. Mar¬ 
tin’s. —The English and French 
colonists in the West Indies had 
anticipated the declaration of 
war by the mother countries for 
more than a twelvemonth, but the 
landing of our countrymen on 
the Island of St. Martin was 
a legalised procedure, war having 
been declared in 1689. On 20th 
January, in the following year, 
Major-Gen. Sir Timothy Thorn¬ 
hill, in command of an expedition 
fitted out from the Island of St. 
Bartholomew, under cover of a 
false attack on the weather side 
of the island, landed to leeward 
without opposition. After march¬ 
ing about two miles into the 

o 


country, the English came in 
sight of a strong force, drawn up 
in order of battle; but the French¬ 
men who composed it were not 
in a fighting humour, for they 
retreated before the invaders, 
throwing salt and tobacco into 
the tanks to render the water 
unfit for use. Sir Timothy Thorn¬ 
hill did not follow upon their 
rear, but made dispositions to 
occupy the plain which the enemy 
had abandoned. A discharge of 
musketry from some wooded 
heights near at hand attracting 
his attention, he directed Major 
John Stanley, with a scouring 
party, to dislodge the enemy. 
This he accomplished, driving the 
French from two strong breast¬ 
works among the hills. The 
position of his little army being 
thus secured, the major-general 
encamped for the night. 

1807. Capture of Monte 
Video. —A squadron under Rear- 
Adm. Stirling, conveying troops 
under Brigadier-General Auch- 
muty, having anchored in the 
river De la Plata, the expedi¬ 
tion landed unopposed on the 
18th January, in a small bay 
about nine miles from the town. 
Here a strong position was taken 
up, slightly cannonaded by the 
enemy that evening. The next 
day the British force advanced 
towards Monte Video, and was 
received by a heavy fire from the 
Spaniards, who appeared in 
great strength, till obliged to re¬ 
treat by the light battalion under 
Lieut.-Col. Brownrigg. The in¬ 
vaders then took up a position 
about two miles from the citadel, 
and the next morning, the 20th, 
the whole force of the enemy, 
6000 strong, approached from 
the town to oppose little more 
than 4000 English. The attack 
was made by the Spanish army 
in two columns. The first of 







22 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 21. 


these, composed of infantry, being 
a little in advance, pressed severely 
upon an out-picket; but being 
speedily supported by some com¬ 
panies of the 40th regiment un¬ 
der Major Campbell, they attacked 
the enemy with such resolution 
that they were compelled to give 
way with a heavy loss of men, and 
were finally routed by the British 
light infantry. The other co¬ 
lumn, consisting of cavalry, in¬ 
stead of coming to the rescue of 
their comrades, retired from the 
field with the utmost despatch. 
The English were thus enabled, 
without further opposition, to 
commence the siege of the city of 
Monte Video. 

1818 . The strong fortress of 
Kurnella, India, was taken posses¬ 
sion of by Lieut.-Col. D. Prother. 

January 21. 

1759. Sortie from Madras. 
— During the siege of Madras 
by the French under Lally, the 
English made frequent sorties 
from the garrison: one of the 
most daring took place on the 
21st January. At six o’clock in 
the evening, on that day, a ser¬ 
geant and ten men went out of 
a sallyport in the east curtain, 
and an officer with 20 men by 
the barrier on the north-east angle 
of the covered way, followed by 
the same number of pioneers. 
These parties made a simultane¬ 
ous dash at the second crotchet 
of the besiegers, about 30 yards 
from the foot of the glacis, took 
its defenders by surprise, and 
drove them out of the work. 
This the British retained posses¬ 
sion of full ten minutes, during 
which time they destroyed the 
gabions and all the materials 
collected for raising a batter}'. 
They then slowly retired under 
cover of a tremendous fire from 


the batteries of the fort, and re¬ 
entered the town. 

1781 . Carrangooly stormed. 
— After the battle of Conjeveram, 
when the wreck of the heroic 
little band of native and Euro¬ 
pean troops under Col. Baillie 
surrendered prisoners of war to 
Hyder Ali and his French allies, 
Gen. Sir Hector Munro withdrew 
his army into the neighbourhood 
of Madras, while Hyder ravaged 
the country, took Arcot from our 
ally the Nabob, and many other 
of his fortresses; but now the 
tyrant of Mysore trembled for 
his conquests. Sir Eyre Coote, 
sent to the succour of the Madras 
presidency from Calcutta, was in 
the field; and though his army, as 
compared in numbers to Hyder 
Ali’s countless hordes, was as the 
hunter to the wild beasts of the 
forest, confidence in their general 
gave strength and courage to his 
ranks, and the career of victory 
speedily commenced. Sir Eyre 
Coote advancing to the relief of 
Wandewash, then besieged by 
Hyder Ali, detached, on the night 
of the 20th January, a force 1000 
strong, to attack Carrangooly; and 
on the morning of the 21st the 
place was gallantly carried by 
storm. 

1818. The fort of Soony, to 
the south of Hoosingabad, held 
by insurgents, having been bom¬ 
barded by a force under Major 
M‘Pherson, during the 21st, to¬ 
wards nightfall, the enemy began 
to abandon it in detached parties. 
One of these was charged upon 
and routed by a body of horse, 
under Lieut. Macqueen, while the 
fort was taken possession of by 
Major M‘Pherson. 

1819. Action under the 
Walls op Omeerkan, India.— 
Captain St. Leger, with a small 
detachment, attacked and de¬ 
feated Nowsajee Naik and nearly 











January 22. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 23 


2000 followers, horse and foot, 
under the walls of Omeerkan. 

January 22. 

1760. Battle of Wandewash. 
— Colonel Eyre Coote, at Outre- 
maloor, on 21st January, receiv¬ 
ing advice that the French army 
under General Lally had effect¬ 
ed a practicable breach in the 
fort of Wandewash, resolved to 
make an effort to raise the siege 
on the following day. At 6 
o’clock on the 22nd, the whole 
army, consisting of 1700 Euro¬ 
peans, inclusive of artillery and 
cavalry, and 3500 Madagascar 
Caffre troops, was in motion. 
About 7, the advanced pickets 
were engaged. The cavalry hav¬ 
ing formed in order of battle, 
supported by 5 companies of se¬ 
poys and 2 guns. Colonel Coote 
advanced with 2 companies of 
sepoys, compelling the enemy to 
fall back on their main body of 
horse, consisting of 200 Euro¬ 
peans, with 3000 Mahrattas on 
the left. The enemy retreated in 
pretty good order, until a fire 
was opened by our artillery, 
which did such execution that 
they fled with great precipitation. 
Coote having brought up his 
whole force, the two armies ad¬ 
vanced with much gallantry. 
Finding that the enemy’s cavalry 
w'ere making dispositions to at¬ 
tack his left, the British com¬ 
mander placed 2 pieces of can¬ 
non, supported by some com¬ 
panies of sepoys, in rear of his 
horse. By this means, when 
their cavalry advanced resolutely, 
the English opened to the right 
and left, thus exposing the enemy 
to the fire of grape, while their 
flank was galled with musketry. 
Our horse then charged them in 
front with such impetuosity that 
they were thrown back in con¬ 


fusion, pursued by our whole 
force. This French army, con¬ 
sisting of 2200 Europeans, 300 
Caffres, and above 9000 black 
troops, with 25 pieces of cannon, 
formed in order of battle, became 
generally engaged with the Bri¬ 
tish about 1 o’clock, when 5 of 
their guns were disabled by the 
explosion of a tumbril. Major 
Brereton, commanding Draper’s 
regiment, availing himself of this 
accident, charged their left flank 
with such resolution that did him 
honour, and paved the way to 
victory, which declared in our 
favour about 2 o’clock. The 
enemy’s whole army then gave 
way, leaving all their artillery, 
except 3 small field-pieces, in 
the hands of the victors. The 
French had 800 killed and 
wounded, and 240 were made 
prisoners. On the part of the 
English, only 52 were killed, and 
141 wounded, including among 
the latter the gallant Major 
Brereton, mortally. 

1813. Action at Riviere atj 
Raisin. — Brigadier-Gen. Win¬ 
chester, with the right wing of 
General Harrison’s army, above 
1000 strong, on the march to 
attack fort Detroit, took posses¬ 
sion of French Town, on the 
Riviere au Raisin, from a small 
militia force, which did its best 
to defend the post. Col. Proctor, 
commanding the Michigan Ter¬ 
ritory, immediately marched with 
a sort of military posse comi- 
tatus, gathered on the approach 
of the Americans, consisting of 
detachments of the 10th veterans 
and 41st regiment, with about 
600 Indians ; altogether a force 
1100 strong. The Americans 
were attacked at break of day, 
on the 22nd of January, in the 
enclosures of French Town, which 
they bravely defended, the action 
being well maintained on both 


T 







24 » CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 23. 


sides. Twenty-four non-commis¬ 
sioned officers, privates, and sea¬ 
men of the British were killed, 12 
officers and 146 non-commission¬ 
ed officers, privates, and seamen 
wounded. The loss of the Ame¬ 
ricans was far more severe, and 
at length about one half of their 
force surrendered. The remainder, 
while attempting to effect their 
retreat, were almost exterminated 
by the Indians. Brigadier-Gen. 
Winchester, taken by a Wyandot 
chief, was surrendered to Col. 
Proctor, together with such of 
the enemy as had received quarter 
from the Indians. 

January 23. 

1597. Action of Turnhout. 
—This action, in which the En¬ 
glish were highly instrumental in 
aiding the Dutch in its successful 
result, arose out of the inveterate 
hatred of the Romish Church in 
Spain against protestant England. 
Whenever Philip II. considered 
himself sufficiently powerful for 
the undertaking, he was plan¬ 
ning an expedition against this 
country, and it was Queen Eliza¬ 
beth’s policy to aid any power 
that would oppose him and over¬ 
throw his machinations. In the 
year 1585 the Queen of England, 
though she refused the sovereignty 
of the confederate provinces of 
the Netherlands, had agreed to 
assist them in throwing off the 
yoke of Spain, but she was to be 
repaid all expenses at the end 
of the war; and, from the landing 
of the Earl of Leicester’s expedi¬ 
tion in 1586 up to the present 
date, English troops were always 
engaged with the Dutch against 
the Spaniards. A strong body 
of English infantry under Sir F. 
Vere, and about 100 horse com¬ 
manded by Sir Robert Sydney, 
were with the Flemish troops, 


which, led by Prince Maurice of 
Nassau, advanced from Gertree 
Denburg towards Turnhout, a 
town of Brabant, near Antwerp, 
then held by the Spaniards. The 
advance, which was intended as 
a surprise, took place early in the 
morning of the 23rd ; but the 
Spaniards had heard of the pro¬ 
posed attack, and were in full 
retreat. Their rear-guard was 
overtaken by the van of the 
allies, consisting of Prince Mau¬ 
rice’s guards and the English 
carabiniers, who immediately en¬ 
gaged the enemy in a narrow 
road, through which they drove 
them, until both parties debouched 
on an open heath, the rear-guard 
of the Spaniards now forming a 
support for the main body. Prince 
Maurice, with considerable rein¬ 
forcement, had also come up, 
and the action became general, 
ending in the utter discomfiture 
of the Spaniards and their Nea¬ 
politan allies. The number slain 
of the enemy was very great, and 
3000 prisoners and many stands 
of colours were taken. The En¬ 
glish so eminently distinguished 
themselves as to call forth the 
praise of Prince Maurice, and it 
is generally understood that to 
their determined gallantry the suc¬ 
cess of the day was chiefly owing. 

1690. — The English, whose 
landing at St. Martin’s we have 
already related among our vic¬ 
tories for the 20th inst., gained 
possession of the principal inland 
fortress of the island on the 23rd, 
and carried a bi*eastwork on the 
coast. They might now fairly 
have considered themselves in 
possession of the island, for their 
march in every direction was un¬ 
opposed. Thus matters remained 
until the arrival of a squadron 
under Du Casse, which anchored 
to windward on the 20th, and 
that night landed troops to the 






January 24. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 25 


assistance of the inhabitants, and 
changed the face of affairs; but 
Thornhill remained perfectly self- 
possessed in this strait. He 
meant not to keep possession of 
the island, for he had already, 
on the appearance of Du Casse, 
sent to Antigua for ships, to 
make good his departure with 
the plunder he had collected; and 
he now fortified his camp the 
best way he could, and without 
fear awaited the result. 


January 24. 

1759. Landixg at Bassterre. 
— The expedition under Major- 
General Hopson against Guada- 
loupe, already referred to in the 
Naval page of 23rd January, ef¬ 
fected a landing on the 24th, 
and took possession of the burn¬ 
ing town, which the garrison, 
composed of French and armed 
negroes, had abandoned; but the 
latter still holding a post about a 
mile from the place, it was gal¬ 
lantly carried by the 3rd regt. 
The general learning from a de¬ 
serter that a train was laid to the 
magazine in the citadel, which a 
negro, properly instructed, was 
about to fire, the train wms cut 
off, and the magazine secured. 

1762. Assault of Morne 
Tortenson. — In our Calendar 
for the 16th instant will be found 
briefly recorded the landing of 
the British forces at Martinique. 
The expedition had arrived off 
the coast early in the month, and 
several attempts to land and 
maintain a footing on the island 
had been unsuccessful until the 
above-mentioned date. On the 
16th, the debarcation was effected 
at Cas de Navire. The British 
fleet having'silenced the batteries 
and covered the landing, it wuts 
now necessary to carry the strongly 


fortified heights of Tortenson and 
Gamier. General Monckton’s 
first care was to throw up works 
for the protection and support of 
his men; and when these were 
completed, under fire of their guns 
the troops advanced to the attack 
of Morne Tortenson, at daylight 
on the 24th January. The grena¬ 
diers under Brigadier-Gen. Grant 
first encountered the enemy, driv¬ 
ing in the outposts. The brigade 
of Gen. Rufane, strengthened by 
the marines, carried the redoubts 
along the coast, whilst the brigade 
of Gen. Walsh, supported by the 
light infantry under Lieut.-Col. 
Scott, succeeded in outflanking 
the enemy’s left. The enemy’s 
works Avere now successively at¬ 
tacked, and by 9 o’clock our 
troops were in possession of all 
their posts, and the strong position 
of Morne Tortenson. The French 
retired in the greatest confusion 
to the town of Fort Royal and to 
Morne Gamier, the latter situated 
on a hill higher than the Morne 
Tortenson, and separated from it 
by a deep ravine. Meanwhile 
the brigade of Gen. Haviland, 
and two battalions of Highlanders 
Avith a corps of light infantry 
under Major Leland, crossed the 
ravine, and drove the enemy from 
the several opposite heights. On 
the cannon-mounted redoubts of 
Morne Tortenson, the crags, ra¬ 
vines, and gullies, which were 
in themselves fortifications, now 
waved the flag of England. 

1817. Pindarrees routed.— 
Capt. Caulfield, with a squadron 
of 5th regt. native cavalry, came 
up with a large body of Pin¬ 
darrees, proceeding toward Cow- 
reeah on their route to the 
country about Rainpoor. He 
attacked the enemy so vigorously 
that 4Q0Avere killed and wounded, 
and secured plunder to the amount 
J of 6000 rupees. 






26 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 26. 


January 25. 

1759. Sortie from Madras. 
— This sortie was one of the 
most successful during the siege 
of Madras by Lally. The sallying 
party held possession of a portion 
of the besiegers’ works for twenty 
minutes, destroying their gabions 
and other materials for carrying 
on the siege; and then steadily 
retired, receiving and returning 
fire. They had 4 men killed ; 
Capt. Black, who commanded, 
and Lieut. Fitzpatrick, and 6 
men wounded. 

1783. Ghurry Ghaut. — In 
our record, 5th January, we men¬ 
tioned the first important success 
of Gen. Mathews, on the Ma¬ 
labar coast in 1783 — the taking 
of Onore. We enter not into 
party questions of the last cen¬ 
tury, whether Gen. Mathews 
was properly supported by the 
then governor and council, to 
effect the conquests which he 
gained, or whether, after having 
obtained those successes, he had 
fair-play shown him in being su¬ 
perseded, upon an exparte state¬ 
ment made against him. With a 
force numerically inadequate to 
the service, having a wretchedly 
supplied commissariat, and lack¬ 
ing ammunition till he won it 
from the enemy at the point of 
the bayonet, he fought his way, 
from the coast at Cundapoor to 
the summit of the Hussenghurry 
Ghaut, and thence compelled 
Bednore to capitulate. We merely 
observe that, on the 25th of Ja¬ 
nuary, during the approach of 
Gen. Mathews from the coast 
to this very strong position, with 
an army of 12,000 Europeans, 
eight battalions of sepoys, and 
artillery, he was harassed by a 
much larger force of the enemy, 
which, fortunately for the general, 
had not the courage to place 


themselves between the British 
troops and the ghaut. Their op¬ 
position to his march only showed 
itself in a series of attacks on his 
rear and flanks, that led to re¬ 
peated skirmishes, in which the 
British were uniformly successful; 
and they steadily, but slowly, ad¬ 
vanced towards the foot of the 
mountain. 

1818. Attack on Pindarrees. 
— The treaty of peace between 
Mulkar Rao Holkar and the 
British at the commencement of 
this year did not, as a necessary 
consequence, give peace to the 
Deccan. Among the wild spirits 
that had to be tamed were the 
Pindarrees. A strong party of these 
Oriental brigands was attacked 
by Col. Heath at Ivurroad, with 
800 men, detachments from the 
Madras European regiment, 7th 
native infantry, and other corps, 
aided by the Silidar horse. The 
Pindarree chief Cheetoo was here 
completelyrouted, abandoning his 
elephants, camels, and horses to 
the victors. 

1838.— The Thakoor of Goora 
having plundered the village of 
Kehrana in Shekawuttee, then 
under British protection, Major 
Forster, E. I. C. Service, with a 
small native force, commanded 
by British officers, attacked the 
stronghold of the chief in Toor- 
wuttee. Its defenders being 
driven from every fastness, the 
citadel of the fortress was at 
length stormed; and the garrison 
being utterly dispersed, Major 
Forster took possession of one of 
the strongest hill forts in that 
district. 

January 26. 

1563. Skirmish near Mon- 
deuille. —This engagement was 
one of those affairs in which the 
French protestants were success- 









January 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 27 


fully assisted by the English 
against the troops of the Duke 
de Guise, commanding for the 
Queen Regent of France. Six 
thousand English foot-soldiers of 
Elizabeth had landed the Sep¬ 
tember of the previous year in Nor¬ 
mandy : one division, under Sir 
Adrian Poynings, had added to 
the strength of Dieppe garrison, 
then held by the Huguenots ; the 
other, under the immediate com¬ 
mand of the Earl of Warwick, 
general of the whole force, gar¬ 
risoned Havre de Grace, of 
which strong seaport the earl 
was made governor, according to 
Elizabeth’s treaty with the Hu¬ 
guenots. It would appear that the 
English did not entix*ely confine 
themselves to these fortresses, as 
they shared in several of the en¬ 
counters between the Huguenot 
and Roman Catholic French 
troops, previous to the death of 
the Duke de Guise. These un¬ 
grateful co-religionists of Protes¬ 
tant England during this year 
made peace for themselves with 
Charles IX. of France, and then 
aided him in bringing the En¬ 
glish garrison of Havre de Gi'ace 
into subjection. 

1793. Action at Giiurry 
Ghauts. — Continuously as the 
march of the British forces to¬ 
wards the Hussenghurry Ghauts 
had been disputed, as already re¬ 
lated in our record for Jan. 25th, 
when they drew near these fast¬ 
nesses the enemy had resolved 
upon more determined resistance. 
On the 26th the advance of Gen. 
Mathews was opposed by two 
breastworks, within a few paces 
of each other, formed by felled 
trees, and defended by full 
2000 men. The brushwood on 
either side the road was also oc¬ 
cupied by the enemy, who, feeling 
secure in their position, seemed 
to await our attack with consider¬ 


able boldness. The 42nd regi¬ 
ment of Highlanders, however, 
supported by a battalion of se¬ 
poys, gallantly carried these works 
at the point of the bayonet. The 
defenders were not prepared for 
the sudden dash of our troops, 
who were among them before 
they had time to deliver their fire. 
Those that did not immediately 
fly were bayoneted, while the 
fugitives were pursued by the 
Highlanders, who fought hand to 
hand with them in the jungle. 
The claymore did fearful havoc, 
and the clansmen of the bold 
42nd did not spare their antago¬ 
nists. The wildness of the war¬ 
fare w r as congenial to them, and, 
after slaying several hundreds in 
the assault and pursuit, they 
chased the remainder to the foot 
of the ghauts. Here they took 
shelter from their pursuers behind 
a formidable looking w r ork, which 
had the appearance of a regular 
fort. It mounted 15 guns, had 
flanking walls, and promised to 
give the British general some 
trouble. The main body of the 
army soon reached this new ob¬ 
stacle to further advance to the 
ghaut, and during the night 
preparations were made to attack 
the fort on the morrow. It was 
then discovered that the supposed 
fortress was a battery entirely 
open in the rear, and that it had 
been abandoned during the night 
by the enemy ; so that nothing 
now opposed the march of the 
British army into the mountains. 

January 27. 

1762. MorneGarnier taken. 
—After the success of the 24th 
January, Gen. Monckton began 
to erect batteries on Morne 
Tortenson, for the reduction of 
the citadel of Fort Royal ; but 
the ground occupied by the En- 













28 CALENDAR 


glish being much exposed to the 
tire of Morne Gamier, the work¬ 
ing parties were greatly annoyed, 
and some lives lost. Thus si¬ 
tuated, the general commenced 
batteries facing those of the ene¬ 
my, and the ravine between the 
two heights became equally com¬ 
manded by the guns of both. The 
French, anticipating that an at¬ 
tack was now intended upon 
Morne Gamier, attempted, by a 
sudden and desperate assault, on 
the evening of the 27th, to storm 
the newly erected batteries, while 
they were yet in an unfinished 
state. Rushing down into the 
ravine, they mounted the oppo¬ 
site side, under cover of a heavy 
fire from their works, and threw 
themselves, with more energy 
than discipline, upon Gen. Havi- 
land’s brigade, which, strengthen¬ 
ed by two corps- of light infantry, 
held the new batteries. Here they 
were received with the utmost 
steadiness, and vigorously re¬ 
pulsed. Their confused retreat 
was closely followed up, and the 
contending parties crossed the 
ravine in desperate conflict. The 
English stopped not here, but 
ascended even to the enemy’s 
batteries, of which they took 
possession, the French never at¬ 
tempting to rally in their own 
works. Quickly reinforced by 
General Walsh’s brigade and 
the British grenadiers, who had 
marched to his support, Briga¬ 
dier-General Haviland took up 
a permanent position upon the 
heights so happily gained. And 
to complete the good fortune of 
the night, for the sun had now 
set, a corps of light infantry 
moving up to the left of Morne 
Gamier, finding no resistance to 
its progress, seized upon the grand 
redoubt which the enemy in alarm 
had abandoned, with the excep¬ 
tion of a few grenadiers who were 


OF VICTORY. January 28 . 


taken prisoners. The regular 
troops having made the best of 
their way into the town of Fort 
Royal, the militia-men had at 
once disbanded themselves, and 
dispersed into the country. A 
loaded mortar, nine unspiked 
guns, and a plentiful supply of 
provision, both for the mouths 
of the cannon and the ab¬ 
sconded bombardiers, which no 
attempt had been made to de¬ 
stroy, proved the hurry of their 
flight. The next morning the 
guns of Morne Gamier were 
turned by the victorious party 
against Fort Royal. 

1783. Assault of Hyder- 
ghur.— The British forces under 
Gen. Mathews continued their 
successful career in the Hussen- 
ghurry Ghauts. Having taken 
possession of the first battery, or 
armed barrier, a similar one near 
it was found equally undefended ; 
but, after advancing two miles 
further up the hills, it was disco¬ 
vered that the retreating enemy 
had rallied, and held possession 
of a strong work, behind which a 
succession of barriers and batte¬ 
ries reached to the principal fort 
at the summit of the ghaut, called 
Hyderghur. From this post, de¬ 
fended by 25 pieces of can¬ 
non, General Mathews with his 
little army succeeded in driving 
the enemy, and finally carried 
Hyderghur by assault, the whole 
day’s fighting only costing him 
50 men in killed and wounded. 

January 28. 

1846. Battle of Aliwal.— 
Major-Gen. Sir Harry Smith was 
detached in the early part of Ja¬ 
nuary, to reduce Dhurmkote, and 
keep open the communication for 
supplies and ammunition from 
our rear, and being reinforced, 
his army amounted to 7000 






January 28. CALENDAR OF VICTORY 29 


men and 24 guns. Dhurmkote 
was evacuated on the approach 
of the British, and Sir Harry 
moved into Loodiana, where, af¬ 
ter sustaining the loss of a great 
portion of the baggage, the 
troops arrived much harassed. 
The Sirdar Runjoor Singh had 
strongly intrenched himself at 
Aliwal, about eight miles to the 
westward of Loodiana, with 
15,000 men and 56 guns, and 
on the 26th he received a rein¬ 
forcement of 12 guns and 4000 
regular troops ; their right rested 
on Bundree, and their left on 
Aliwal. Sir Harry then moved 
forward to give battle with a 
force not exceeding 12,000 men 
and 32 guns. On arriving with¬ 
in the distance of 150 yards, 
the enemy opened a fierce can¬ 
nonade from right to left. The 
line having halted a short time, 
Brigadier-Generals Godby and 
Hicks made a rapid and decisive 
charge, carried the village of 
Aliwal, and captured 2 guns. 
The whole of the British then 
moved forward, and, after various 
skilful manoeuvres, compelled the 
Sikhs to retire upon the Sutledge. 
Here they were gallantly follow¬ 
ed, and a large body of infantry 
driven at the point of the bayonet, 
by the 53rd regiment, out of the 
village of Bundree. So ably 
were the orders of attack con¬ 
ducted, each column arriving at 
its destination to the very mo¬ 
ment, that the enemy were soon 
driven in great confusion back over 
the river, and all the Sikh guns 
were captured or destroyed. Only 
one gun was carried by the Sikhs 
to the opposite bank, and there 
it was spiked by Lieut. Holmes of 
the irregular cavalry. The vic¬ 
tory was now complete: all the 
forts on the left bank surrender¬ 
ed, camp-carriages, munitions of 
war, and in fact all that Runjoor 


Singh had brought with him, 
fell into our hands. The total 
loss of the British in these suc¬ 
cessful operations amounted to 
151 killed and 413 wounded. 
The Sikhs lost nearly 6000 killed 
or drowned in attempting to cross 
the Sutledge. 

1753. Attack on Convoy re¬ 
pulsed.— On 28th January, a 
body of Mahratta horsemen made 
some desperate charges upon the 
British troops proceeding from 
Fort St. David’s to the army; but 
so vigorously were they repulsed, 
that on the return of the convoy 
with the supplies they had not 
the temerity to dispute the way. 

1783. Surrender of Bed- 
nore. — The triumph of the 
British arms in storming the 
Hussenghurry Ghauts was this 
day crowned by the surrender of 
the capital of the province. When 
Hyderghur was carried the pre¬ 
ceding day, Gen. Mathews had 
yet the principal object of the 
expedition to effect; Hydernu- 
gur or Bednore, about fourteen 
miles distant, was still to be won. 
Against this fortress a division 
of the forces, not more than 
360 Europeans and 600 sepoys, 
advanced, the main body of the 
army being still in the ghauts. 
The general undauntedly led on 
his men, though they had not even 
a single field-piece to support them, 
and only six rounds of ammuni¬ 
tion in their pouches. The dis¬ 
comfited chief, Hyat Saheb, when 
the ghauts were in the possession 
of the English, had retired upon 
Bednore, determined to make a 
bold stand against his invaders. 
He here found himself abandoned 
by the greater portion of the nu¬ 
merous army, which had before 
surrendered to.him. Panic-struck 
by the daring gallantry of the 
British, his warriors cared not 
again to face such antagonists. 






30 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. Januai’y 29. 


He had only 1500 men to shut 
up with him in Bednore, and of 
these 350 could little be depended 
upon, having been once in the 
British service—sepoys taken by 
Hyder Ali in the Coromandel, and 
forced into his ranks. Thus 
situated, Hyat Saheb struck off 
the irons of an English prisoner, 
Capt. Donald Campbell, and des¬ 
patched him to treat for terms, 
offering the surrender of the 
whole province to the East India 
Company, only praying he might 
retain his government. With 
these conditions Gen. Mathews 
complied, and on the 28th Ja¬ 
nuary, 1783, the British troops 
marched into Bednore, having 
achieved an important conquest 
under circumstances of extraor¬ 
dinary difficulty. 

January 29. 

1760. Surrender of Chitta- 
pett. —After the decisive action 
at Wandewash, Col. Coote waited 
but to secure his conquest of that 
city, by strengthening its fortifi¬ 
cations, and then moved forward 
to the town of Chittapett, through 
which the French had passed in 
great disorder on their route to 
Pondicherry. On the 28th of 
January this fortress was invested 
and a battery erected, which, 
opening its fire at daybreak the 
next morning, had before noon 
nearly effected a breach in the 
walls of the town. The Cheva¬ 
lier de Tilly, who commanded 
the garrison, considering that he 
had saved his honour by this re¬ 
sistance, beat parley and surren¬ 
dered. Four officers, 127 Euro- 
peans, and 300 sepoys, were made 
prisoners, many of whom were in 
the hospitals, being wounded men 
left behind in the retreat of the 
French army. Nine guns, 300 
stand of arms, and a large quan¬ 


tity of ammunition, also fell into 
the hands of the captors. 

1813. Capitulation of La- 
gosta. — Lieut.-Col. Robertson, 
commanding the Island of Lissa, 
in the Gulf of Venice, on the ! 
coast of Dalmatia, then in pos¬ 
session of the English, on re¬ 
ceiving information that several 
merchant vessels had been cap¬ 
tured and carried into port at 
the neighbouring island of La- 
gosta, which was held by the 
French, embarked 300 men in 
H. M.’s frigate Apollo, Captain 
Taylor, and on the 21st of Ja¬ 
nuary effected a landing on that 
island. With his little force, con¬ 
sisting of detachments of the 35th 
regiment, Calabrese free corps, 
marines, and seamen, he imme¬ 
diately marched to attack the 
enemy’s principal fort, and was 
received by a well-directed fire 
of shot and shell. Considering 
it not practicable to carry the 
place by a coup de main, the 
lieut.-col., placing his men out of 
danger, commenced preparations 
for a siege. Between this period 
and the 29th little was done ex¬ 
cept spiking the guns of one of 
the enemy’s lower batteries and 
the destruction of a magazine of 
provisions within musket shot of 
the fort, by a detachment under 
the command of Capt. May, 35th 
regiment, the seamen being led 
by Lieut. Bowen, 1st Lieut, of 
H.M’s.S. Apollo. On the 29th, in¬ 
formation having reached that a 
French force from the port of 
Ragusa was about to reinforce 
Lagosta, favourable terms were 
proposed to the garrison, which 
being readily accepted, the fort 
and island surrendered to the 
British. 

1818. Storm of Juwud.— 
Capt. Caulfield, detached from a 
field force with a party of European 
and native troops, being in search 















January 30. CALENDAR 


of certain chiefs, allies of the Pin- 
darrees sheltered in Juwud, was 
fired upon from that fortress. He 
immediately drove a body of the 
enemy assembled under the walls 
into the fort. Then, blowing open 
the gates, entered the town, and, 
being fired upon, he carried the 
place by storm, slaying nearly 
1000 of the enemy, with but 
little loss on our side. 

January 30. 

1760. Wandewash.— After 
the battle of Wandewash, Capt. 
Smith, with a detachment of the 
1st (Madras European) regiment, 
was sent to cut off any straggling 
parties of the French which 
might he endeavoui'ing to make 
their way to and from the for¬ 
tresses yet in their possession. It 
was not until he commenced his 
return that he met with any 
success. He then intercepted a 
small detachment, consisting of 
10 Europeans and 50 sepoys, 
with two brass 8-pounder field- 
pieces, under the command of a 
captain of the Lorrain regiment, 
from Arcot, proceeding to Gin- 
gee. They were taken completely 
by surprise, and, making but 
a slight resistance, they speedily 
surrendered. On the following 
day Captain Smith, with his 
prisoners, rejoined Col. Coote at 
Arnee. 

1809. Landing at Marti¬ 
nique. —A proclamation having 
been previously sent on shore, 
advising the inhabitants of the 
Island of Martinique to save 
themselves, by immediate sub¬ 
mission, from the disasters that 
might arise from fruitless resist- 
ance, a British army of 10,000 
men, under Major-General Beck¬ 
with, landed from a fleet under 
the command of Rear-Admiral 
Alexander Cochrane, on the 30th 


OF VICTORY. 31 


of January. The first division, 
under the Commander-in-chief, 
disembarked in Bay Robert, and 
the second division, under Major- 
Gen. Maitland, at St. Lucie. 
Meanwhile 600 men of the Royal 
York Rangers, under Major 
Henderson, pushed on shore at 
Point Soloman, and occupied the 
commanding posts for the in¬ 
vestment of Pigeon Island. Thus 
successfully commenced an enter¬ 
prise that terminated in the com¬ 
plete subjugation of Martinique. 

1842. Jellalabad. — Lieut. 
Mayne, of the Shah Soojah’s 
cavalry, is honourably mentioned 
in General Sale’s despatches, as 
having, in the successful com¬ 
mand of a foraging party on the 
30th and 31st of January, made 
gallant captures of cattle and 
sheep for the relief of the garrison 
of Jellalabad, in the midst of the 
numerous hordes of Affghans 
which surrounded that appa¬ 
rently devoted fortress. These 
captives of his own good sword 
were far more welcome to the 
garrison than if he had brought 
in a hundred of the enemy. 
Only those situated as the gene¬ 
ral’s little force then was — ill 
provisioned, cut off from succour, 
and holding a few half-ruined 
walls in the midst of an enemy’s 
country — can justly estimate the 
value of the service rendered by 
Lieut. Mayne in the face of many 
thousands of Affghans. 

January 31. 

1690. Island of St. Martin. 
—In relating the success of the 
British at St. Martin’s on the 
23rd of January, we incidentally 
mentioned the position in which 
the appearance of a French 
squadron had afterwards placed 
the hitherto victorious expedition. 
Major-Gen. Sir Timothy Thorn- 








32 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 1. 


hill remained from that date to 
the present undisturbed in his 
encampment ; for, though the 
enemy’s squadron, reinforced 
since its first appearance, had 
landed a body of troops, which 
made the French numerically 
strong enough to compete with 
the English, they dared not 
assault the major-general’s po¬ 
sition. On the 30th the expected 
succour appeared in the offing, 
which proved to be a British 
squadron from Antigua. Upon 
this the French quitted the an¬ 
chorage, and, keeping at a re¬ 
spectful distance, watched the 
proceedings they had failed in 
preventing, whilst the English 
ships stood into the bay. The 
major-general immediately em¬ 
barked his plunder, artillery, and 
military stores, and, leisurely 
withdrawing his outposts, was 
about to abandon his position on 
the plains, when the French, 
taking courage, vigorously at¬ 
tacked him. Although deprived 
of his field-pieces, his brave 
troops nobly repelled their as¬ 
sailants, driving them completely 
out of the plain into the woods 
with great slaughtei*. The En¬ 
glish lost but 10 men, killed, 
and had 3 taken prisoners. Af¬ 
ter this complete discomfiture of 
the enemy, the British general 
marched his little army in tri¬ 
umph to the beach, and embarked 
without the slightest molestation. 

1819. Storm of Fort No- 
wah.— Major Pitman, command¬ 
ing the Nizam’s regular cavalry, 
was ordered to proceed against 
the fortress of Nowah, belonging 
to a notorious predatory chief in 
Berar. The siege proceeded from 
the 8th to the 31st of January. 
On that day, at 3 o’clock p. m., a 
mine was sprung, which blew in 
the counter-scarp ; and a storm¬ 
ing party, under Captain Hare, 


rushed to the assault, and speed¬ 
ily carried the fortress. Most of 
the troops in the garrison were 
Arabs, a great number of whom 
made a desperate sally to gain 
the open country. For this the 
besiegers were prepared; and 
a detachment of the Nizam’s 
horse charged the flying enemy, 
with great slaughter. The de¬ 
fenders of Nowah had often 
refused to treat, though fair terms 
were offered to them; and as 
they had slain many of our men 
in their sorties, little mercy was 
shown them. Not a British of¬ 
ficer was killed during the siege, 
but several were wounded. 


February 1. 

1760. Surrender of Timery. 
— On the 1st of February the 
French surrendered Timery to 
the English, it having been in¬ 
vested since the 29th ultimo. 
This was one of the many suc¬ 
cesses of the British arms which 
followed the battle of Wandewash. 

1781. M‘Co wan’s Ford. — 
The Americans under General 
Morgan having retired on the 
northern fork and occupied the 
fords of the Catawba river, the 
British, under Gon. Lord Corn¬ 
wallis, collected all their force on 
the southern branch. Putting 
themselves in light marching 
order, they destroyed the greater 
portion of the enemy’s baggage, 
and all their waggons, except 
those carrying hospital stores, 
salt, and ammunition, reserving 
four only for their wounded and 
sick. These preparations com¬ 
pleted for an active campaign, on 
the morning of the 1st of Feb. 
the British army advanced to¬ 
wards the passage of the river 
northward. A demonstration 
was made by a division under 







ebruary 1 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


Lieut.-Col. Webster, as though 
his intention was to pass the river 
at Beattie’s Ford, six miles above 
M‘Cowan’s, the one least de¬ 
fended, and which was the real 
object of attack. Lord Corn¬ 
wallis, commanding the other 
division of the army in person, 
advanced on Cowan’s Ford before 
daylight. The morning was dark 
and rainy, and the way through 
woods and swamps. In one of 
these was lost a tield-piece; and 
thic casualty delaying the artil¬ 
lerymen, when the head of the 
British column reached the banks 
of the river at dawn of day the 
only remaining gun was without 
men to serve it. The brigade of 
guards under Brig.-Gen. O’Hara 
were now ordered to advance 
upon the enemy, who commanded 
the whole breadth of the ford, 
which was 500 feet wide, and 
opened a determined fire on our 
troops, who were frequently up 
to their middle in water. Still 
they moved forward without 
firing a single shot until the op¬ 
posite bank was gained. The light 
infantry then forming, and being 
well supported by grenadiers and 
battalion companies, they amply 
made up for their former silence. 
The enemy fled in every direc¬ 
tion, the passage of the river was 
effected, and Lieut.-Col. Webster, 
about the same time, changed 
his demonstration into a real 
passage of the stream. The Ame¬ 
ricans in no place stood their 
ground; and Colonel Tarleton 
hearing, while he was in pursuit 
of the enemy, that three or four 
hundred militia were to assemble 
at Tarrank’s House, about four 
miles from the ford, pushed for¬ 
ward with a body of cavalry, and 
entirely routed them. 

1800 Action of Surirey.— 
At the reduction of Martinique, 
the army being under the com¬ 


mand of Lieut.-Gen. Beckwith, 
the French were attacked on the 
1st February by the British 
troops under the immediate di¬ 
rection of Lieut.-Gen. Sir George 
Provost. The action commenced 
in an advance upon the enemy, 
strongly posted at Morne Brun, 
where the principal success of 
our arms was gained. The enemy 
were driven hence, suffering great 
loss, as Gen. Beckwith states 
in orders, “ even to the heights 
of Surirey.” Here, it would ap¬ 
pear, they made a stand, and the 
next day repulsed our troops in 
two impetuous attacks ; but, un¬ 
able to withstand the determined 
gallantry of the British, and ap¬ 
prehending another attack at 
daybreak, they evacuated the 
works during the night of the 
2nd inst. 

February Z. 

1794. — The island of St. Do¬ 
mingo speedily reaped the fruits 
of the French" Revolution. The 
mulattoes, claiming fraternity 
with the whites, who had ob¬ 
tained colonial representation, 
rose in arms, and although over¬ 
powered, they succeeded in ob¬ 
taining their asserted rights from 
the Republican Government. This 
act of the mother country the 
whites refusing to ratify, the 
mulattoes again had recourse to 
arms, and were now aided by a 
revolt of the negroes. Thus civil 
war was raging in St. Domingo, 
covertly encouraged by the go¬ 
vernment at home, which, though 
it speedily rescinded its act of 
grace to the mulattoes, rejoiced 
to see them vent their rage on the 
royalist whites, supposed to be 
attached to England, then at war 
with France. Such was the state 
of affairs when the British squa¬ 
dron, under Commodore Ford, 


D 


















34 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 3. 


conveying troops commanded by 
Col. Whitelock, appeared be¬ 
fore St. Domingo. The town of 
Jeremie, on the south peninsula 
of the island, surrendered on sum¬ 
mons, as did Cape St. Nicholas 
Mole. On the evening of the 
2nd of February the expedition 
approached Cape Tiberon, and 
anchored near the shore. The 
guns of the ships having cleared 
the beach of a body of mulattoes, 
who it was thought would not 
make any further resistance, the 
flank companies of the 13th and 
20th regiments at once landed 
to take possession of a house near 
the beach, to protect the general 
debarcation. The mulatto force, 
however, returned, formed line, 
and disputed the landing of our 
men; but one gallant charge 
settled the affair. The post was 
won, and held till the following 
morning, when the whole of the 
troops disembarked. 

1814. Merexem taken.— In 
an advance movement of the 
British and Prussians to destroy 
the French shipping in the port 
of Antwerp, the troops of the 1st 
and 2nd divisions of the army, 
having collected at Braes chat 
the previous day, on the 2nd 
February an attack was made on 
the village of Merexem. This post, 
which commanded the port, -was 
gallantly carried. Gen. Sir Tho¬ 
mas Graham, in his despatch, 
mentions with great praise Ma¬ 
jor-Gen. Gebb, then command¬ 
ing the 2nd division, Major-Gen. 
Taylor, and Lieut.-Col. Herries, 
as conducting the attack. He 
also gives great credit to Lieut.- 
Col. Cameron, commanding de¬ 
tachments of the 95th, Lieut.-Col. 
Hompesch, 25th regiment, Major 
A. Kelly, 54th regiment, Lieut.- 
Col. Brown, 65th regiment, and 
Major Kelly, 73rd regiment, for 
their attack on the left and centre 


of the village, forcing the enemy 
from a very strong hold, and 
storming the mill battery. Two 
pieces of cannon and many pri¬ 
soners fell into our hands. 

1839. Capture of FortMun- 
hara.— On the 2nd of February, 
II. M.’s S. Wellesley, with the 
40th regiment, in company with 
IL M.’s S. Algerine, and also the 
Berenice, with the 2nd grenadiers 
and native troops on board, ap¬ 
peared before the fortress of 
Munhara, province of Scinde. A 
flag of truce was sent to this fort, 
with terms for its surrender, 
which being rejected, the walls 
soon crumbled beneath the heavy 
cannonade of the ships. The 
troops having landed, the British 
flag was planted on the fortress 
by Lieut. Jenkins of the Indian 
navy, and the 40th regiment 
took possession of the fort. The 
town of Ivurrachee surrendered 
on the following day without re¬ 
sistance. 

February 3. 

1759. Action at St. Thome.— 
During the siege of Madras by 
the French Gen. Lally,Capt. Pres¬ 
ton, commanding some irregular 
native troops and a few English, 
in a strong position between the 
Mount, a fortified post held by 
the British, and the village of St. 
Thome, was attacked by Lally 
with 300 Europeans, 600 sepoys, 
and 6 field-pieces. Aided by the 
vantage ground which it held, 
the very inferior force of Capt. 
Preston gallantly repulsed the 
French, who, after suffering con¬ 
siderable loss, made good their 
retreat. 

1780. Attack on Young’s 
House. — During the severe win¬ 
ter of 1779, a detachment from 
the British forces in New York, 
made an attack upon “ Young’s 








February ft. CALENDAR 


House,” a post in the neighbour¬ 
hood of White Plains, which in¬ 
tercepted supplies for the city. 
The infantry commenced their 
advance in sleighs, but these they 
were obliged to abandon ; and 
the entire force, Hessians, provin¬ 
cial cavalry, and infantry, with 
two 3-pounders, the whole under 
Lieut.-Col. Norton of the guards, 
—four companies of his regiment 
also accompanying him,—finished 
a harassing night’s march by a 
determined attack upon the Ame¬ 
rican post. The enemy behaved 
most gallantly, and “ made the 
best of their strong position at 
Young’s House but Lieut.-Col. 
Pennington, with a part of the 
second company of grenadier 
guards, coming up to the aid of 
Lieut.-Colonel Norton, the place 
was carried. Forty of the enemy 
were found killed, and 97 made 
prisoners ; among the latter the 
Colonel commanding the district. 
The British had but 2 killed, and 
23 wounded. 

1781. Reduction of Eustatia. 
—St. Eustatia, and its dependency 
Saba, West India islands belong¬ 
ing to the Dutch, this day sur¬ 
rendered to England upon sum¬ 
mons. The fleet of the combined 
expedition was commanded by Sir 
G. Rodney, and the army by 
Major-Gen. Vaughan. 

1781.—The American General 
Morgan’s army were retiring be¬ 
fore Lord Cornwallis, to form a 
junction with Gen. Green, when 
the British came up with the 
rearguard. After the main body 
had passed the Catawba river, 
the enemy were routed, and some 
baggage waggons fell into our 
hands. 

1807. Storm of Monte Video. 
—In the Calendar for January we 
related that the expedition under 
Rear-Adin. Stirling and Brig.- 
Gen. Auchmuty effected a landing 


OF VICTORY. 35 


at Monte Video. The harbour 
not admitting the near approach 
of the larger ships of the fleet to 
bombard the town, the place was 
regularly invested by the army 
from the 23rd January to the 2nd 
February. A breach being now 
considered practicable, on the 
morning of the 3rd the British 
mounted to the assault; but the 
enemy having barricadoed the 
breach with hides, it offered such 
resistance that the assailants were 
under fire upwards of a quarter 
of an hour before they found their 
way into the place. Here they 
were further opposed by cannon 
planted in the principal streets, 
pouring forth a destructive fire, 
which only ceased as the troops 
gained possession of the guns. 
The town was thus soon won, 
and the citadel shortly after sur¬ 
rendered. Six officers, and 112 
non-commissioned officers and 
men, fell in the assault. Seventeen 
officers were wounded, with nearly 
400 non-commissioned officers and 
men of the 11th, 38th, 40th, 72nd, 
87th, and 95th regiments. 

1813. Reduction of Curzola. 
—The expedition under the or¬ 
ders of Capt. B. W. Taylor, in the 
Apollo frigate, conveying detach¬ 
ments of 35th regiment and artil¬ 
lery under Lieut.-Col. Robertson, 
with a party of seamen and ma¬ 
rines, after subjugating the island 
of Lagosta on 29th of January, 
effected a landing on Curzola on 
the 3rd of February. The enemy 
made a sharp resistance; but after 
a short time, British valour over¬ 
came every obstacle, and the island 
surrendered. 

February ft. 

1757. Defeat of Suraj ad 
Dowea. — Suraj ad Dowla, en¬ 
raged at the retaking of Calcutta 
and the destruction of Hoogly, 









36 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 4. 


spurned all attempts on the part 
of the English to treat with him, 
aware that their new spirit of ac¬ 
commodation had its rise in the 
declaration of war in Europe be¬ 
tween England and France. Look¬ 
ing to the French for assistance, 
he marched towards Calcutta, and 
on the 3rd of February encamped 
before that city. Col. Clive, com¬ 
manding the British forces, not 
waiting to be attacked within its 
walls, obtained from Adm. Wat¬ 
son 569 seamen and marines of 
the fleet; and adding to these 
about 150 Europeans, with some 
artillery, and 800 sepoys, marched 
at dawn on the 4th to attack up¬ 
wards of 20,000 men. This little 
army, making their way in a fog, 
suddenly received the charge of 
a large body of Persian horse, 
which they gallantly repulsed, 
and within a few moments the 
British were in the encampment 
of the enemy. Six hundred men, 
many distinguished officers, 500 
horses, and several elephants and 
camels belonging to the enemy, 
fell, killed or wounded, in this 
desperate onslaught. The loss on 
our side was 39 Europeans, in¬ 
cluding 3 officers and 18 sepoys, 
killed ; 82 Europeans, and 35 se¬ 
poys, wounded. The fog pre¬ 
vented the troops from pursuing 
their success, but the alarm which 
seized the Nabob, on finding his 
camp invaded by the foe he 
thought shut up within Calcutta, 
induced him to accept the terms 
offered him to evacuate the Com¬ 
pany’s territory. 

1762. Surrender of Fort 
Royal. —In the expedition against 
Martinique, made mention of on 
the 16th, 24th, and 27th of Jan., 
two batteries raised upon Morne 
Tortenson not having been found 
to do much damage to Fort Royal, 
a movement was made to trans¬ 
port their guns and mortars to 


Morne Capuchin, 400 yards from 
the fort. This bi'ought the be¬ 
sieged to terms, and on the 4th 
of February they surrendered the 
gate of the citadel. Their killed 
and wounded amounted to 150 
men, out of a garrison nearly a 
thousand strong : the loss of the 
British was 96 killed, including 
7 officers, and 389 wounded; 
among the latter the number of 
officers was considerably more 
than the usual proportion. 

1804. Surrender ofGwalior. 
— In December of the last year, 
Gwalior, and all lands situated 
northward of that fortress, held 
by the native chief Ambajee In¬ 
glia, having been ceded to the 
British government, some troops 
under Lieut.-Col. White were sent 
to take possession. Ambajee had 
not been sincere in his treaty, or 
his commandant in the fortress 
disobeyed orders, for it would 
not surrender. Lieut.-Col. White, 
now strengthened by European 
and regular troops, bringing bat¬ 
tering pieces and mortars, threw 
up works, and opened a deter¬ 
mined fire upon the fort. A breach 
was effected by the 4th of Fe¬ 
bruary, and during the ensuing 
night Gwalior, one of the most 
formidable fortresses in Hindos- 
tan, surrendered. 

1819. Defeat of Arabs.— 
On the 4th of February Capt. 
J. Jones, with a troop of the 7th 
Bengal Cavalry and two com¬ 
panies of the 15th N. I., routed 
I 600 Arabs near Borda’ee. The 
enemy, taking advantage of some 
broken ground, rallied, but Lieut. 
Isaac of the 15th N. I., who was 
wounded in leading on his men, 
drove them forth from the jungle 
at the point of the bayonet, and 
the cavalry completed their dis¬ 
comfiture, with the loss of many 
prisoners. 








February 5. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 37 


February 5. 

1781. Surrender or St. Mar¬ 
tin. —In the progress of the suc¬ 
cessful expedition in the West 
Indies, under Adm. Sir G. 
Bridges Rodney and Major-Gen. 
Vaughan, the Island of St. Mar¬ 
tin was surrendered on this day 
upon summons to Lieut.-Col. 
Edhouse, 13th regiment. 

1794. Martinique invaded. 
— An expedition under Adm. 
Sir John Jervis, and the army, 
commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Sir 
Charles Grey, left Barbadoes on 
the 3rd of February. The troops 
effected a landing on the Island 
of Martinique on the 5th, — the 
first division, commanded by 
Major-Gen. Dundas, planting the 
flag of England at La Trinite. 

1796. The transports for the 
expedition against Colombo, Cey¬ 
lon, assembling eighteen miles to 
the northward off the fort of 
Negombo, which the Dutch had 
evacuated, the English took pos¬ 
session; and the troops under 
Col. Stuart having disembarked, 
led to the subjugation of the set¬ 
tlement without opposition. 

1804. Action near Mankai- 
seer. — Some predatory chiefs 
collectively commanding a large 
force, not having complied with 
the terms offered by Major-Gen. 
Sir Arthur Wellesley to lay down 
their arms and come into the 
British camp, a division of the 
Indian army commanded by the 
major-gen. marched to compel 
their submission. It consisted of 
II. M.’s 19th light dragoons ; the 
4th, 5th, and 7th regiments; and 
47th regiment native infantry ; 
a battalion of the 8th, with some 
Mysore and Mahratta cavalry, and 
detachments of other British and 
native troops. At first the ma¬ 
rauders were said to be about 


eighty miles distant, but, breaking 
up their camp, they unconsciously 
drew near to the approaching ene¬ 
my. The lieut.-gen. hurried on his 
troops, despite the unfavourable 
state of the roads, and, just as 
the chiefs had been advised of his 
approach by their spies, he came 
up with the rear of their forces, 
then in full retreat near Mankai- 
secr. A running fight now com¬ 
menced, and the enemy was pur¬ 
sued from height to height, with 
great success. Many were slain, 
and the whole of their guns, am¬ 
munition, baggage, &c., fell into 
the hands of the British. 

1810. Surrender of Guada¬ 
loupe.— The expedition against 
Guadaloupe, which landed on 
the 28th Jan., advanced into the 
country without opposition; and, 
on the morning of the 4th of Feb., 
Major Henderson and the Royal 
York Rangers, by order of Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Wale, crossing the 
river De la Pere, under a heavy 
fire from the French, climbed the 
heights they occupied, turned their 
flank, and drove them from their 
position. Although the British 
paid dearly for their victory, hav¬ 
ing sustained a loss of 52 killed, 
250 wounded, and 7 missing, the 
result produced a general panic 
among the enemy, and the sur¬ 
render of Guadaloupe on the fol¬ 
lowing day. 


February 6. 

1545. French routed near 
Boulogne. — A French force 
14,000 strong, under Marshal de 
Diez, had been encamped beyond 
the haven of Boulogne, then held 
by the British, since the 26th of 
Jan. Early in the morning of 
the 6th of Feb. the Lord High 
Adm. De Lisle, the governor ; 
the Earl of Hertford, the Lord 






38 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 7. 


Grey tie Wilton, and Sir Thomas 
Poynings, with only 4000 foot 
and 700 horse, salied forth to at¬ 
tack the enemy. Three hundred 
of this force passed the haven at 
low water, and alarmed the ene¬ 
my, who decamped, marching to¬ 
wards Hardilo in two divisions. 
The English horse made hot pur¬ 
suit, routing 500 Dutch cavalry 
in their way, and, forming in 
order of battle on the hill of St. 
Etienne, about three miles from 
Hardilo sands, came up with the 
French. The British flung them¬ 
selves between the two divisions of 
the enemy with desperate on¬ 
slaught,— overthrowing carriages, 
and slaying horse and foot. In 
vain the Marshal de Diez rallied 
a portion of his troops ; a second 
charge of the British overthrew 
them, and by this time the in¬ 
fantry from Boulogne having 
come to the support of the ca¬ 
valry, the French made no further 
defence, but continued their re¬ 
treat, placing their men-at-arms 
in the rear. Taking up a strong 
position on the Hardilo sands, 
they sent heralds to the English, 
offering them battle, but the lord 
high admiral, not wishing fur¬ 
ther to hazard his 4000 against 
14,000, contented himself with 
setting the villages around him 
in a blaze; and, laden with spoil, 
consisting of 7 pieces of artil¬ 
lery, tents, plate, and even some 
of the armour of the French mar¬ 
shal, the British returned to Bou¬ 
logne. 

1792. Seringapatam. — This 
action was a successful prelimi¬ 
nary to the siege of Seringapatam. 
Tippoo Saib’s army, supported by 
his French allies, was well posted 
under the walls of the fortress, 
within strongly fortified lines. On 
the night of the 6th of Feb. these 
were stormed by the British forces 
commanded by Gen. Lord Corn¬ 


wallis, who led one of the three 
columns of attack, the others be¬ 
ing under the command of Lieut.- 
Gen. Meadows and Col. Maxwell. 
The enemy, in great force, were 
in redoubts mounting very heavy 
guns, and a vigorous resistance 
was offered to our troops ; but 
soon after midnight their 
strongest posts were in our pos¬ 
session. Among other advan¬ 
tages a footing was gained on the 
island formed by the winding of 
the river Cavery, upon a part 
of which Seringapatam is built, 
thus enabling Lord Cornwallis to 
commence the investment of that 
fortress. 

1794. Morne Le Brun.— 
After the landing of the troops 
at Martinique on the 5th Feb., 
Major-Gen. Dun das pushed on 
with the 1st battalion of light 
infantry, and the 9th and 70th 
regiments of foot, commanded 
by Col. Campbell, and Lieut.- 
Col. Coote. On the 6th he at¬ 
tacked Morne Le Brun ; and al¬ 
though the troops were received 
by a heavy fire of musketry, they 
carried the works by assault. 
Fort La Trinite was taken pos¬ 
session of on the same day. That 
night, the leader of the Mulattoes, 
Bellegarde, evacuating a fort in 
the neighbourhood, set fire to the 
town of La Trinite; and but for 
the great exertions of the British 
soldiers and sailors to extin¬ 
guish the flames, the whole town 
would have been destroyed. 


February 7. 

1602. Porto Bello taken. 
— A company of adventurers 
fitted out three small privateers 
for the Spanish main, command¬ 
ed by Capt. William Parker of 
Plymouth. This expedition, con¬ 
sisting of a ship of 100 tons and 









February 7, CALENDAR 


130 men, a shallop of 60 tons j 
and 60 men, and a pinnace of 
20 tons and 18 men, sailed from 
Plymouth in November, 1601. 
With this insignificant force they 
ascended the river of Porto 
Bello on the 7th February, 1602. 
Leaving the vessels anchored un¬ 
der Fort St. Philip, Parker, with 
30 men, in two boats, landed 
at Triana, set that town on fire, 
and dashed at once into the rich 
town of Porto Bello. He here 
found himself opposed by 250 
soldiers before his second detach¬ 
ment had come up to his assist¬ 
ance ; but, being reinforced by 
120 men, the enemy were defeat¬ 
ed after a sharp contest. He 
then seized the treasury of the 
town, making the Spanish go¬ 
vernor prisoner ; but Parker, ad¬ 
miring the Spaniard’s gallantry, 
had sufficient chivalry, after dress¬ 
ing his wounds, to release him 
without ransom. He laid Porto 
Bello under heavy contribution, 
seized upon two vessels lying at 
anchor above the town, and at 
night, running the gauntlet of the 
defences on the banks of the river, 
returned with his spoil to the 
entrance of the harbour. 

1792. Siege of Seringafa- 
tam. — This fortress, invested by 
Lord Cornwallis on 5th February, 
is situated on an island formed 
by two branches of the river 
Cavery, which, after separating to 
a distance of about a mile and a 
half, again unite about four miles 
below the place of their separation. 
The fortress, erected on the east¬ 
ern part, was defended by re¬ 
doubts and batteries, connected 
by a strong intrcnchment and 
ditch. The fort and outworks 
mounted 300 pieces of cannon, 
and formed a second line, on 
which Tippoo could retire if 
driven from his fortified camp, 
which was protected in front by j 


OF VICTORY. 39 


j a canal, and further secured by 
six redoubts mounting more than 
100 pieces of heavy artillery. The 
Sultan’s army consisted of 6000 
cavalry and 50.000 infantry, com¬ 
manded by Tippoo in person. 
At 8 o’clock on the evening' of 
6th February the army moved 
forward to the assault in three 
columns. Two of the strongest 
redoubts were carried, and the 
routed, troops driven in confusion 
across the river into the island, 
pursued thither by the assailants. 
Several of their batteries were 
stormed, and a defensible posi¬ 
tion secured in the island before 
the morning dawned on the 7th. 
The conflict was then renewed, 
the guns of the forts opening a 
tremendous fire on the redoubts, 
of which the English had gained 
possession, and desperate attacks 
were made on every part of their 
position. Tippoo’s soldiers were, 
however, defeated at every point, 
and on the evening of the 7th the 
battle was at an end. The En¬ 
glish loss amounted to 535, killed 
and wounded, whilst more than 
4000 of the Mysoreans had fallen. 

1794. Landing in Corsica.— 
On the 7th of February the Bri¬ 
tish expedition against the island 
of Corsica, consisting of the 2nd 
battalion of the 1st royals, the 
11th, 25th, 30th, 50th, 51st, and 
69th regiments, under Lieut.- 
Gen. Dundas, effected a landing 
without opposition. 

1794. Success at Marti¬ 
nique. — Brigadier-Gen. White, 
with a battalion of light infantry 
commanded by Lieut.-Col. Close, 
during the reduction of Marti¬ 
nique, dispersed on 7th Febru¬ 
ary 150 mulattoes, and took 2 
pieces of artillery, whilst on their 
way to summon forts Soloman 
and Bourges ; which surrendered 
at discretion on the same day. 
i The fort of Gros Morne also fell 







40 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 3. 


into our possession during the 
night. 

February S. 

1803. Landing at Cas de 
Naviee. — One of the divisions 
of the army commanded by Col. 
Sir Charles Gordon, engaged in 
the expedition against Martinique, 
this day effected a landing at Cas 
de Navire, to the leeward of the 
island. 

1801. CuELYANELLOKE. -A 

detachment, consisting of native 
infantry, subsidiary cavalry 900 
strong, a detachment of Bengal 
artillery, with two 6- and two 4- 
pounders, the whole under Euro¬ 
pean officers, encamping on a 
march, were attacked by about 
1200 Poligars. The precaution 
had been taken to occupy the 
village of Cullyanellore, and they 
here made several attacks upon 
our troops; but in each they were 
repulsed and compelled to re¬ 
treat, leaving 40 dead, and carry¬ 
ing off their wounded. During the 
night an unsuccessful attempt was 
made to surprise the village. 

1803. Pettah of Sasnee.— 
Sasnee, a strong fortification in the 
district of Furruckabad, ceded to 
the East India Company in 1802, 
was held by a refractory zemin¬ 
dar named Bugwunt Sing, who, 
holding another fortress called 
Bidgaghur, and having an army 
of 20,000 men, was an enemy 
not to despised. A body of ca¬ 
valry and infantry, under Lieut.- 
Col. Blair, being reinforced, and 
the command being now given 
to Col. Hon. J. St. John, he was, 
after a further reinforcement of 
sufficient strength, to conduct 
the siege. The approaches were 
pushed as close to the works as 
prudence would justify by the 8th 
of February, when the pettah of 
the fortress was carried by as¬ 


sault, the enemy offering but little 
resistance ; and though the gar¬ 
rison within the fort made a des¬ 
perate attempt to dispossess the be¬ 
siegers during the following night, 
they still maintained their ground. 

1809. Fort Edward taken. 
— Adm. Villaret, Capt.-Gen. of 
Martinique, having most impru¬ 
dently abandoned Fort Edward, 
thinking that, as it was com¬ 
manded by Fort Bourbon, the 
English would not dare to occupy 
if, Capt. Henderson, Royal York 
Rangers, took possession. He 
found there four 13-inch mortars, 
and 38 heavy guns spiked ; but in 
a few days these were rendered 
fit for service, and, firing upon 
Fort Bourbon, were instrumental 
to the fall of that fortress. 

1812. Callingiiur. —An un¬ 
successful attempt was made on 
Caliinghur, in the province of 
Bundlecund, by the British on the 
2nd of this month: but the despe¬ 
rate gallantry of our troops was 
not without its effect ; the garri¬ 
son of Caliinghur, dreading such 
another attack, surrendered on 
the 7th. 

1818. Surrender of Pallee. 
— A hill fort of the Southern 
Concan, called Pallee or Sur- 
rusghur (Fort of Excellence), was 
deemed impregnable by the na¬ 
tives. The field force under Col. 
Prother, haviug sat down before 
it on the 6th inst., on the 7th 
raised batteries, which on the 
8th opened their fire from a 10- 
inch, two 8-inch mortars, and a 
5^-inch howitzer, when the houses 
within the fortified hill were soon 
in a blaze. After two hours’ bom¬ 
bardment, the fortress surrender¬ 
ed. Some of the garrison after¬ 
wards declared they could not 
hide themselves from the shells ; 
wherever they went, they were 
found out by these missives of 
destruction. 


# 














February 9. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 41 


1830. PlNDARREES ROUTED.— 
A detachment of the 18th regi- 
ment Madras native infantry, un¬ 
der Lieut. Cowie, attacked a large 
body of Pindarrees, and com¬ 
pletely routed them, killing 10 
of their number, and taking 80 
prisoners. 

February 9. 

1781. B’iiore Pass forced. 
—Gen. Goddard, with an English 
and native force, making an ad¬ 
vance upon Poonah, arrived at the 
foot of the B’hore Ghaut Pass on 
the 8th of February, driving be¬ 
fore him a large force of the Mah- 
rattas. The whole Poonah army 
was assembled near the top of the 
Ghauts; but, nothing daunted, the 
general resolved to proceed. A 
strong column, formed bv the 1st 
Madras and the Bombay Euro¬ 
pean regiments, under command 
of Capt. Parker, at midnight 
commenced the ascent of the 
pass, driving the enemy from 
their fastnesses. The main body 
speedily followed, andby 5 o’clock 
on the morning of the 9th the 
summit was gained ; and so 
great was the panic of the Mah- 
rattas that they proposed to nego¬ 
tiate for a cessation of hostilities. 

1794. Reduction of Mar¬ 
tinique. — The seizure of the 
post of Mount Mathurin, com¬ 
manding Pigeon Island, Mar¬ 
tinique, also the posts of Morne 
Brun, Fort Matilde, and La 
Chappellc, on this day were easy 
conquests. Morne Pied, which 
fell to the lot of the 70th regi¬ 
ment, led by Lieut.-Col. Johnson, 
with two howitzers, Adj.-Gen. 
Dundas commanding, was not so 
readily gained;but the charge of 
the gallant 70th carried all be- 
fore them, and the enemy’s work 
was occupied by our troops on 
the morning of the 9 th. 


1822. Burdgong. — A detach¬ 
ment of the E. T. C. Service, with 
a train of artillery, under Major 
Faithful, came before the fortified 
village of Burdgong, district of 
Ackbarpoor, Oude, on the morn¬ 
ing of the 9 th of February. A 
cannonade was so well directed, 
that by sunset the village was in 
flames. The fire of the enemy 
soon ceased, and in course of the 
night the place was evacuated. 

1826. Pagahm-mew. — On 
this day a force under Major-Gen. 
Sir A. Campbell, scarcely 2000 
fighting men, defeated 16,000 Bur¬ 
mese, commanded by Nee Woon 
Breen. Encountering their skir¬ 
mishers in the jungle, our troops 
drove them back, until, coming 
into open country, their main 
body appeared drawn up in form 
of a crescent. Their centre broken 
by the impetuous attack of the 
British, the Burmese fled to a line 
of redoubts, under the walls of 
Pagahm-mew. Before they had 
time to rally, our troops were 
upon them, and their rout was 
complete. Many were slain, 
hundreds perished in the river, 
and but two or three thousand 
men remained together of the last 
army brought against us in this 
war. 

February IQ. 

1760. Arcot Surrenders.— 
Arcot surrendered to Col. Coote, 
after having been invested since 
the 1st of February, and was 
taken possession of by the British. 

1711. Surrender of Mahe. 
—This place surrendered on the 
10th of February, to Major, after¬ 
wards Sir Elector Munro. 

1794. In defence of Fort Ma¬ 
tilde, Martinique, the English 
suffered much loss, and Capt. 
M’lverven, of the 38th grena¬ 
diers, was among the slain ; but 







42 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 10. 


a charge by the 9th regiment, 
led on by Lieut.,-Col. Craddock, 
routed the enemy. 

1794. Corsica. — After the 
landing of our troops on this is¬ 
land, Fort Mortella, after a severe 
bombardment, surrendered this 
day to Lieut.-Col. Moore, com¬ 
manding the royals and 51st re¬ 
giments, with artillery. 

1809. Storm of Arambuli.— 
In the Travancore war tire troops 
being under the command of 
the Hon. Lieut.-Col. St. Leger, 
Major Welsh, 3rd native infan¬ 
try, volunteered to carry the 
strongly fortified lines of Aram¬ 
buli by a coup de wain. The 
storming party, consisting of a 
picket of H. M’s. 69th regiment, 
commanded by Capt. Syms, and 
some companies of the 3rd native 
infantry, under Major Lucas, 
were to escalade the southern re¬ 
doubt, which commanded the lines 
to the gate of the fortress. Major 
Welsh commenced his gallant en¬ 
terprise on the night of the 9 th; 
and, after six hours’ scrambling, up 
a height so apparently inaccessi¬ 
ble that the enemy dreamed not 
the most desperate would attempt 
it, our noble fellows carried the 
redoubt. Reinforced by a com- 
pany of II.M.’s 69th regiment and 
companies of the 1st and 2nd 
battalions of the 13th native in¬ 
fantry under Captain Hodgson, 
the enemy was routed in every di¬ 
rection, and all the lines carried. 
A well filled arsenal, a number 
of guns, and many valuable 
stores fell into the hands of the 
captors. Our loss was only 2 
killed and 11 wounded. 

1846. Battle of Sobraon.— 
From the 14th January until the 
early part of February, the Sikhs, 
busily employed in constructing 
and strengthening their defences, 
adding to their guns on their tete 
de point and in their intrenched 


position, seemed confident they 
could prevent our passage up the 
river. Their force, consisting of 
34,000 men with 70 pieces of 
artillery, was united by a good 
bridge to a reserve of 20,000 on 
the opposite bank. The forces 
under Sir Hugh Gough consist¬ 
ed of 6533 Europeans, 9691 na¬ 
tives, making a total of 16,224 
rank and file, and 99 guns. At 
half-past 3 o’clock on the morn¬ 
ing of 10th -February the troops 
marched to their destination. It 
had been intended that a can¬ 
nonade should have commenced 
at daybreak from the artillery in 
position, in an extended semi¬ 
circle; but the mist hung so heavily 
over the plain and river that it 
was nearly seven, before our 
whole fire was developed; and then 
there was one continued roar of 
guns and mortars, to which the 
Sikh guns responded, but with 
little execution. At 9 o’clock, 
Gen. Stacey’s brigade, with ar¬ 
tillery, supported by Wilkinson’s 
brigade, moved to the attack. For 
a moment they Avere checked b} r 
the tremendous fire of the enemy’s 
batteries; but persevering gal¬ 
lantry soon triumphed, every im¬ 
pediment Avas cleared, and the in- 
trenchments passed. H.M.’s 10th, 
53rd, and 80th regiments, Avith 
33rd, 43rd, 59th, and 63rd, N. I., 
moving steadily fonvard, never 
fired a shot until they had passed 
the barriers opposed to them; but 
their gallant leader, Major-Gen. 
Sir Robert Dick, Avas killed as he 
entered the intrenchment. The 
second division, under Major-Gen. 
Gilbert, uoav rapidly advancing, 
entered their fortified position 
after a severe struggle. The first 
division, under Sir Harry Smith, 
dashed against the enemy’s left; 
yet it Avas not until the 3rd dra¬ 
goons, led by Major-Gen. Thack- 
Avell, had ridden through the 







February 11. CALENDAR 


openings of the intrenchments 
and cut down the obstinate de¬ 
fenders, that the weight of three 
divisions of infantry, with artillery, 
turned the scale, and victory de¬ 
clared in favour of the British. 
The flying enemy suffered a ter¬ 
rible carnage from our artillery as 
they pressed on the bridge of 
boats to reach the opposite bank. 
Their loss in the held, together 
with those that perished in the 
river, amounted to above 10,000. 
In the brief space of two hours 
this sanguinary conflict had ter¬ 
minated. Sixty-seven guns and 
200 camel swivels were captured. 
The loss of the British was 320 
killed, 2063 wounded. 


February 11. 

1794. Pigeon Island sur¬ 
renders. — The rapid career of 
the English since their landing 
on the Island of Martinique was 
for a few hours arrested at Pigeon 
Island. Here, though threatened 
by the batteries raised on mount 
Maturin during the day and 
night of the lOth-llth, — the 
enemy, being determined to resist 
every effort to dislodge them from 
this post, — a tremendous and in¬ 
cessant fire was so well directed 
that the garrison shortly sur¬ 
rendered. In about two hours, the 
enemy had 15 killed and 25 
wounded, out of a garrison of 
203 rank and file. Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Charles Grey, commander-in¬ 
chief of the expedition, in his 
despatches speaks in the highest 
terms of all the officers, soldiers, 
and sailors engaged during this 
short but arduous siege. 

1794. Colon defended. — In 
the same campaign as the pre¬ 
ceding, the village of Colon was 
gained by the British during the 
night of the 10th February, by 


OF VICTORY. 43 


Col. Campbell, who had advanced 
and taken possession of the forti¬ 
fied post of Lemaitre. The 65th 
regiment, left to defend this post, 
very gallantly repulsed three se¬ 
veral attacks made by the enemy 
during the night of the 11th. 

1803. Sasnee taken. — This 
long contested fortress was on 
the evening of the 11th of Feb. 
abandoned by the enemy, and 
taken possession of by the British 
force, which had besieged it since 
the 12th of December, under 
Lieut.-Col. Blair and Major-Gen. 
the Hon. H. St. John. A detach¬ 
ment of cavalry, immediately sent 
forth to cut off the retreat of the 
enemy to the fortress of Bidgaghur, 
came up with and dispersed some 
straggling parties; but the main 
body escaped. 

1815. Surrender of Fort 
Bowyer. •— It had been deter¬ 
mined by Vice-Adm. Sir Alex¬ 
ander Cochrane and Major-Gen. 
Lambert, that operations against 
the Americans should be carried 
on towards Mobile in West 
Florida. Accordingly, the 4th, 
21st, and 44th regiments, some 
royal artillery commanded by 
Lieut.-Col. Dickson, together 
with engineer officers and sappers 
and miners, under Lieut.-Col. 
Burgoyne, were embarked in a 
squadron commanded by Capt. 
Ricketts, in the Vengeur, 74, for 
the purpose of taking Fort 
Bowyer, situated on the eastern 
point of the entrance to Mobile 
Bay. The troops landed on the 
8th without opposition, and as 
they advanced towards the point 
of attack the enemy retired. A 
siege being resolved upon, our 
engineers broke ground the same 
night, and in a few hours a firing 
party was advanced within 100 
yards of the fort. Such despatch 
was used that, on the morning of 
the 11th, our batteries, mounting 







44 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 13. 


four 18- and two 6-pounders, 
two 8-inch mortars, and 8 
cohorns, were ready to open fire; 
hut, in answer to our summons, 
the fort surrendered. 


February 12. 

1429. Battle of Herrings. 
•— Orleans was besieged by the 
Earl of Suffolk, who, with a 
mixed army of English and 
French, favourable to our Sixth 
Henry’s claim to the French 
throne, beleaguered that city, 
then held for Charles VII. of 
France. The Earl of Salisbury, 
and many English knights and 
commoners, had already fallen, 
but the siege was still boldly 
maintained. The Duke of Bedford, 
the British Regent of France, to 
provide the besiegers with fish 
during Lent, sent a large supply 
of this commodity salted — espe¬ 
cially Herrings—from Paris, to¬ 
gether with other stores and pro¬ 
visions, under convoy of Sir John 
Fastolfe, and 1700 men. The 
Count de Clermont set upon them 
with a force of 3000 troops from 
Orleans, but Sir John, making 
barricades of his fish waggons, 
bravely beat off the assailants. 
He then sallied forth and charged 
the French so briskly that he 
routed them with great slaughter. 
No less than 120 nobles, knights, 
and captains of renown, are said 
to have fallen on their side. 

1794. Heights of Bouciiain. 
— During many of the successes 
of the last few days at Martinique 
but small bodies of the enemv 

V 

had been fallen in with, its forces 
being much divided; but on this 
day, the 15th regiment, led by 
Capt. Paumier, Major Lyon com¬ 
manding, surprised a body of the 
enemy, consisting of several 
hundreds who were very strongly 


posted on the heights of Bou- 
eliain; when the whole were 
routed, after sustaining great loss. 
Col. Myers, also, on this day took 
possession of several batteries 
between Cas de Navire and Fort 
Royal, the enemy flying before 
him in every direction. 

1796. Dutch defeated.— Col. 
Stuart, with a small English and 
Anglo-Indian force, while on the 
march to besiege Colombo, a 
strongly fortified town in the 
Island of Ceylon, was attached 
by the Dutch and Malays, w r ho 
suddenly threw themselves on his 
flank companies. These gallant 
troops, before any assistance 
could be rendered them by the 
main body, effectually repulsed 
the enemy, who lost about 170 in 
killed and wounded, while we 
had but 10 grenadiers killed and 
11 wounded in the affair. 

1835. The Caffres having made 
murderous predatory inroads on 
the British settlers. Col. Smith, 
with the 72nd and 75th regiments 
and Cape mounted riflemen, at¬ 
tacked and dispersed a large body 
of the enemy collected on the 
heights beyond Fish River. 


February 13. 

1756. Surrender of Geriaii. 
—In the combined attack of Rear- 
Adm. Watson and Col. Clive upon 
the piratical fortress of Geriah, 
after a terrific bombardment the 
previous day, the garrison, re¬ 
fusing to yield, was again under 
fire, and at length surrendered 
on the 13th of February, when 
Captains Forbes and Buchanan, 
with 60 men, took possession. 

1759. Fort Louis stormed. 
— The squadron of the expe¬ 
dition against Guadaloupe having 
arrived before Grand Terre, Fort 
Louis was bombarded for six 







February 13. CALENDAR 


hours; after which detachments 
of marines and of the regiment of 
highlanders landed, and drove 
the enemy from their works at 
the point of the bayonet. 

1760. Early in February a 
strong force of French Canadians, 
with some Indians, assembled 
near the church at Point Levi, on 
the banks of the river St. Law¬ 
rence, the opposite side to Que¬ 
bec, and sent a written cartel to 
the officers of the British garrison, 
asking them to favour them with 
their company to have their 
“hair dressed”—literally, to be 
scalped by the Indians. On the 
13th, before day break, this invi¬ 
tation was accepted. Major Hai¬ 
ling, with field-pieces and light 
infantry, crossed the river on the 
ice, and marched towards the 
church and heights of Point Levi. 
On landing, the enemy made a 
show of resistance; but a few 
rounds of grape and canister dis¬ 
persed the first party, who fled 
to strengthen the reserve, which 
soon opened a fire upon the Bri¬ 
tish from the church and the 
priest’s house. Heaping up the 
snow to command the windows, 
our troops quickly beat them out 
of their defences. The enemy 
then retired in what order they 
could preserve to the heights. 
Again routed, they reached the 
post of the “ Rock Guard,” for¬ 
merly occupied by the British, 
hoping, from its commanding 
elevation, to make a stand. Per¬ 
ceiving, however, that our troops 
were surrounding them, the rout 
became general. Twelve men 
were found dead; a lieutenant 
and 15 men were made pri¬ 
soners ; and the church, priest’s 
house, and every height they 
occupied, taken possession of, to¬ 
gether with a large store of pro¬ 
visions. One sergeant killed, 
an officer and 20 men wounded, 


OF VICTORY. 45 


made up our loss in the morn¬ 
ing’s work. 

1792. Cavalry repulsed.— 
In the evening, the whole of 
Tippoo Saib’s cavalry made a 
demonstration against the Bri¬ 
tish before Seringapatam; but 
an encounter with a strong 
division of English and sepoy 
battalions convinced them that 
we were on the alert, and made 
them retire even more speedily 
than they had advanced. 

1805. The force recorded in 
a previous page as proceeding 
from Komona to Paanaghur, 
their rear and baggage protected 
by Skinner’s horse and some 
infantry, when about half way, 
was fired upon from a mud fort 
belonging to Doondiah Klian, 
chief of Komona. A company 
of sepoys, under the direction of 
Col. Grueber, having blown open 
the gate, after a severe conflict, 
took possession. One European 
officer was killed, and several 
sepoys wounded. 

1809. The fortress of Ajay- 
gerh surrendered to Col. Mar- 
tindale, commanding a British 
and native force. 

1819. Kairee stormed.— 
Major-Gen. Sir W. G. Kerr hav¬ 
ing invested Rairee, belonging 
to Sawnut Warrce, the lines be¬ 
fore this fortress were gallantly 
stormed and carried, 350 grena¬ 
diers leading the assault under 
the command of Lieut.-Col. Clif¬ 
ford, II. M.’s 89th regiment. 

February 14. 

1761. Pondicherry surren¬ 
ders.— On the 14th of February 
the brave but unfortunate Lally 
surrendered Pondicherry to the 
British force under Coote. The 
town and fortifications were 
speedily levelled to the ground by 
order of the Council of Madras. 








46 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 15. 


1783. Ananpore, held in be¬ 
half of Tippoo Saib, was taken 
by storm by the troops under the 
command of General Mathews. 
The garrison having fired on two 
flags of truce, received little 
mercy at the hands of the captors. 

1814. Hellette. — This ac¬ 
tion was the commencement of 
Wellington's operations to effect 
the passage of the Adour, drive 
the French from its banks, and 
invest Bayonne. On the 14th of 
February, a hard frost having 
prepared the ground for their 
march, Lieut.-Gen. Hill, with a 
large force, proceeded against 
Gen. Harispe, who had only 
about 5000 newly-raised men 
under his command, on the left 
of the French lines, at the base 
of the mountain towards the road 
to St. Jean Pied de Port. For 
this purpose, while one column 
of the army drove in the pickets 
on the liver Joyeuse, another 
attacked Harispe at Hellette. 
Hill having dislodged the enemy 
from their position, made them 
retire, by St. Martin’s d’Aberone, 
upon Garris. We lost but 5 
men in this action; and the 
French, after the first onset, did 
not wait to swell their list of 
slain. 

1818. Howaporra, held by a 
Mahratta sirdar, was taken by 
escalade, Lieut. Cates, 3rd re¬ 
giment, Bombay native infantry, 
leading on the escalading party, 
while Major Ivcnnett, in com¬ 
mand of the Berar field force 
engaged in the affair, made a 
false attack to divert the atten¬ 
tion of the enemy. The ladders 
being too short for their work, 
the escaladers pulled themselves 
up by a small bush growing from 
the walls. Our loss was but tri¬ 
fling. The enemy had 2 killed 
and 14 wounded. 

1818. Boorup, a fortified ghaut 


in the Southern Concan, was 
taken after twenty-four hours’ 
bombardment, by a field force 
under Lieut.-Col. Prother. 

1819. The pettah and lines 
of Kairee having been carried by 
storm on the 13th, the fortress 
was this day surrendered to 
Major-Gen. Sir W. Grant Kerr. 

1819. PlNDARREES ROUTED.- 

Lieut.-Col. Smith, of the Madras 
establishment, with artillery, ca¬ 
valry, and infantry, detached 
against the ex-Rajah of Nagpore 
and Chittos Pindarry, ordered two 
columns of horse under Major 
Skinner to push forward to attack 
some encampments of the enemy, 
said to be near Asseer, the main 
body advancing to support his 
movements. As no camp was 
perceptible in the place pointed 
out, leaving the auxiliary force 
far in the rear, Major Skinner 
with his cavalry still moved on 
and discovered, at the foot of 
some hills, a dell nearly 200 feet 
in depth, where about 300 of the 
enemy had taken refuge. A path 
was with difficulty found, by 
which, in single file, the major 
made his descent. The panic- 
struck enemy—Arabs and natives 
of Hindostan — were speedily 
routed, and a squadron of ca¬ 
valry pursued them even to the 
gates of Asseer, 

February 15. 

1780. Storm of Ahmedabad. 
— The city of Ahmedabad, the 
capital of Guzerat, held by a 
chief favourable to the Mahrattas, 
with whom we were at war, was 
beleaguered by Gen. Goddard, 
with an army of British and native 
troops; and on the 10th of Feb. 
the batteries were opened against 
its walls. On the 15th, a breach 
being practicable, a storming 
party, led by Capt. Gough, sup- 











February IS. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


47 


r 


ported by a column under Lieut. - 
Col. Hartley, advanced to the 
attack, the whole army being on 
the move. After surmounting 
considerable opposition, the place 
was carried. 

1813. — Capt. Hill, command¬ 
ing the Sicilian flotilla, embarked 
Major Stewart, with four com¬ 
panies of the 75th regiment, on 
the night of the 14th of February, 
to destroy some new works erected 
by the French at Pietra Nera, on 
the coast of Calabria. At day¬ 
break on the 15th the ti’oops 
effected a landing, and imme¬ 
diately stormed the heights, rout¬ 
ing the French force prepared to 
receive them ; while the boats en¬ 
gaged the batteries, which ulti¬ 
mately were successively carried 
by Lieut. Le Hunte and a party 
of seamen. The enemy's loss 
was severe, whilst ours, although 
comparatively trifling, included 
Major Stuart among the slain. 

1814. Combat of Garris.— 
Continuing his retreat, General 
Harispe, on the 15th February, 
took up a position with 4000 
men in advance of the Bidouze, 
on the Garris Mountain, his rear 
being closely followed by the 
light troops of the 2nd division; 
and upon a parallel ridge the 
corps of Gen. Hill was imme¬ 
diately established. The evening 
was now closing, when Welling¬ 
ton arrived. Anxious to turn 
the Bidouze before Soult could 
strengthen himself there, he or¬ 
dered the corps of Morillo to 
move towards St. Palais, and, 
menacing the centre with Cor’s 
Portuguese division, he directed 
the 28th and 39th regiments 
forming Pringle’s brigade to ad¬ 
vance, energetically observing, 
“ You must take the hill before 
dark.” The expression, repeated 
by Col. O'Callaghan, as he and 
Gen. Pringle placed themselves 


at the head of the 39th, followed 
by the 28th, caught the attention 
of the troops, who, with loud and 
prolonged cheers, rushed into the 
ravine. In spite of the violent 
fire of the French, they gained 
the summit of the Garris Moun¬ 
tain to the right of the enemy, 
who, recovering from their ap¬ 
prehension that a large force was 
coming against them, came back 
at a charging pace and fought 
courageously. But Harispe, see¬ 
ing that the remainder of the 
2nd division was ready to ad¬ 
vance, Le Cor’s Portuguese mov¬ 
ing against the centre and the 
Spaniards towards St. Palais, re¬ 
treated to that town, and, order¬ 
ing Gen. Paris to join him, broke 
down the bridges over the Bi¬ 
douze. His loss on this day was 
about 500 men, of whom 200 
were taken prisoners. On the part 
of the allies the killed and wound¬ 
ed did not exceed 150, including 
among the latter Gen. Pringle 
and Col. O’Callaghan. 

1818.—Muddonghur and Jam- 
ball, besides their more imme¬ 
diate fortifications, having the 
protection of stockades, after a 
short bombardment were taken 
by assault by a force under the 
command of Lieut.-Col. Ken¬ 
nedy. 

February 16. 

1418. Falaise Castle. — 
After the surrender of the town of 
Falaise in Normandy, on 2nd Jan., 
the castle still held out against 
the English under Henry VI., 
who, closely beleaguering it, al¬ 
lowed the garrison little rest day 
or night. At length Sir Oliver 
de Manny, on the 1st of the 
present month, seeing that his 
soldiers were worn out by fa¬ 
tigue, beat a parley, and agreed 
to surrender the castle on the 







43 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 17. 


16th, if he were not relieved by 
that time. No succour having 
arrived, the gallant captain sub¬ 
mitted ; but an article in the 
capitulation stipulated that the 
garrison were to be held pri¬ 
soners until the damages done 
to the castle during its obstinate 
defence were repaired. Sir Henry 
Fitz Hugh, appointed governor 
by Henry, saw these conditions 
fulfilled, and then honourably 
dismissed De Manny and his gal¬ 
lant band. 

1762. Surrender op Mar¬ 
tinique. — In January, and on 
the 4th inst., we recorded the 
landing and successes on the 
Island of Martinique ; the result 
was the surrender of St. Pierre 
to Gen. Monckton, on the 16th, 
and capitulation of the island. 

1796. — Amboyna and its de¬ 
pendencies were delivered up to 
Rear-Adm. P. Rainier this day, 
the Dutch making no defence. 

1796. Reduction of Ceylon. 
— On the 5th instant we made 
mention of the landing on the 
Island of Ceylon, and also re¬ 
corded an action gained by our 
troops on the 12th. These suc¬ 
cesses were followed by an un¬ 
interrupted advance on Colom¬ 
bo. A flag of truce appeared 
on the 14th, which produced a 
cessation of hostilities, and the 
surrender of the Island of Ceylon, 
on the 16th. to Col. Stuart. 

1810.— Amboyna, in which is 
the capital of the Spice Islands, 
was captured by an expedition 
embarked in H.M.’s ships Corn¬ 
wallis, Dover, and Samarang. 
Detachments of Madras artillery, 
Madras European regiment, ma¬ 
rines and seamen from the squa¬ 
dron, in all 404 men, landed 
without opposition to the left of 
the town and fort of Victoria. 
They advanced to the attack in 
two columns, Lieut. Stewart, 


Madras artillery, leading the 
storming party, under command 
of Capt. Philips, Madras regi¬ 
ment. The strong position of 
Wannetto, a battery on the sum¬ 
mit of a small hill, although ob¬ 
stinately defended by 300 men, 
was carried by assault. This 
fort gained, another battery com¬ 
manded by it, was quickly re¬ 
duced; but fort Batto-Gantong, 
on an eminence looking down 
on Wannetto, was attacked by 
Capt. Forbes, with the 2nd co¬ 
lumn, who, after a fatiguing 
march, about sunset gained this 
last work, when the enemy aban¬ 
doned their guns and fled. The 
squadron in the meantime had 
proceeded up the harbour, keep¬ 
ing up an incessant cannonade ; 
but the wind dying away, it was 
well for the ships that the suc¬ 
cesses on shore enabled them to 
anchor without danger from the 
forts silenced and taken. 

February 17. 

1794. Lines of Fornelli.— 
Convention Redoubt, the key of 
of the fortified lines of Fornelli, 
Corsica, was for two days bom- 
barded, — cannon having been 
dragged up to a commanding 
position by the sailors of the fleet. 
On the 17th, it having been de¬ 
termined to carry the redoubt by 
assault, three columns at night 
advanced to the attack ; Lieut.- 
Col. Moore on the right, with the 
2nd battalion of the royals, and 
the 51st regiment ; Lieut.-Col. 
Wauchop, with the 50tli, on the 
centre ; and Capt. Stewart, with 
the 25th, keeping towards the sea¬ 
shore on its left. The assailants 
under a heavy fire reached the 
redoubt, and the three divisions 
at the same moment rushing 
into the works, drove the enemy 
at the point of the bayonet down 








February 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 49 


the steep hill in the rear. Aban¬ 
doning their lines about mid¬ 
night, the enemy crossed over to 
Fiorenzo. 

1809. After the storming of 
the Arambooly lines on the 10th 
Feb., the British force halted till 
the 17th, when it commenced 
its march unto the interior, the 
advance-guard commanded by 
Lieut.-Col. M‘Leod. When three 
miles from the main body, this 
detachment found the enemy 
strongly posted in a village, with 
field-pieces commanding the high 
road. Our men moved rapidly 
forward, and although exposed to 
a destructive fire, the enemy were 
routed with considerable loss. 
Our loss was 50 killed and 
wounded. Here was the last shot 
fired in the Travancore war. 

1814. Action at Arriveriete. 

— On the morning of the 17th 
Feb. the division of Gen. Hill, 
together with the 3rd division, 
moved upon Gen. Paris, who 
was in position at Arriveriete to 
defend the Soissons above its con¬ 
fluence with the Gave d’Oleron. 
The French troops were driven 
across the river, and Gen. Paris, 
attempting to destroy the bridge 
at Arriveriete, was prevented by 
the 92nd regiment, under com¬ 
mand of Col. Cameron. Fording 
the river above the bridge, sup¬ 
ported by the fire of Capt. Bean’s 
troop of horse artillery, he attack¬ 
ed two battalions of French in¬ 
fantry posted in the village on the 
opposite side, and before they had 
time to effect their work of de¬ 
struction, drove them to follow 
the retiring army of the enemy, 
which that night crossed the Gave 
d’Oleron. 

1843. Battle of Meeanee. 

— On retiring from the banks of 
the Indus, Sir Charles Napier 
found that a considerable force 
was gathering in his rear, while 


the rest retained their position at 
Meeanee in his front. With an 
army now reduced to 2600 men, 
he found himself opposed to 30,000 
infantry, with 15 guns, and 5000 
cavalry, —their wings resting 
on large woods extending on 
each side the plain, with a na¬ 
tural ravine in front of their po¬ 
sition. Notwithstanding all these 
advantages on the part of the 
enemy, Napier, with his diminu¬ 
tive strength, fell upon them im¬ 
petuously, despite the heavy fire 
from the Beloochee cannon and 
musketry. Having crossed the 
ravine the assailants, moved at a 
rapid pace that deceived their aim, 
and our loss was not consider¬ 
able. The next moment the 22nd 
regiment rushed to the top of the 
bank, thinking to bear all before 
them, but they were staggered by 
the forest of swords waving in 
their front. The Beloochees filled 
the broad deep bed of the ravine, 
clustering on both banks, and 
covered the plain beyond. Guard¬ 
ing their heads with their large 
dark shields, they rushed forward 
with terrific shouts. Nothing ap¬ 
palled, the Irish soldiers, cheering 
as loudly, met them with the 
bayonet, and sent their foremost 
ranks rolling back; until the Be¬ 
loochees gathering strength, their 
dense masses closed, and again a 
rolling fire of musketry and the 
rush of the swordsmen were heard 
and seen along the whole line. 
The scene of sanguinary strife 
that then ensued is almost unpa¬ 
ralleled ; nor could the sweeping 
discharges of grape from guns 
planted in one fearful mass on 
the right, drive those daring war¬ 
riors back. When nearly all the 
leading European officers had 
been killed or wounded, and when 
the sepoys, wanting leaders, had 
several times receded, a charge 
made on the enemy’s right by our 


E 








50 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. February 13. 


entire, but small body of horse, 
under Col. Pattle, completed the 
glory of this victorious day. And 
now, the defeated Beloochees, 
after three hours’ contest, began 
to retreat in masses, with their 
broad shields slung over their 
backs. Six European officers 
and 60 men were killed, 14 
officers and 200 men wounded : 
Col. Pennefather, Majors Tees- 
dale and Jackson, and Lieut. 
M‘Murdogh, among the former. 
The loss of the enemy is com¬ 
puted at 6000. The whole of 
their artillery, stores, &c., were 
taken. 

February 13. 

1792. Night Attack. — The 
preliminary steps to the invest¬ 
ment of Seringapatam have 
already been mentioned this 
month. General Abercromby 
arrived with a large force to 
strengthen Lord Cornwallis on 
the 16 th ; and on the 18 th it 
was resolved to open the trenches. 
As a diversion to occupy the at¬ 
tention of Tippoo’s army, a de¬ 
tachment consisting of H. M.’s 
71st and the 13th regiment of 
Bengal native infantry, under 
Major Dalrymple, left the island 
whereon the fortress stands, and 
taking a circuit of some miles 
over rice-fields, approached the 
camp of Tippoo on the south of 
the river. About midnight Capt. 
Robertson, with a party of the 
71st regiment, having made his 
way into the camp undisco¬ 
vered, bayoneted 100 troopers, 
and about as many horses. The 
whole detachment then fired se¬ 
veral volleys, to create general 
alarm; and, when they saw torches 
flaring in every direction, and 
their object gained, they leisurely 
retreated, unopposed by the 
erieinv, who feared to fire in the 


dark, not knowing friend from 
foe. This night attack was ef¬ 
fected without losing a man, or 
having a single straggler from 
the ranks in search of plunder. 
In the meantime, the trenching 
party on the opposite side of 
Seringapatam broke ground, and 
pushed a parallel within 800 
yards of the walls. 

1794. Sourier carried. — In 
the expedition against Marti¬ 
nique, Bellegarde, with his mu- 
lattoes and blacks, still holding 
possession of the heights of Sou¬ 
rier, it was determined by Gen. 
Sir Charles Grey, then before 
fort Bourbon, to drive him thence. 
But that chief, anticipating the 
movement, descended the heights 
on the 18th, and attacked the Bri¬ 
tish camp. While thus engaged 
with one division of our army, 
another, under Lieut.-Col. Buck- 
eridge and Lieut.-Cols. Coote and 
Blundell, with grenadiers and 
light infantry, assaulted his camp 
on the heights ; which they car¬ 
ried, but with considerable loss on 
our side. 

1818. Lieut.-Col. M‘Morrice, 
commanding to the 1st brigade of 
the Nagpore subsidiary forces, 
hearing that an armed party 
from Chowraghur had approached 
his camp at Jytone and opened 
a fire of matchlocks, ordered out 
the pickets under Lieut. Camp¬ 
bell, supported by a company of 
the 1st battalion 10th i-egiment 
of native infantry, under Lieut. 
Bowie, on a hill in a strong posi¬ 
tion, and leaving 14 dead on the 
hill. 

1818. The fortress of Badaumy 
was taken by the reserve of the 
army of the Deccan, under Gen. 
Munro. II. M.’s 22nd dragoons, 
dismounted as volunteers, received 
the thanks of the brigadier-gene¬ 
ral for the determination and 
gallantry they displayed. Capt. 















February 19. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


51 


Rose commanding the forlorn 
hope of the storming party, the 
breach of the lower fort was car¬ 
ried by the bayonet; and the 
troops bravely pushed on to the 
walls of the upper fortress or 
citadel, which waited not for 
their assault, but surrendered. 

February 19. 

1792. Seringapatam. — After 
the opening of the trenches before 
Seringapatam to the northward on 
the 18th, the Bombay army, com¬ 
manded by Gen. Abercromby, on 
the morning of the 19 th crossed the 
river to the southward, drove the 
enemy within the fortress, and 
completed the successes of the 
day by storming and taking a 
redoubt. The British encamped 
that night on the south side of the 
river, thus establishing the in¬ 
vestment of the fortress in that 
direction. 

1803. Ceylon. — During the 
war in Ceylon this year, Major- 
Gen. Hay M‘Dowall command¬ 
ing the forces, on the 19th of Feb. 
Lieut.-Col. Logan, of the 51st 
regiment, attacked and carried 
the strong posts of Galle Gederah 
and Girio Gamme. No resistance 
was made to our troops in the 
attack upon the first, but in as¬ 
saulting the second-named for¬ 
tress a heavy fire was kept up 
upon the 19th grenadiers, under 
Capt. Honner, which regiment 
led the column of attack, till the 
assailants were close upon the 
battery, when the defenders fled 
from their guns. The same day, 
on the approach of a detachment 
under Lieut.-Col. Barrut to the 
great Candian river, it was fired 
upon from the opposite bank by a 
large force occupying the village 
of Wallapooloa and the neigh¬ 
bouring hills. Two mortars and 
a 6-pounder being opened upon 


them, the whole of the Candians 
soon fled; and the following morn¬ 
ing the detachment, having crossed 
the river, occupied Wallapooloa. 

1810. Surrender op Am- 
boyna. — After the success of 
the 16th February at Amboyna, 
the following day the spiked 
guns of Fort Butto Gautong, 
having been rendered fit for ser¬ 
vice, opened on the town and fort 
of Victoria, their fire being re¬ 
turned from the enemy’s works. 
Bui when the besieged saw the 
British squadron making prepara¬ 
tions for another bombardment, a 
flag of truce was displayed, and, 
after a long negotiation, Amboyna 
surrendered on the 19th. On that 
day the Dutch and Malay soldiers 
and sailors,—the crews of vessels 
taken in the bay,—in number about 
2000 men, laid down their arms 
before our little detachment 
hardly 400 strong: the utmost 
firmness was required to carry 
out the terms of capitulation. 
Capt. Tucker, R. N., H. M.’s S. 
Dover, and Capt. Henry Court, 
E. I. Comp, artillery, commanded 
this successful expedition. Up¬ 
wards of 200 pieces of ordnance 
were found in the works. 

1825. — In the campaign of the 
Burmese war a strong division of 
the army under Brigadier-Gen. 
Cotton was despatched up the 
Panglang river in an armed flo¬ 
tilla of 60 boats. Here, on the 
19 th of February, coming upon 
two stockades, after some resist¬ 
ance both were taken, and the 
enemy routed 

February 20. 

1794. St. Domingo. — During 
the expedition against this island, 
Lieut.-Col. Whitelock marched a 
colonial and British force, with 
artillery, through a mountain road 
towards the post of L’Acul. Dis- 














52 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 21. 


appointed in the landing of an 
auxiliary force, which had been 
despatched in two transports to 
approach the fort from seaward, 
he determined to carry the post 
by assault. On the evening of 
the 20th, causing a diversion to 
be made in the rear of the work, 
he gallantly advanced in the 
front, under a sharp fire, stormed 
the hill on which it was situated, 
and drove the mulattoes, amount¬ 
ing to 600 men, from their de¬ 
fences. Our loss amounted to 5 
killed, including Capt. Morshead, 
1st battalion of royals, and 32 
wounded; among the latter were 
5 officers. In this affair the 
royals, 13th, 20th, and 49th re¬ 
giments, royal artillery, and en¬ 
gineers were engaged. 

1803. Ceylon. — In conse¬ 
quence of the capture of the forts 
on the preceding day, and the 
defeat of the Candian forces at 
Wallapooloa, Candy, the capital 
of the province of that name in 
the Island of Ceylon, was occupied 
without opposition. 

1813.—An unsiiccessful at¬ 
tempt of the French, under Gen. 
Foy, having been made to sur¬ 
prise the English post at Bejar, 
the 50th regiment and the 6th 
ca 9 adores, commanded by Col. 
Harrison, bravely repulsed the 
enemy. 

1818. — Brigadier-Gen. Smith 
defeated a large body of Mahratta 
horse under Sirdah Bapoo Golka, 
near Ashta, Poonah, and gained a 
complete victory. Two squadrons 
of H. M.’s 22nd dragoons were 
engaged under Major Dawes, and 
their charge penetrated whole 
masses of the enemy. The 2nd and 
7th Madras light cavalry also 
behaved with great gallantry un¬ 
der command of Majors Walker 
and Doveton. Bapoo Golka fell 
early in the action, amid a host 
of slain. Twelve elephants, 50 


camels, and other spoil were 
captured, and the routed enemy 
pursued eight miles. 

1841. Fort Napanee taken. 
—Major Vivian, proceeding with 
a detachment and battering-train 
to reduce the fort of Napanee, in 
the south Mahratta country, held 
by some refractory Arabs, arrived 
before that fortress on the 19th 
February, and encamped. Having 
ascertained that the pettah, which 
was to the eastward, ran close up 
to the only gateway of the fort, 
outside which the enemy had 
taken a position in a battery of 3 
guns on the crest of the glacis, 
the major ordered the light com¬ 
pany of H. M.’s 4th regiment, 
Capt. Faunce, a company of the 
26th rifles, Capt. Bayley, and 
of the 18th regiment N. I., Lieut. 
Stevens, with a 9-pounder under 
Capt. Burgoyne, to the attack. 
On the 20th the battery was 
carried at daybreak, and its late 
defenders driven into the pettah. 
The British force having gained 
possession of a portion of that 
work, put the 9-pounder in posi¬ 
tion, and opened a brisk fire upon 
the works, until the enemy’s guns 
were silenced. 

February 21. 

1586. Werle Taken. — Mar¬ 
tin Schenck, said to have been a 
native of Guelderland, who in the 
course of this year was knighted 
by the Earl of Leicester, then Go¬ 
vernor-Gen. of the Netherlands, 
at an early period identified him¬ 
self with the war of England in 
support of the Huguenots against 
the Prince of Palma. His name 
is among the first mentioned with 
praise in the despatches of the 
earl, as having done good ser¬ 
vice against the common foe; and 
during the latter part of the 
month of January, Schenck seem- 

















February 21 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 53 


ed to have been in communica¬ 
tion with, and under the orders of 
Leicester. With respect to this 
particular affair, in a letter pre¬ 
served in the Harl. MSS. dated 
the xxvi. of Feb ry , the earl says, 
“ Coronell Schenkes hath ageyn 
donn a notable pece of servyce. 
He hath taken a toun and castle 
of great importance for impech- 
ing the enemy in those partes. A 
place we have bynn busye about 
this good while to gett, and now 
by his dyllygence and dyscrete 
handling brought to effect. Hit 
ys a toun in Westfalia, the prin- 
cipall toun of all that province 
called Werle . ; . . This good 
fortune, God be thankyd, is now 
com to us.” The Lansdown MS. 
says that Schenck used “ a prety 
polycie to surprice the toun,” 
bringing his soldiers within the 
gates in covered carts, giving out 
that they contained salt. He then, 
forming his men within the 
town, fell on the garrison, and, 
making great slaughter, took the 
place, all but the citadel. The 
accounts we have seen are at 
issue whether this citadel did or 
did not surrender; but, after some 
days’ stay, he abandoned his con¬ 
quest, carrying much spoil from 
the town, and fighting his way 
through the country. 

1841. Surrender of Na- 
panee. — Major Vivian having 
secured the pettah and outer de¬ 
fences of Napanee, as mentioned 
in the preceding page, this short 
siege was on this day brought to 
a satisfactory result. After the 
success of Capt. Faunce’s detach¬ 
ment, the major established his 
mortars in a good position on 
the north-east of the fort, at 
about 700 yards’ range. The en¬ 
trance of the fortress was now 
completely in his power; and, 
shifting his camp a short distance 
to the rear, for the protection 


of his camp-followers, the shell 
practice commenced, and continu¬ 
ed with little intermission during 
the 20th. The fire of the enemy, 
which had in the early part of 
the morning answered the guns 
of the British with great energy, 
grew weaker and weaker, and in 
the evening, there being a dispo¬ 
sition shown on the part of the 
besieged to treat, our lire was 
suspended. But their refusing on 
the 21st to surrender at discre¬ 
tion, the mortar and guns again 
opened, and continued the can¬ 
nonade until one o’clock a. m., 
when the besieged made an 
unconditional surrender of the 
fortress. We had but 4 killed 
and 17 wounded ; a trifling 
amount of loss, which may be 
attributed to the admirable ar¬ 
rangements of Major Vivian. 
Fifty-six pieces of ordnance of all 
kinds were captured, and 350 
prisoners taken. The enemy had 
about 20 men killed and 30 
wounded. 

1849. Battle of Goojerat. 
— The Sikhs under Shere Sing 
being joined by the forces of 
Chuttur Sing and 3000 Affghans 
under Dost Mohammed, the 
united strength amounted to 
60,000 men, with 60 pieces of ar¬ 
tillery ; and on the 20th of Fe¬ 
bruary this army was encamp¬ 
ed around the town of Goojerat. 
The British, amounting to 25,000 
men, commanded by Lord Gough, 
being joined by the Bombay co¬ 
lumn, attacked the enemy at half¬ 
past 7 on the morning of the 
21st. After a well sustained can¬ 
nonade on both sides, and an obsti¬ 
nate resistance, the Sikhs were 
compelled to retire. The attack, 
which had been exclusively one 
of artillery, soon became general; 
foreseeing their retreat, Lord 
Gough advanced his whole force, 
and drove them out of their 














1 

54 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 22. 


camp. They fled in the utmost 
disorder, leaving baggage, stores, 
and 50 guns to the victors. 
From midday until dark the pur¬ 
suit of the enemy was continued. 
Many of the fugitives threw away 
their arms and dispersed, while 
others fled to Jhelum, and saved 
themselves by taking all the ferry 
boats to the right bank. The loss 
of the British was 5 officers, and 
92 rank and file, killed; 23 
officers, and 682 rank and file, 
wounded. 

February 22. 

1760. Action near Patria. 
— Col. Calliaud, with a force 
consisting of 300 Europeans, 
chiefly composed of a detach¬ 
ment of the 1st Madras Euro¬ 
pean regiment, and 50 artil¬ 
lery, with 6 field-pieces, together 
with 1000 sepoys, having joined 
the army of Meer Jaffier, Subah- 
dur of Bengal, amounting to 
15,000 men, attacked the invad¬ 
ing troops of Shah Zada, an In¬ 
dian ally of the Dutch. A few 
miles from Patria, Jaffier’s army, 
under the command of his son 
Meeram, was nearly discomfited 
by the superior force opposed to 
it, when Col. Calliaud’s sepoys, 
by two well directed volleys and a 
determined charge, checked their 
career of success; and then Jaf¬ 
fier’s horse, dashing incompletely 
routed them. Col. Calliaud urged 
Meeram to follow the track of 
the enemy ; but the pleasures of 
Patria detained him till the 
golden opportunity was lost. 

1813. To punish the Ameri¬ 
cans posted at Ogdensburgh, for 
nocturnal attacks upon British 
property and militia posts on the 
Prescott side of the river, Major 
M‘Donald, Glengarry light in¬ 
fantry fencibles, proceeded on the 
morning of the 22nd Feb. across 


the frozen St. Lawrence, with two 
columns, consisting of detach¬ 
ments of the King’s regiment, the 
Glengarry fencibles. and militia, 
with some field-pieces. Both co¬ 
lumns, impeded in their advance 
by the deep snow, suffered from 
the cross fire of the enemy’s bat¬ 
teries; but the left column under 
Major M‘Donald moving forward, 
turned the right flank of the 
Americans, and drove them at the 
point of the bayonet through 
the town into the woods, — many 
taking shelter in the fort beyond 
the Black River, while some sharp¬ 
shooters that galled the troops 
from the houses of the town were 
dislodged by the fire of our field- 
pieces. The right column failed 
in an assault upon a battery of 
7 guns. Capt. Jenkins, of the 
Glengarry fencibles, who com¬ 
manded, being wounded in both 
hands, Lieut. M‘Auley gallantly 
continued the charge; but, un¬ 
supported by his reserve, still 
toiling through the snow, the as¬ 
sault was abandoned. Another 
attack by Major M‘Donald proved 
more successful. That officer 
having summoned the fort, and, 
getting no immediate answer, 
carried the eastern battery ; then 
turning the captured guns on the 
other part of the works, he si¬ 
lenced the re-opening fire. Capt. 
Eustace, with his company of the 
highland light infantry, then 
dashed into the fort in time to see 
its late defenders escaping into the 
woods beyond. Our loss amounted 
to 1 sergeant, and 7 rank and file, 
killed; 1 field officer, 2 captains, 5 
subalterns, 4 sergeants, and 40 
rank and file, wounded. The 
enemy, who had 500 men engaged, 
suffered severely. 

1818. While Brigadier-General 
Smith was engaged with the Mah- 
rattas near Ashta, as shown on 
the 20th inst., Col. Deacon pro- 













February 23. CALENDAR 


ceeded to invest Chacun, a hill fort 
not far from Poonah. Having 
been joined by a breaching battery 
from that city, before the arrival 
of which he had already subju¬ 
gated two forts on his march, he 
entered upon the siege of Chacun, 
and opened his batteries on the 
22nd, on which day the enemy 
surrendered at discretion. 

February 23. 

1814. Crossing the Adour. 
— The force under Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir John Hope, assembled on the 
banks of the Adour, on the 22nd 
of February, amounted to 28,000 
men, with 20 pieces of artillery. 
During the night, the 1st division, 
with six 18-pounders, moved to¬ 
wards the river ; and at daybreak 
on the 23rd, having driven in the 
French pickets, the pontoon train 
and field artillery were brought 
down to the Adour opposite the 
village of Boucaut, and the 18- 
pounders placed in battery. The 
arrival of the flotilla intended to 
co-operate being prevented by 
adverse winds, Sir John Hope 
resolved to attempt the passage 
with the army alone. The French 
gunboats and corvette opened 
fire on our columns about 9 
o’clock ; but these were so se¬ 
verely handled by our artillery 
and rockets, that at about 1 
o’clock they took refuge higher 
up the river. Meanwhile 60 men 
of the guards were rowed on a 
pontoon across the mouth of the 
river, in face of a French picket, 
who, seemingly scared by their au¬ 
dacity, retired without firing. The 
pontoon bridge being fixed, 600 
of the guards, with the 60th regi¬ 
ment, and part of the rocket bat¬ 
tery under Col. Stopford, passed 
slowly across. Gen. Thouvenot, 
under the impression that the 
light division was with Hope, and 


OF VICTORY. 55 


that 15,000 men were embarked 
at St. Jean de Luz, to land be¬ 
tween Cape Breton and the 
Adour, detached only two batta¬ 
lions under Gen. Mocomble, to 
ascertain the state of affairs. This 
force making an attempt upon 
Stopford, was so discomfited by 
the discharge of rockets that they 
fled amazed, and with a loss of 
30 wounded. Had Thouvenot 
placed a strong battery on the 
right bank, the British could not 
have passed the river in pontoons, 
nor could any vessels have crossed 
the bar. This error was fatal to 
the French. The British con¬ 
tinued to pass all night, and 
until 12 o’clock on the 24th, 
when the flotilla was seen under 
a press of sail, making, with a 
strong breeze, for the entrance of 
the river. This desperate pas¬ 
sage of the bar will be found de¬ 
tailed in our Naval columns. 

While these events were in pro¬ 
gress, Gen. Beresford held the 
line of the Bidouze down to its 
confluence with the Adour ; and, 
to distract the enemy, apparently 
made preparations for passing the 
river, until late on the 23rd, when 
he moved forward and drove Foy’s 
posts from the works at Oeyer- 
gave and Hastingues, into the 
intrenchments of the bridge-head 
at Peyrehorade. The allies lost 
50 men, principally Portuguese ; 
but Soult’s right and centre were 
thus held in check, for Beresford 
having the 4th and ?th divisions 
and Vivian’s cavalry, was strong 
enough for Foy at Peyrehorade 
and Taupin at the Bastide of 
Bearn. 

1818. Lieut.-Col. M‘Morrice, 
commanding Nagpore subsi¬ 
diary forces, detached Major A. 
Richards, on the 23rd of February, 
with 200 N. I. and 60 horse, to 
attack a party of matchlock-men 
from the fortress of Ghowraghur, 


e 4 








56 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 24. 


who had taken position in the 
village of Gopaulgunge, in the 
hills, for the purpose of plunder¬ 
ing the country. Having driven 
in the pickets of the enemy at 
the entrance of the ghaut early 
in the morning, he stormed a hill 
on which the marauders were 
posted, drove them across the 
Sunkermuddy, and then dislodged 
them from the opposite banks, 
with a loss to the enemy of 100 
men, killed or wounded, and 18 
prisoners. 

February 24. 

1760. Action near the River 
Etchemin.— The French, having 
collected 800 men at St. Michel, 
made a breastwork of felled trees 
at Burton’s redoubt, on the south 
side of the river, and on the 24 th 
approached the priest’s house and 
church at Point Levi, but were 
driven back by a force under Ma¬ 
jor Bailing. Whereupon Briga¬ 
dier-Gen. Murray made a rapid 
march to the mouth of the river 
Etchemin; and here an action en¬ 
sued for about three quarters of 
an hour, when the French, en¬ 
tirely routed, with great loss, 
fled by a road over the hills to 
the southward. 

1797. Invasion of Wales.— 
A body of 1200 French convicts, 
under Brigadier Tate, were landed 
at Fishguard, South Wales, from 
two frigates, a corvette, and a 
lugger, their object being to burn 
the neighbouring towns and ra¬ 
vage the coast. This disaster was 
happily averted by the spirited 
loyalty of the peasantry, who, 
uniting with the militia and vo¬ 
lunteers under Lord Cawdor, the 
invaders were compelled to sur¬ 
render at discretion. 

1814. Passage of the Gave 
d’OLERON. — On this day, a force 
under Morillo was placed to me¬ 


nace the fords of the Gave at 
Doguen, in order to draw the at¬ 
tention of the garrison of Navar- 
rens from the ford of Ville Nave, 
about three miles below Doguen, 
which was the point where Wel¬ 
lington designed to pass, xk 
great concentric movement of the 
different corps now took place to 
effect this object; and thus the 
whole of the French front was 
menaced on a line of twenty-five 
miles, but the principal force was 
above Sauveterre. Soult, alarmed 
by Picton opening a cannonade 
against the bridge-head of Sauve¬ 
terre, and by the vigour of that 
general’s demonstrations, aban¬ 
doned his works on the left bank, 
and destroyed the bridge. Mean¬ 
while the 6th division passed 
without opposition at Montfort, 
above Sauveterre, and at the same 
time the great body of the other 
troops coming down upon the 
ford of Ville Nave, crossed with 
trifling opposition. The heads of 
the columns immediately pushed 
forward, and the right of the 
allies was established near Lou- 
being, and the left towards Sauve¬ 
terre, whence the divisions of 
Villatte and Berton had been 
withdrawn by Clauzel. Taupin 
and Foy, being directed by Soult 
to retire from the lower parts of 
the Gave of Oleron towards the 
bridge of Bereux on the Gave of 
Pau, march upon Orthes, and 
break down all the bridges as 
they passed, the French divi¬ 
sions took a position to cover 
that movement. When the night 
fell, Harispe’s corps moved also 
over the bridge of Orthes, and 
D’Erlon was already established 
in that town; but Clauzel re¬ 
mained at Orion until the morn¬ 
ing of the 25th. 

1841. Nazian Valley. —It 
being necessary to coerce a refrac¬ 
tory tribe inhabiting the Nazian 













February 25. CALENDAR 


valley, Afghanistan, in behalf of 
our ally, the Shah Soojah, a de¬ 
tachment, under Brigadier Skel¬ 
ton, on the morning of the 24th 
entered the Sarobi Pass. The 
Shah’s troops, supported by com¬ 
panies of H. M.’s 44th regiment 
and the 27th N. I., under Capts. 
Swayne and Scott, moved along 
the heights, to the right and left, 
with artillery wherever it was pos¬ 
sible to drag a gun, while the main 
body proceeded up the centre of the 
valley. The success of this move¬ 
ment was complete. Capt. Fer¬ 
ris, commanding the Shah’s troops, 
encountering the refractory tribe 
on the rising ground to the left 
of their position, pursued and dis¬ 
lodged them from almost inac¬ 
cessible fastnesses. Two forts 
that offered opposition were taken 
by assault; the gates being blown 
open by Lieut. Pigou of the en¬ 
gineers, who was killed by the 
explosion. By the continued suc¬ 
cess from daybreak till 1 o’clock 
p. M., about eight miles of the Na- 
zian valley, studded with forts 
on either side, was taken posses¬ 
sion of by our troops. 

February 25. 

1809. Reduction of Mar¬ 
tinique.— On this day the im¬ 
portant island of Martinique 
surrendered. The fire of the 
besiegers opened on the 19th, 
not only from the newly-raised 
batteries, but from the captured 
Fort Edward. A steady and spi¬ 
rited return was made for some 
hours, which gradually slackened 
till a few guns fired at intervals. 
The seamen and marines of the 
fleet were yet busy in getting 
cannon, howitzers, and mortars 
up to Mount Sourier, and ad¬ 
vanced batteries were to be ready 
for opening on the 26th ; but on 
the 23rd the French sent a flag of 


OF VICTORY. 57 


truce to Licut.-Gen. Beckwith 
and Rear-Adm. the Hon. Sir 
Alexander Cochrane, the chiefs 
of the combined expedition. The 
proposals being refused, the bat¬ 
teries on both sides again opened 
their fire. On the morning of 
the 24th one of the magazines in 
the enemy’s fortress blew up, 
and shortly afterwards three flags 
of truce were shown by the 
garrison; yet it was not until 
nearly midnight that the com¬ 
missioners who were to arrange 
the capitulation could agree 
upon terms. On the 25th a de¬ 
tachment of British troops w r as 
put in formal possession of Mar¬ 
tinique. 

1820. A British force in the 
Northern Guzerat, under Colonel 
Barclay, when passing the town 
of Nuggar, was fired upon, not¬ 
withstanding that Vakeels had 
previously arrived in the British 
camp imploring our clemency. 
Our artillery having opened upon 
the enemy, a battalion under Capt. 
Gilchrist, supported by detach¬ 
ments under Lieut. Spencer and 
Lieut. W. Reynolds, drove them 
from the town into the passes 
of the hills of Callunja. At noon 
a large body of their matchlock- 
men returned, and having fired 
upon our troops in the town, 
the detachment gallantly stormed 
the height, and completely routed 
them in fastnesses where they 
had never yet been conquered. 
We had but 2 killed and 20 
wounded ; the loss of the enemy 
was considerable. 

1841. The successes of the 
24th of February were crowned 
by further conquest in the Naziari 
valley. At the upper part this 
valley contracts into a narrow 
defile with precipitous crags on 
either side, many parts being de¬ 
fended by forts. On the morning 
of the 25th, Brigadier Skelton 














58 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 26. 


having ordered an advance into 
this ravine, the enemy retired, 
firing occasionally upon our co¬ 
lumn. After a march of three 
miles, the valley again opened 
into a sort of plain—the heights on 
either side crowned with forts, 
which were soon gained by the 
valour of our troops. Other de¬ 
files and plains of this remarkable 
valley now presented themselves, 
until at length having sur¬ 
mounted every difficulty, about 
twelve miles of extent and eighty- 
four forts of the valley of Nazian 
were in our possession. Our loss 
in the two days was compara¬ 
tively small, being 18 killed and 
34 wounded ; among the former, 
Capt. Douglas, assistant adjutant- 
general. 

February 26. 

1813. Surrender of Ponza. 
—The Island of Ponza, on the 
coast of Naples, was this day 
taken by a combined naval and 
military force. The 2nd bat¬ 
talion of the 10th regiment, un¬ 
der Lieut.-Col. Coffin, with the 
marines of the squadron, having 
effected a landing, covered by the 
guns of the ships, as detailed in 
our Naval columns, the enemy 
retired into the citadel; but soon 
afterwards a flag of truce was 
held out, and the island surren¬ 
dered at discretion. 

1814. Passage of the Gave. 
—Beresford, finding that Foy had 
abandoned the works at Pevre- 

4/ 

horade, passed the Gave, partly 
by a pontoon bridge, partly by a 
ford. The French, rallying upon 
their reserves, turned and beat 
back the foremost of the pur¬ 
suers • but they did not await the 
coming up of the main body 
commanded by Beresford in per¬ 
son. In this affair, Major Sewell, 
an officer of the staff’, who had 


frequently distinguished himself 
by liis personal prowess, happen¬ 
ing to be without a sword, pulled 
a stake from a hedge, and with 
that weapon overthrew two hus¬ 
sars in succession, and only relin¬ 
quished the combat when a third 
had cut his club in twain. A 
detachment was then placed at 
Habas, on the left, to inter¬ 
cept the enemy’s communication 
with Dax; and Wellington caused 
the cavalrv of Lord E. Somerset 
and the third division to cross 
the Gave by fords below the 
broken bridge of Bereux. Then, 
directing Beresford to take a po¬ 
sition on some heights near the 
village of Ba'ights, he threw a 
pontoon bridge at Bereux; and 
thus, after a circuitous march of 
more than fifty miles with his 
right wing, he again united it 
with his centre, and secured a 
direct communication with Gen. 
Hope. 

1841. Capture of Wang- 
tong. — It having been deter¬ 
mined by Commodore Sir Gordon 
Bremer to reduce North Wang- 
tong and Anunghoy, a battery 
raised during the night of the 
25th of February on the island of 
South Wangtong opened its fire 
earlvon the morning of the 26th; 
and before noon the advancing 
squadron joined in the can¬ 
nonade. It might have been 
expected that North Wangtong— 
one continued battery of heavy 
guns, with an intrenched camp 
and 2000 defenders—would have 
made a serious resistance ; but 
the Chinese were instantly driven 
from their defences. The troops 
were then landed, consisting of 
the 26th Cameronians, detach¬ 
ments of the 49th regiment, 37th 
regiment N. I., Bengal volun¬ 
teers, and marines. The batteries 
of Anunghoy being also silenced, 
it was taken possession of by the 








February 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 59 


marines and seamen under the 
direction of Capt. Senhouse of 
the Blenheim 74, Melville 74, and 
Queen steamer. 

February 27. 

1814. Battle of Ortiies.— 
Wellington, disposing his force 
in three columns, determined to 
attack Soult’s position at Orthes, 
which was on a ridge of hills 
partly wooded. Gen. Reille, 
having under him the divisions of 
Taupin, Roguet, and Paris, com¬ 
manded on the right, occupying 
all the ground from St. Boes to 
the centre. Count d’Erlon, with 
Foy’s and D’Armagnac’s divi¬ 
sions, was on the left of Reille, 
while Harispe and Villatte’s troops 
were under Clauzel, and occupied 
Orthes. Twelve guns were at¬ 
tached to the corps of Harispe, 
and 12 upon the round hill in 
the centre sweeping the ground 
beyond St. Boes, and 16 were 
in reserve on the Dax road. 
About 8 in the morning of the 
27th February the 6th and light 
divisions crossed the Adour by a 
bridge of boats. Hill remain¬ 
ed with the 2nd British and Le 
Cor’s Portuguese divisions, me¬ 
nacing the bridge of Orthes and 
the ford of Souars. Beresford, 
with the 4th and 7th divisions 
and Vivian’s cavalry brigade, 
were ordered to carry the village 
of Boes on the right, and to as¬ 
sault the lull above it. Picton, 
with the 3rd and 6th divisions 
and a brigade of cavalry under 
Lord Edward Somerset, was to 
march on the centre and left, 
whilst the light division under 
Baron Alten advanced up a ra¬ 
vine between these columns, to 
give support where required. 
Hill was to cross the river with 
his corps by a ford two miles above 
Orthes, to gain a point in the 


enemy’s rear, and thus cut off 
his communication with the town 
of Pau. About 9 o’clock, after 
some skirmishing on both sides, 
Wellington commenced the real 
attack. The 3rd and 6th divi¬ 
sions won without difficulty the 
lower part of the ridges opposed 
to them, extending their left along 
the enemy’s front; but the main 
battle was on the other flank. 
There Gen. Cole, with Ross’s 
brigade and Vasconcello’s Por¬ 
tuguese, assailed St. Boes ; but 
it was in vain that the allies, 
with desperate valour, struggled 
time after time to spread a front 
beyond the village. The combat 
had continued with unabated fury 
on the side of St. Boes for nearly 
three hours, when the British 
troops retreated with some diffi¬ 
culty. At this moment a detach¬ 
ment on Picton’s left being re¬ 
pulsed, Soult put all his reserves 
in movement, to complete the 
success. But Wellington, sup¬ 
porting Ross with Anson’s bri¬ 
gade, backed by the 7th division 
and Vivian’s cavalry, ordered the 
3rd and 6th divisions to fall upon 
Foy’s left flank, and the 52nd 
regiment to cross the marsh in 
front, mount the ridge beyond, 
and assail the flank and rear of 
the troops engaged with the 4th 
division at St. Boes. This gallant 
regiment, headed by Col. Col- 
borne, with a mighty shout dashed 
forwards between Foy and Tau¬ 
pin, scattering a French battalion 
in their course. This sudden 
burst from a quarter where no 
attack was expected threw the 
enemy into confusion; and the 
disorder spreading to Reille’s 
wing, he also was obliged to fall 
back. The narrow pass behind 
St. Boes being thus opened, Wel¬ 
lington thrust the 4th and 7th 
divisions, Vivian’s cavalry, and 
two batteries through. Thus the 








60 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 23. 


victory was secured ; for the 3rd 
and 6th divisions had now won 
D’Armagnac’s position, and plant¬ 
ed a battery on a knoll, whence 
the shot bore with destructive 
effect upon the French masses 
from one flank to another. These 
divisions continued to advance, 
and the wings of the army were 
united. Soult made strong efforts 
to cover the re-formation of 
Foy’s disordered troops; but only 
two-tliirds of the allies had yet 
been engaged. When Wellington 
changed his plan of attack, Hill, 
with 12,000 men, forded the river 
above Souars, and seized the 
heights above, cut off the French 
from the road to Pau, and turned 
the town of Orthes, thus menacing 
Soult’s only line of retreat by 
Salespice to St. Sever, at the very 
moment the 52nd, having opened 
the defile of St. Boes, effected the 
junction of the wings of the allies. 
Up to this moment the French 
yielded step by step without con¬ 
fusion, the allies advancing with 
incessant musketry and can¬ 
nonade ; but now the danger of 
being cut off becoming imminent, 
the French ranks dispersed, and 
such a rush was made to gain the 
fords that the whole countiy was 
covered with the fugitives. Somer¬ 
set and Cotton’s hussars then 
breaking in, sabred above 200 
men, and the 7thhussars cutoff 
about 2000 ; yet, from some con¬ 
fusion, their greater part escaped, 
and the pursuit ceased at the 
Luy de Bearn. The French army 
was not so much disordered as it 
appeared to be, for Soult passed 
the river with the loss of only 6 
guns and less than 4000 men 
killed and wounded. The loss 
of the allies was 2300, of which 
50, with 3 officers, were taken pri¬ 
soners; but among the wounded 
were Lord Wellington, by a musket 
ball, just above the thigh, Gens. 


Walker and Ross, and the Duke 
of Richmond, then Lord March. 

1818.—The fortress of Talmain 
was taken by assault by the 1st di¬ 
vision of the Deccan army, under 
Sir Thomas Hislop ; and, in con¬ 
sequence of the ti'eachery on the 
part of the killidar in command, 
the garrison were put to the 
sword. Major Gordon, H. M.’s 
Royal Scots, and 3 grenadiers, 
were killed, and Lieut.-Col. Mur¬ 
ray, D. A. G., wounded. 


February 28. 

1752. Surrender of Conje- 
veram. —The defences of Conje- 
veram pagoda had been ruined 
by the English on their capture 
of that fortress the preceding 
year; but soon after the forces 
returned into Madras the French 
and their Indian allies again oc¬ 
cupied their old post. The En¬ 
glish under Clive once more ap¬ 
pearing before Conjeveram, those 
of its defenders who did not aban¬ 
don it, surrendered on 28th Feb., 
and consented to be taken into 
British pay. 

1794.—Bellegarde, the popular 
leader of the mulattoes and ne¬ 
groes at Martinique, after Sir 
George Grey had forced him from 
his position at Sourier, dislodged 
from all fortified posts, surren¬ 
dered on 28th February, with 300 
of his followers. 

1816 . Action near Muck- 
wampore. —During our war with 
the Rajah of Nepaul, in the early 
part of this year, one of its first 
successes was the action obtained 
by Major-Gen. Ochterlony, with 
a British and native infantry 
force. On the 27th February, in 
the evening, he took up his posi¬ 
tion on a plain immediately to 
the southward of the hills cover¬ 
ing the fortified heights and de- 







February 29. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


61 


fences of Muckwampore; whilst 
a neighbouring height, on the 
left flank of our army, was occu¬ 
pied by a detachment of H. M.’s 
87 th regt. and other troops on 
the morning of the 28th, the 
enemy having abandoned it soon 
after the English reached the 
plain. The rajah’s troops still 
held a post on the same ridge of 
hills which threatened our right, 
though there was for some time 
no demonstration of attack ; but 
soon after noon, large bodies of 
the enemy were in motion. One 
of these made a desperate attack 
upon a reconnoitring party es¬ 
corted by a detachment of the 
87th regiment, and obliged it to 
fall back; while the whole force of 
the enemy, advancing in four 
divisions, concentrated their at¬ 
tack upon a village occupied by 
a small detachment of the 2nd 
battalion of 25th native infantry 
under Lieut. Terrell of the marine 
regiment. Bearing the brunt of 
this attack for some time, that 
officer nobly fell, and the defence 
was ably carried on by Lieut. 
Kerr, of the 12th regiment, until 
a battalion of the 25th and the 
light company of the 87th ar¬ 
rived to his support. The enemy, 
now reinforced by fresh troops, 
showed a good front, Their guns 
did much execution, while our ar¬ 
tillery was with difficulty brought 
into play, — one 6-pounder only 
reaching the summit of the hill. 
For two hours did our troops gal¬ 
lantly maintain the contest with¬ 
out gaining ground; but the 
timely arrival of the 8th N. I. 
soon decided the battle. Col. 
Miller ordered a charge in the 
direction of the enemy’s guns, 
which Avas executed with such 
spirit, that the Nepaulese Avere 
totally routed, and, destroying 
their magazines, they made a 
hurried retreat to Muckwampore. 


Some hundreds were killed and 
wounded, and many made pri¬ 
soners. 

February 29., 

1752. Action at Covertank. 
— Chunda Saib, the ally of 
France, recommencing his incur¬ 
sions on the English district, after 
abandoning Conje\ T eram, Avas re¬ 
inforced by 400 French troops 
and 2000 sepoys, Avith artillery. 
With this force he proceeded to 
Arcot, and, failing to obtain 
possession of that place by trea¬ 
chery, they decamped from the 
pettah. Clive in the meantime 
was searching for them with 380 
Europeans, 2300 sepoys, and 6 
field-pieces. On the eA^ening of 
the 29th of February, Avhile on 
the road to Arcot, our troops 
Avere suddenly fired upon by 9 
guns, from a grove of Mango 
trees, within the distance of 250 
yards. The main body imme¬ 
diately found shelter in a dry 
Avatercourse,—the baggage being 
sent into the rear, Avith a gun 
to protect it; and another detach¬ 
ment, with tAvo guns, despatched 
to oppose the cavalry of Chunda 
Saib, appearing on the plain 
2500 strong, the three remaining 
field-pieces returned the fire of 
the French. As the moon rose, 
the French infantry attacked the 
British in the Avatercourse. The 
opposing columns met in this 
narrow defile, and for tAvo hours 
were sharply engaged, when Clive, 
ascertaining that their rear Avas 
unprotected, detached a force, 
under Lieut. Keene, to make a 
circuit and then assail the ene¬ 
my in that quarter. Having 
discovered a Avay into the grove 
unperceiA r ed by the enemy, and 
opening his fire Avhcn close upon 
them, the effect Avas astounding. 
The French Avere routed, and 












62 CALENDAR 


abandoned their guns; while some 
of the fugitives, reaching the 
watercourse, spread the alarm, 
and they fled in all directions,— 
the cavalry of their allies, on the 
plain, following their example. 
Our loss amounted to 40 Eu¬ 
ropeans and 30 sepoys killed, and 
many wounded; ivhilst that of the 
enemy was very great. 

1760. — Trinomalee, a fortress 
held by a French and native 
garrison, surrendered to a force 
sent against it by Col. Coote,— 
Capt. Smith, 1st Madras European 
regiment, with a detachment of 
that corps and some sepoys. Mak¬ 
ing but little defence, the garrison 
surrendered at discretion. 

March 1. 

1664.—The 1st, or “Royal 
regiment of dragoons,” then 
only a troop of horse, forming 
part of the garrison of Tangier, 
held by the Earl of Teviot for 
Charles II. of England, made a 
gallant sally upon the Moors 
before that fortress, routed a large 
body of the enemy, and captured 
a standard. 

1816 . Action on the Height 
of Hurriarpore. — A British 
force under Col. Kelly despatched 
towards the fortress Hurriarpore, 
consisting of H. M.’s 24th regt., 
the 18th native infantry, 2nd 
battalion of the 21st native in¬ 
fantry, and the Chumparun light 
infantry, the whole under com¬ 
mand of Lieut.-Col. 0‘Halloran, 
marched before daybreak on the 
1st of March, and at 6 o’clock 
dislodged the enemy’s picket from 
its advantageous position. No 
sooner was the loss of the height 
perceived by the garrison than a 
desperate attempt was made for 
its recovery. Opening a fire from 
a gun in the stockade for a short 
time, while they were collecting 


OF VICTORY. Marcli 2. 


their forces, a horde of Goorkahs 
sallied forth, and an uninterrupt¬ 
ed fire of musketry continued 
for some hours. At length some 
guns and howitzers were brought 
up, and the British were soon in 
undisputed possession of their 
conquest. The utmost exertions 
were now used to get guns up to 
the height for the purpose of re¬ 
ducing the fortress; but the next 
day the stockade and fort of Hur¬ 
riarpore were abandoned, and the 
British troops took immediate 
possession. Our loss amounted 
to 8 men, killed ; Brevet-Major 
Hughes, Capt. Smith, and Lieut. 
0‘Leary of H. M.’s 24th regt., 
foot, Capt. Lindsay, artillery, and 
Lieut. De Vaux,Chumparun light 
infantry, with 46 non-commis¬ 
sioned officers and men, wounded. 
The slaughter of the enemy 
showed the recklessness of their 
attack:—the luckless Goorkahs 
lay in heaps around the height 
they attempted to regain, and 
some two or three hundred pri¬ 
soners brought in, were, for the 
most part, wounded. 

March 2. 

1781. Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, 
with the light company of 
guards and 150 men of Lieut.- 
Col. Webster’s brigade, detached 
from the British army under 
Lord Cornwallis, then encamped 
at Allamance Creek, routed a 
large body of Americans com¬ 
manded by Col. Preston, and cap¬ 
tured many prisoners. 

1805. Meer Khan, pursued 
since the 8th of February by 
Major-Gen. Smith with the 8th, 
27th, and 29th light dragoons, 
and 1st, 3rd, and 6th regiments 
of native cavalry, strengthened 
by Skinner’s horse, ivas at length 
come up with, on the 2nd of 
March, near Afzulgliur, posted 








March 3. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 63 


under some hills. 1400 of our 
regular cavalry and Skinner’s 
horse, having forded the river 
Ramgonga in their front, were 
advancing, when an ambuscade 
of infantry sprang suddenly upon 
them from a nullah. A charge 
from the 8th light dragoons, 
however, soon routed the enemy 
with heavy loss ; and their dis¬ 
comfiture was now complete. 
The loss of the British amounted 
to 9 killed and 30 wounded: 
among the latter, Major Carden 
and Capt. Burke, 29th regiment; 
Capt. Gore and Lieut. Bunce, 
27th dragoons. 

1814. Combat op Aire.— 
Whilst the main body of the 
British army remained on the 
right bank of the Adour until the 
bridges were repaired, Gen. Hill, 
who was on the left bank, moved 
in two columns from St. Savin 
and St. Gillies, on the 2nd of 
March, to seize the magazines at 
Aire. Reaching his destination 
at 3 o’clock, with two divisions 
of infantry, a brigade of cavalry, 
and a battery of horse artillery, 
he was surprised to find that 
Gen. Clauzel had arrived in the 
morning, and was in order of 
battle, covering the town with 
Villatte’s and Harispe’s divi¬ 
sions,—posted on a steep ridge 
overlooking the river on the 
right, but merging into a plain 
on the left, over which the great 
road led to Pau. Hill imme¬ 
diately commenced the attack, by 
Gen. Stewart with two British 
brigades assailing the French 
right ; a Portuguese brigade 
moved upon their centre; and 
the other brigades followed in 
columns of march. The Portu¬ 
guese were met by Harispe on 
the summit of the height with 
such firmness that they gave way 
in flight. The rear columns of 
the allies being still in march, 


the fate of the battle seemed 
endangered; but Gen. Stewart, 
having won the heights on the 
French right, instantly detached 
Gen. Barnes with the 50th and 
92nd regiments to the aid of the 
Portuguese. The gallant charge 
of these troops turned the tide of 
affairs : the French were broken 
and thrown hack upon their 
reserves; yet they rallied and 
came forward again courageously, 
fighting with determination until 
Byng’s British brigade arrived, 
when Harispe w r as driven to¬ 
wards the river Lees, and Villatte 
beyond the town of Aire. The 
French lost many men ; and 
among the wounded were Gens 
Dauture and Gasquet. The Bri¬ 
tish had 150 killed and wounded. 
Gen. Barnes was wounded, and 
Col. Hood killed. 

1818. Singhur, a strong hill 
fort near Poonah, surrendered to 
Brigadier-General Pritzler, com¬ 
manding a division of the army 
of the Deccan. 

1821. An expedition under 
Major-Gen. Sir Lionel Smith, 
sent against the pirates in the 
Persian Gulf, in an advance 
upon the tribe of Beni Boo Ali, 
captured the whole of the forti¬ 
fied positions. The brunt of the 
action fell upon a part of the 65th 
regiment, the 1st battalion of 
the 7th N. I., and the brigade 
under Lieut.-Col. Warren. 

March 3, 

-1759. Fort Concale. —Capt. 
Macleane was detached from the 
British army under Col. Forde, 
on the 3rd of March, to attempt 
the capture of the small fort of 
Concale, in which the French 
had left 13 Europeans, with two 
companies of sepoys, for its de¬ 
fence. The garrison, expecting 
succour, made a determined re- 








64 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY 


March 4. 


sistance, and twice repelled every 
attempt to force the wicket. 
Two guns being brought up from 
the camp, the gates were beaten 
in, and the place speedily carried 
by assault. 

1779. Action near Brier’s 
Creek. — The American Gene¬ 
rals Lincoln and Ashe were 
anxious to shut in the English 
forces at Brier Creek, on the Sa¬ 
vannah, where they had retreated 
from Augusta; but Lieut.-Col. 
Prevost, in command of the 
British army, determined not to 
have his communication with the 
frontier settlements interrupted. 
Gen. Ashe, with 1500 militia and 
some regulars, having approached 
within a day’s march, the colonel, 
taking the grenadier companies 
of the 60th regiment, 2nd bat¬ 
talion of the 71st regiment, Sir 
James Baird’s light infantry, some 
provincial light dragoons, in all 
900 men, crossed the river about 
thirteen miles above Hudson’s 
Ferry, and got in the rear of 
Ashe’s encampment unperceived. 
Major Macpherson at the same 
time approached the enemy with 
the 1st battalion of the 71st regi¬ 
ment, some irregular troops, and 
two field-pieces. Immediately 
that Col. Prevost found that the 
enemy’s attention was engaged 
in this quarter, he threw the 
whole strength of the troops 
upon the rear of the Americans, 
and completely routed them: 
150 fell in the action and pursuit; 
and numbers were drowned in 
their attempts to escape across 
the river. Several stands of co¬ 
lours, 7 pieces of cannon, and all 
their baggage fell into our hands. 
Two hundred men, including 27 
officers and Brigadier-Gen.Elbert 
(second in command), were made 
prisoners. The Americans were 
so completely dispersed that 
many of the militia returned to 


their homes. Thus, out of a 
force estimated at 2000 men, 
Gen. Ashe brought back about 
450 to Gen. Lincoln. Our loss 
was only 5 men killed, 1 officer 
and 10 privates wounded. 

March 4. 

1759. Surrender of Surat. 
—On the 9th of Feb., a force 
embarked on board some armed 
vessels belonging to the East 
India Company at Bombay, con¬ 
sisting of 850 European infantry, 
including artillery, and 1500 se¬ 
poys, under command of Capt. 
Richard Maitland, Royal Artil¬ 
lery, to proceed against the city 
and citadel of Surat, held by the 
Seydees, under Moyen-ud-Dcen. 
The British forces landed at Den- 
tilowry, nine miles from their 
point of attack, and encamped for 
several days to refresh the troops. 
This delay, however, made the 
enemy fully prepared by the time 
the expedition reached Surat. It 
was late in Feb. before Capt. 
Maitland, having driven the gar¬ 
rison within the walls, had esta¬ 
blished his batteries against the 
outer town. But little impression 
being made on the walls after a 
cannonade of three days, it was 
determined to attack by sea and 
land. Accordingly the Company’s 
grabs and bomb-ketches warped 
up the river,— at night anchoring 
off the town. At daybreak, 
having opened a fire, the troops, 
which had been re-embarked for 
the purpose, were landed in the 
heart of one of the enemy’s out¬ 
works, where they gallantly 
routed the Seydees. In this at¬ 
tack, Capt. Robert Inglis, of the 
Company’s infantry, fell, mortally 
wounded. The outer works of 
the town thus gained, a battery of 
one 13- and two 10-inch mortars 
was speedily established, and 













Inarch 5. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 65 


bore upon the inner town and 
citadel with such effect, that the 
garrison proposed to open the 
gates of the town if the tiring 
ceased. This being acceded to, 
Capt. Maitland marched into Surat 
with drums beating and colours 
flying, and the city and citadel 
were surrendered to the British 
on the 4th March, 1795. Our 
casualties in the expedition were 
2 captains, 2 subalterns, and 
about 146 non-commissioned of¬ 
ficers and privates, killed ; and 
60, including some officers, 
wounded. It appears that Capt. 
Maitland, who so ably conducted 
the expedition, died in India in 
the year 1763. 

1791. Defeat near Banga¬ 
lore.— The British army, com¬ 
manded by Lord Cornwallis, on 
the march in the Mysore country 
to undertake the siege of Ban¬ 
galore, having deceived Tippoo 
Saib, by the celerity of its move¬ 
ments, had advanced a consider¬ 
able distance towards its point of 
attack before the enemy appeared 
in any strength. On the 4th of 
March the cavalry of Tippoo 
made an unsuccessful attack on 
the baggage, then within a few 
miles of Bangalore, but being de¬ 
terminedly met, were completely 
foiled in their attempt. Their at¬ 
tack was renewed on the follow¬ 
ing day; but the English held 
their own, and having suffered but 
few casualties, arrived with their 
baggage and all the material of 
war before Bangalore. 

March 5. 

1760. Permacoil, a strongly 
fortified rock and pettah, situated 
about seventy-two iniles from 
Madras, having admitted a 
French garrison within its walls, 
the killidar, after the success of 
the English atWandewash, sent 


to Col. Coote, requesting his aid 
to rid them of the French, who 
had possessed themselves of the 
fort by a surprise. Coote ap¬ 
peared with his army before Per¬ 
macoil by the latter part of Feb., 
seized upon the pettah, and drove 
the intruders into the lower fort. 
Some days afterwards he pos¬ 
sessed himself of the lower works; 
but pushing the advantage he had 
gained to the walls of the upper 
fort, he had an officer and some 
men killed, and was himself, with 
many others, wounded. On the 
following day, the 3rd March, the 
fire of the garrison slackened from 
want of ammunition ; and on the 
5th of March, after some nego¬ 
tiation, Permacoil surrendered. 

1762. The Island of Grenada, 
in the West Indies, surrendered 
without opposition to the troops 
under Brigadier-Gen. Walsh and 
a squadron under Commodore 
Swanton. With this island the 
cluster of the Grenadillas also 
fell into our possession. 

1811. Battle of Barosa.— 
While Marshal Victor, with 16,000 
men, invested Cadiz, a British and 
Portuguese force, about 4000 
strong, commanded by Lieut.- 
Gen. Graham, sailed from that 
port on the 21st of Feb., with the 
intention of falling on the rear 
of the blockading army. Finding 
it impracticable to effect a land¬ 
ing nearer than Algesiras, Gra¬ 
ham disembarked his troops at 
that place; and, marching thence, 
was reinforced at Tarifa by 7000 
Spaniards, under Gen. La Pena, 
who now took the command. 
After an arduous march across 
the mountains, and traversing the 
Lake of Junda, reinforced by an 
additional 1600, the allied force 
now amounted to 11,200 foot, 
and 800 horse, with 24 pieces 
of artillery. Victor finding his 
left menaced by a body of Spa- 


2? 








66 CALENDAR 


niards under De Zayas, concen¬ 
trated all his troops near Chi- 
clana. On the morning of the 5th 
of March the allies reached the 
low ridge of Barosa, about four 
miles from the entrance of the 
Santi Petri river. La Pena moved 
with the main body of his troops 
to the heights of Bermeja, whilst 
Graham marched along the coast 
in a parallel direction. In a short 
time a French division appeared 
on his right flank, and another, 
under Victor in person, ascended 
the Barosa ridge, which the Bri¬ 
tish had just quitted, and where 
they had left only a weak rear¬ 
guard. Instantly countermarch¬ 
ing his small force, Graham di¬ 
rected Gen. Dilkes, with the right 
brigade, against the height, whilst 
the left, under Col. Wheatley, at¬ 
tacked the division beyond the 
wood upon the plain. Ten guns, 
under Major Duncan, having 
opened upon this corps, which was 
commanded by Leval, the in¬ 
fantry soon became closely en¬ 
gaged. The first line of the 
French, by the gallant charge of 
the 87th regiment and some 
companies of the Coldstream, was 
driven upon the second in great 
confusion, leaving an eagle in 
possession of the 87th. Mean¬ 
while Dilkes was met on the 
brow of the hill by the troops 
under Gen. Ruffin ; and, after a 
sharp struggle, the French were 
driven from the eminence, leaving 
3 guns, and many slain. The 
retiring divisions, as they met, 
attempted a new formation, but 
the British artillery did such exe¬ 
cution on this column that they 
crowded away in tumult and dis¬ 
order, followed by a small body 
of cavalry under Col. Hon. Fred. 
Ponsonby, who succeeded in cap¬ 
turing two howitzers. The ex¬ 
hausted state of our troops ren¬ 
dered pursuit impossible, and 


OF VICTORY. msLTdi 6 . 


they were halted for several hours 
on the eastern face of the ridge 
which they had so valiantly won. 
The results of the victory were, 
the capture of six pieces of artil¬ 
lery and about 500 prisoners, in¬ 
cluding Gens. Ruffin and Rous¬ 
seau, who both died of their 
wounds. The French lost more 
than 3000 in killed, wounded, and 
prisoners; while the British, out 
of 4000 men, had 202 killed, in¬ 
cluding 7 officers, and 1040, in¬ 
cluding 55 officers, wounded. 
During this critical engagement 
Gen. Graham received no support 
from the Spaniards, nor did La 
Pena make any effort to cut off 
Victor’s retreat. This he could 
have effectually accomplished, 
had he pushed boldly toward 
Chiclana; and then he would 
have completed the object of the 
expedition — raising the siege of 
Cadiz. 

RSarcli 6. 

1696. The town of Givet was 
bombarded by the English under 
Lord Athlone, destroying stores 
laid up by the French for the 
coming campaign. 

1743. The Spaniards formed 
a camp at St. Augustine, with 
the intention of preparing a se¬ 
cond expedition against the En¬ 
glish settlement of Georgia. Gen. 
Oglethorpe, receiving intimation 
of their intention, landed a force 
on the 6th March at St. Mathew, 
on St. John’s river, and pro¬ 
ceeded directly to St. Augustine. 
The Spaniards, abandoning their 
camp, retired with precipitation 
into the town, and were pur¬ 
sued with success to the very 
walls. The troops employed in 
this enterprise consisted of de¬ 
tachments of his own regiment, 
the highlanders, the rangers, and 
a large body of Indians. 








Search 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 67 


1799. Action at Seedasseer. 
—Gen. Stuart, with the Malabar 
army, on his way to join Gen. 
Harris, then moving upon Serin- 
gapatam, was attacked by Tippoo 
Saib with about 15,000 of his 
best troops, while the English 
had not 6000 men, and only about 
1600 of these Europeans, to op¬ 
pose him. On the 6th March 
Gen. Hartley was sent forward 
to reconnoitre; but before the 
haze of the morning had cleared 
away, the advance of the British 
was attacked by the enemy in 
force. Three battalions of native 
infantry, under Col. Montresor, 
for some time bore the brunt of 
the action, and for more than six 
hours the advance had to contend 
with several thousands of the 
enemy. Gen. Stuart, after de¬ 
feating a division of Tippoo’s 
troops which intercepted his ad¬ 
vance. at length came up with the 
mam body, who, being sharply at¬ 
tacked, retired through the jungle 
to their camp at Periapatam, leav¬ 
ing upwards of 1000 men slain; 
Avhile our killed, wounded, and 
missing, only amounted to 143 
men. 

1813. French driven from 
Aecoy. — Lieut.-Gen. Sir John 
Murray, at Alicant with the 
Anglo-Sicilian army and some 
Spanish troops, as a preliminary 
step toward driving the French 
from a mountain in his front, 
resolved upon the surprise of 
about 1500 men at Alcoy. To 
effect this, the allied troops, on 
6th March, moved in four co¬ 
lumns to the attack, each by a 
different route. The French re¬ 
tired, followed by the 2nd bat¬ 
talion of the 27th regiment, led 
by Gen. Donkin, till it joined 
I-iabert’s division. The French 
had now concentrated beyond 
Alcoy, where they drew up in 
order of battle. Lord Fred. Ben- 


tinck, with one column of the at¬ 
tacking force, turned the enemy’s 
right, and the 58th regiment 
coming up, the whole of the 
French retreated. Thus the al¬ 
lied army occupied Alcoy with 
but little loss, which chiefly fell 
upon the 27th regiment. 

BfiCarcli 7. 

1791. Bangalore Pettait 
stormed.— The British army un¬ 
der Lord Cornwallis having ar¬ 
rived before Bangalore on the 4th 
of March, attacked the pettah of 
the fortress, comprising a large 
walled town, which was carried by 
assault. The ladders required by 
the assailants to storm the place 
proving of inefficient length, the 
troops had to wait until the gate 
of the town was blown open by 
artillery. Among the slain at the 
gate was Lieut.-Col. Moorehouse, 
who rose from the ranks to be 
so esteemed for his scientific at¬ 
tainments, gallantry, and noble 
bearing, that a monument at the 
public expense was raised to his 
memory in the church of Madras. 
Tippoo, now making a feigned at¬ 
tack on Cornwallis’s right, threw 
his whole strength upon the 
pettah; but, after a short inter¬ 
change of musketry, the enemy 
were driven at the point of the 
bayonet from street to street, and 
finally out of the town, with the 
loss of upwards of 2000 men. 
Our casualties during the whole 
day were about 131 of all ranks. 

1825. Pagoda stormed. — 
That division of our army en¬ 
gaged in the Burmese war under 
command of Brigadier-Gen. Cot¬ 
ton, after taking the stockades 
at Panglang, proceeded up the 
river; but it was not till the 7th 
March that a landing was effected, 
the British flotilla being then 
close to the stockaded works of 








68 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


March 8. 


the Burmese around Donabew. 
A force, consisting of H. M.’s 
47th and 89th regiments, with the 
1st Madras European regiment, 
having landed to attack a stock¬ 
ade, the defence of a white 
pagoda, the troops advancing in 
two columns commanded by Col. 
O’Donoghue and Major Basdcn, 
almost simultaneously stormed 
and carried it,—Sergeant Gwyn, 
followed by Capt. Roy, being the 
first to enter the work. Two 
hundred and thirty men were 
killed in the stockade, and 374 
taken prisoners. Three guns and 
much ammunition were captured. 
An attack on two other stockades, 
extending along the river, prov¬ 
ing unsuccessful, in which Capts. 
Rose and Cannon gallantly fell, 
our troops were re-embarked 
during that night. 

March 8. 

1748. Reduction of St. Do¬ 
mingo.— Rear-Adm. Knowles, in 
H.M.S. Canterbury, with a small 
fleet, sailed from Jamaica about 
the middle of February, accom¬ 
panied by Governor Trelawney, 
with the intention of attacking 
St. Iago de Cuba. Being baffled 
by contrary winds, he abandoned 
his original design, and on the 
8th of March appeared before 
Port Louis, Island of St. Do¬ 
mingo, which was well fortified, 
mounted 78 guns, and had a gar¬ 
rison of 600 men. The fleet 
anchored close to the walls; while 
some fire-ships sent out by the 
enemy were towed harmlessly 
away. About three hours from 
the time the ships opened their 
fire, the French were driven from 
their guns. An offer was then 
made to surrender on terms, and 
after some negotiation, it was 
agreed that the troops in garri¬ 
son should march out with the ho¬ 


nours of war. Major Scott, with 
the troops and the marines of the 
fleet, took possession the same 
night. Our loss amounted to 19 
killed and 60 wounded; that of 
the French to 126 killed, and a 
considerable number wounded. 

1796. The Dutch island of 
Banda, East Indies, and its de¬ 
pendencies surrendered to a 
squadron under Rear-Admiral 
Rainier. 

1801. Landing in Egypt.— 
The expedition under Lieut.-Gen. 
Abercromby, on board the fleet, 
commanded by Adm. Lord Keith, 
which left Marmorice Bay on 23rcl 
February, anchored in Aboukir 
Bay on 2nd March. During the 
succeeding five days the state of 
the weather prevented the de¬ 
barkation; but on the evening of 
the 7th it became moderate. 
Early on the morning of the 8th, 
the troops forming the first divi¬ 
sion of the army, consisting of 
the flank companies of the 40th 
and the 23rd regiment, under 
Major-Gen. Moore, on the right, 
of the 28th, 42nd, and 58th, under 
Major.-Gen. Coote, in the centre, 
of the brigade of guards, the Cor¬ 
sican rangers, the royals, and 
the 54th regiment, under the 
Hon. Major-Gen. Ludlow, on the 
left, got into the boats; and at 3 
o’clock, the whole, amounting to 
5230 men, proceeded to rendez¬ 
vous alongside a sloop of Avar, 
just out of reach of gunshot of 
the shore; but it was not until 
after 8 that the arrangements 
were completed. About 9 o’clock, 
the signal being made to advance, 
the line moved steadily forward 
in admirable order, the soldiers 
sitting Avith their unloaded mus¬ 
kets betAveen their knees. In 
a short time, a fire opened upon 
them from fifteen guns planted 
on the sand-hills, and from the 
artillery in Aboukir Castle. No- 









March 9. CALENDAR 


thing clannted, the boats were im¬ 
pelled onwards with increased 
ardour amidst enthusiastic cheers, 
until they reached the strand; 
when the troops, leaping into 
the water, were rapidly formed, 
though under an incessant dis¬ 
charge of musketry from above 
2000 men. Having loaded, they 
pushed forward with an intre- 
pidity scarcely paralleled, and 
although the force that first as¬ 
cended the sand-hills only con¬ 
sisted of the 23rd regiment and 
flank companies of the 40th under 
Col. Spencer, they, by a furious 
charge, drove the enemy from their 
position, leaving 7 field-pieces 
and a number of horses in the 
hands of the assailants. Their 
gallant bearing was warmly 
eulogised by the Commander-in- 
chief, who also commended the 
good order in which the 28th and 
42nd regiments landed. While 
the right thus carried all before 
it, the guards w'ere charged by 
two squadrons of horse, which 
they soon put to flight by a well 
directed volley; and a corps of 
infantry endeavouring to sustain 
the broken horsemen, was driven 
back by the steady bearing of the 
58th regiment. At this moment 
the royals and 54th reaching the 
the shore, attacked 600 infantry, 
advancing through a hollow upon 
the flank of the guards; and 
after an exchange of volleys, 
the enemy fled in confusion. The 
debarkation of the first division 
was now complete, and the battle 
won; for the enemy had aban¬ 
doned their position, and were in 
full retreat towards Alexandria, 
covered by a cloud of tirailleurs. 

The boats immediately re¬ 
turned for the second division; 
and before night the whole army, 
with trifling exceptions, had 
landed and advanced towards the 
enemy. 


OF VICTORY. 69 


Marcia 9. 

1741. Landing- at Cartha- 
gena. —On the 9th of March com¬ 
menced the attack upon, and land¬ 
ing at Carthagena, the fleet under 
Adms. Vernon and Ogle, the army 
commanded by Gen. Wentworth. 

1783. JBednore taken. — 
Gen. Mathews being in posses¬ 
sion of Bednore, sent two bat¬ 
talions of sepoys to take the 
pettah and invest the fort; which 
duty they gallantly performed, 
but suffered considerably by the 
explosion of a mine which blew 
up 80 men. The lcillidar being 
now driven into his citadel, which 
was too strong to be taken with¬ 
out artillery, General Mathews 
moved from Bednore with a re¬ 
quisite force, and regularly sat 
clown before the place. Batteries 
were thrown up and opened with 
such good effect, that though suffi ¬ 
cient time was hardly allowed 
them to make a practicable breach 
in the walls, the garrison capitu¬ 
lated on the 9th of March, after 
sustaining a cannonade of thirty 
hours’ duration. 

1818. PlNDARREES ROUTED AT 
Hurala. — Lieut.-Col. the Hon. 
L. Stanhope, being in pursuit of 
Cheetoo, the chief of the Pin- 
darrees, on learning that he was 
with three or four hundred fol¬ 
lowers at Tee, situated in a valley 
to the southward of Sudore, 
marched on the instant with 170 
men of the 17th dragoons, under 
Capt. Adams, in the hope of 
taking the renowned Cheetoo by 
surprise. On arriving at Tee, he 
found that the Pindarrees and 
their chief had taken alarm and 
fled ; but overtaking them at 
Hurala in the same valley, he 
completely routed them, and then 
pursued the fugitives between 
fourteen and fifteen miles, until 
they dispersed into the jungle. 






70 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. march 10 . 


1842. Lieut.-Col. G. P. Wymer, 
with the 6th and 38th regiments 
of Bengal native infantry and 
some troops of horse, was de¬ 
tached by Major-Gen. Nott, com¬ 
manding at Candahar, to protect 
the villagers on the left bank of 
the Urgundab river, against ma¬ 
rauders of the rebel armv of 
Prince Suftur Jung and other 
Affghan chiefs. When preparing 
to encamp within sight of the 
enemy’s force on the opposite 
side of the river, he learnt that a 
large body of troops was closing 
him in, by occupying a pass in his 
rear. He immediately strength¬ 
ened his rear-guard, and, with 
the 38th regiment, 4 guns under 
Lieut. Turner, a party of Skin¬ 
ner’s horse under Lieut. Travers, 
and other troops, effectually 
cleared the pass. Then, with two 
companies of the 38th regiment, 
he scoured the heights so com¬ 
pletely as to disperse the enemy in 
that quarter. Lieut. -Col. Macla- 
ren who was left in charge of the 
main body and convoy of provi¬ 
sions, had in the meantime dis¬ 
lodged a party of the enemy from 
a village in his front with a de¬ 
tachment of the 6th regiment 
and some cavalry. 

March 10. 

1805. Defeat near Amrooh. 
— During the pursuit of Amir 
Khan by Gen. Smith, Captain 
Murray, sent by Col. Brown with 
a party of horse to escort treasure 
from Morandabad to camp, being 
surrounded by the Amir’s troops, 
took refuge in a village near 
Amrooh. On the 10th March the 
enemy attacked in great force; but 
he succeeded in defeating them, 
with the loss of their chief in 
command. A movement made by 
Col. Brown to Capt. Murray’s 
relief having caused Amir Khan 


to retreat toward Chandpore, his 
baggage-guard was attacked at 
night by Capt. Murray, who killed 
or wounded about 500, and cap¬ 
tured all the baggage of the 
fugitive Amir Khan. 

1825. Major Thomas, acting 
against Dungurpore, with a 
squadron of 1st light cavalry 
and a detachment of infantry, 
hearing that the Cheboodrah, a 
strong building in the centre of 
the town, commanding the only 
well from which the place could 
be supplied with water, Avas 
without a garrison, determined to 
make a dash to gain possession 
of it. While Capt. Hunter, with 
the cavalry and some sepoys,made 
a demonstration outside the walls 
to the south of the town, a party 
of 150 men and some irregular 
troops under Major Irwin crept 
in by a broken wicket unper¬ 
ceived, and Lieut. Crackton, Avith 
30 men, escaladcd a bastion on 
the Avestern face. By these move¬ 
ments a party Avas throAvn into 
the Cheboodrah under Lieutenant 
Darke, which the enemy in vain 
tried to dislodge. The conse¬ 
quence Avas the evacuation of the 
fort and pettah by the insurgents, 
and the capture of the rajah. 

1840. By requisition of Capt. 
Ross, the East India Company’s 
political agent at Jhansi, Capt. 
Beatson, commanding the Bundle- 
cund legion, with 500 infantry, 
250 cavalry, and 2 field-pieces, 
attacked a force of insurgents, 
strongly intrenched on a hill, 
Avith a fort in their rear. To this 
fort the rebels Avere obliged to fly, 
being driven from their trenches 
by the artillery and sepoy troops 
under Capt. Barry and Lieut 
Wardroper, Avith Lieut. Prender- 
gast, 44th regiment, Avho served as 
a volunteer. The fort Avas capable 
of a long defence, but the garrison 
abandoned it during the night. 








RSarch 11 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 71 


1842. Defence of Candaiiar. 
— Gen. Nott, having proceeded 
to the aid of Lieut.-Col. Wymer, 
engaged on the hanks of the 
Urgundab, left the city of Can- 
dahar under charge of Major 
C. R. W. Lane. Perceiving that 
bodies of the enemy were gather¬ 
ing round its walls, that officer 
prepared for an attack. On the 
night of the 10th,the enemy having 
managed to set one of the gates 
on fire, which had been barri¬ 
caded by bags of grain, they ap¬ 
proached close under the works, 
exchanging a heavy fire with 
our soldiers on the ramparts. 
An attack was made upon an¬ 
other gate; but after engaging our 
troops—Bengal native infantry, 
detachments of H. M.’s 40th regi¬ 
ment, and artillery—till past mid¬ 
night, and being repulsed in all 
quarters, the enemy decamped. 


Marcli 11. 

1811. Skirmish at Pombal.— 
Massena, discontinuing his retreat 
from Portugal, on the morning of 
9th March concentrated the 6th 
and 8th corps and Montbrun’s 
cavalry on a table-land in front 
of Pombal, where some skirmish¬ 
ing took place with the light 
division. The enemy showing a 
disposition to accept battle, Wel¬ 
lington directed Gen. Nightin¬ 
gale, with a brigade of the 1st 
division and some cavalry, to 
observe the 2nd corps, while the 
other divisions, with the exception 
of the 4th, and the heavy cavalry 
at Thomar, were assembled 
around Pombal on the 10th. 
Massena, in the meanwhile, hav¬ 
ing sent his baggage over the 
Soure river during the night, by 
the bridge of Pombal, suddenly 
retired through that town, closely 
followed by the light division. 


The French army was moving in 
some confusion by a narrow de¬ 
file between the mountains and 
the Soure river, which was ford¬ 
able; and the British divisions 
were in rapid motion along the 
left bank, with the design, by 
crossing lower down, of cutting off 
Massena’s line of retreat : but 
darkness coming on, the opera¬ 
tion terminated with a sharp 
skirmish at Pombal; whence the 
95th and the 3rd cacjadores of 
the light division drove the 
French from the castle and town, 
with such vigour that the latter 
could not destroy the bridge, 
though already mined. The loss 
on either side did not exceed 70 
in killed and bounded. 

1818. Russaulghur, about forty 
miles SE. of Fort Victoria, one 
of the ghaut forts held by a kil- 
lidar for Bajee Row, the deposed 
Peishwa of Poonah, surrendered 
this day to Lieutenant-Colonel 
Kennedy. 

1842. Sortie from Jella- 
labad. — At daybreak on the 
11th March a sortie was made 
from the Peshawur gate by a force 
of 800 men of the 13th and 35th 
regiments, under Col. Dennie, to 
ascertain if the enemy had driven 
a mine in that direction. Whilst 
the attention of the enemy on the 
plain was engaged by a detach¬ 
ment of cavalry under Capt. Old¬ 
field, Capt. Broadfoot, with the 
sappers and miners, dislodged a 
strong picket from a commanding 
position. Having ascertained that 
the report was incorrect, the 
troops slowly retired, surrounded 
by large bodies of the enemy, 
who were kept in check by the 
fire from our works. The sally¬ 
ing party having sustained but 
trifling loss, now returned within 
the walls of Jellalabad. 







CALENDAR OF VICTORY. IVTarch 12. 


March 12. 

1760. Surrender of Alam- 
paryaii. — Col. Coote suffering 
from the effect of his wound re¬ 
ceived at Parmacoil, Major Mon- 
son carried on the siege of Alam- 
parvah, situated twenty-four miles 
to the north of Pondicherry. The 
batteries of the besiegers, raised 
during the nights of the 10th and 
11th, opened on the morning of 
the 12th, and in three hours dis¬ 
mounted most of the guns on the 
enemy’s works. That afternoon 
the Chevalier Viart, the com¬ 
mandant, surrendered at discre¬ 
tion, with a garrison of 50 French¬ 
men and 150 sepoys. Our loss 
was inconsiderable; hut Lieut. 
Angus, of Col. Coote’s regiment, 
was wounded. The loss of this 
fort completed the capture of all 
the defences held by the French 
to the northward of Pondicherry. 

1803. Cutchoura, held by a 
refractory zemindar in the ceded 
district of Oude, being invested, 
the breaching batteries opened 
on the morning of the 12 th March. 
The garrison, attempting to es¬ 
cape by sallying through the 
besiegers, were attacked and pur¬ 
sued with great slaughter, and 
the fortress taken possession of. 

IS 11. Action at Redinha.— 
It being the object of Wellington 
to save Coimbra, rather than force 
an immediate encounter with 
Massena, he retained the 4th 
division and the heavy cavalry 
from the relief of Badajoz, and 
was thus prepared for any sudden 
stroke when the occasion offered. 
At daybreak on the 12th March, 
both armies were in movement, 
and some slight skirmishing dur¬ 
ing a march of eight miles brought 
the head of the British in a 
hollow road leading to a high 
position, in which Ney had dis¬ 
posed 5000 infantry and a few 


squadrons of cavalry, with some 
light guns. His right rested on 
the ravine of the Soure, and his 
left on the Redinha, which passed 
round his rear. Behind him 
stood the village of Redinha, and 
beyond the stream were some 
rugged heights occupied by a 
division of infantry, a regiment 
of cavalry, and a battery of heavy 
guns. Sir William Erskine, 
commanding the light division, 
being directed to attack the 
wooded slopes on Ney’s right, 
the 52nd, 95th, and the ca§adores, 
with a company of the 43rd, car¬ 
ried the ascent and cleared the 
woods ; but the French battalions, 
supported by four guns, opened 
a heavy fire, whilst a charge of 
hussars took 14 prisoners. Ers¬ 
kine, whose five battalions and 
six guns outflanked the enemy’s 
right, was now reinforced by two 
regiments of dragoons, and Picton 
had seized the wooded heights 
protecting the French left. Ne¬ 
vertheless Ney continued boldly 
to hold his ground. In about an 
hour, three shots being fired from 
the British centre, as a signal for a 
forward movement, 30,000 men, 
forming three lines of battle, were 
stretched across the plain, while 
horsemen and guns, springing for¬ 
ward from the centre and the left 
wing, charged under a general 
volley from the French battalions; 
but when the smoke had cleared 
away, no enemy was to be seen. 
Ney, while he opposed Picton’s 
skirmishers with his left, withdrew 
the remainder of his troops with 
such rapidity that he gained the 
village ere the cavalry could 
reach him. The light troops of 
the third division, chasing like 
heated bloodhounds, passed the 
river almost at the same time 
with the French, whose reserves 
cannonaded the bridge from the 
heights beyond ; but a fresh dis- 






XVZarch 13. CALENDAR 


position of attack being made by 
Wellington, while the third di¬ 
vision continued to press the left, 
Ney fell back upon the main 
body, then at Condeixa, ten miles 
distant. The British had 12 of¬ 
ficers and 200 men killed and 
wounded, and the loss of the 
enemy was about the same 
number. 

X&arch 13. 

1801. Battle op Maadie.— 
Between the 8th March and the 
11th tire British army had occa¬ 
sionally some affairs of outposts. 
On the 12th the French, com¬ 
manded by Gen. Eriant, were 
drawn rip along a ridge of sand¬ 
hills reaching from the seaside 
to the lake of Maadie ; but they 
retreated on our approach, and 
encamped at the distance of three 
miles from our front. Some 
skirmishing took place during 
the day, in the course of which 
the French were reinforced from 
Cairo by Gen. Lanusse with two 
half-brigades of infantry and one 
regiment of cavalry, making their 
whole force amount to 7 000 men, 
with flying artillery and effective 
cavalry. All the British cavalry 
embarked for this campaign num¬ 
bered only 470, and nearly the 
whole, for want of horses, did 
duty as infantry: 1000 seamen 
under Capt. Sir Sidney Smith, to 
drag the cannon, with 500 ma¬ 
rines under Lieut.-Col. Smith, 
were landed from the fleet and 
incorporated with the army. On 
the following morning, Friday 
the 13th, the French were still 
seen in their position, in front of 
an old Roman camp, with the 
tower of Mandura, trusting to 
their superiority in cavalry and 
the facility of retiring within the 
walls of Alexandria in case of 
reverse. At 7 o’clock the British 
advanced in two lines by the left, 


OF VICTORY. 73 


with the intention of turning the 
enemy’s right. Our ti'oops had 
proceeded only a short distance, 
when the whole of the French 
cavalry and a considerable body 
ot infantry, with several pieces 
oi cannon, moved down from the 
heights, with the intention of at¬ 
tacking both of our lines, which 
were respectively commanded by 
Major-Gen. Cradock and the Earl 
of Cavan. Their impetuous at¬ 
tack was, however, repulsed by 
the coolness and gallantry of the 
90th and 92nd regiments. Our 
first line then formed two divisions 
to the front of march with prompt¬ 
ness and precision; while the se¬ 
cond line, with the exception of 
its first brigade, continuing still 
in column, turned the right of 
the French army, and forced it 
from its position. The British 
continued thus to advance stea¬ 
dily towards the enemy, driving 
them from position to position, 
till they had reached the fortified 
heights which form the principal 
defence of the ancient city of 
Alexandria. The French, how¬ 
ever, retreated without disorder 
or confusion, skirmishing or more 
seriously engaging throughout the 
day. Four field-pieces and a 
quantity of ammunition formed 
our chief spoils. The French loss 
amounted to 750 killed and wound¬ 
ed ; whilst that of the British was 
186 killed, and 1135 wounded. 

1811 . Retreat of the French. 
—Massena, relinquishing the idea 
of passing the Mondego, deter¬ 
mined to retire by the Puente de 
Murcella, and to ensure his com¬ 
munication with Reynier and 
Loison, had moved Clauzel’s di¬ 
vision to the village of Coberta, 
about five miles on his left. Being 
here rejoined by Loison, and co¬ 
vering the line of communication 
with the 2nd corps, while Ney 
held Condeixa, he considered his 











74 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 14. 


position secure. But Wellington, 
comprehending the state of af¬ 
fairs, detached the 3rd division 
over the Sierra de Anciao, to turn 
the enemy’s left. Massena had 
ordered Ney to fire Condeixa at 
a certain hour, when all the di¬ 
visions were simultaneously to 
concentrate at Casal Nova, in a 
position perpendicular to their 
present one, and covering the 
road to Puente de Murcella. But 
a 3 o’clock, Picton, with the 3rd 
division, was seen winding round 
a mountain about seven miles 
distant, and was already beyond 
the French left. Instantly their 
columns were seen hurrying to¬ 
wards Casal Nova, and a thick 
smoke arose from the ill-fated 
town. The British immediately 
pushed forward ; but felled trees 
and other obstacles impeded their 
advance, while the flames of 
Condeixa stopped the artillery. 
Our skirmishers and some ca¬ 
valry, however, closed sufficiently 
to penetrate between the division 
at Fonte Coberta and the main 
body, and Massena narrowly es¬ 
caped capture. Condeixa being 
thus evacuated, the British ca¬ 
valry pushed towards Coimbra, 
opened the communication with 
Trant, and calling off Montbrun, 
captured several of his horsemen. 

J&Sarch 14. 

1811. Action of Casal Nova. 
—During the night of the 13th 
March, the French divisions quit¬ 
ted Fonte Coberta so cautiously 
that their departure was unper¬ 
ceived by the British light divi¬ 
sion, whose pickets were planted 
close to the enemy ; and Sir Wil¬ 
liam Erskine, under the impres¬ 
sion that the noise of their move¬ 
ment was merely the baggage 
passing to the rear, put the light 
division on march at daylight 


on the 14th. The weather was 
so thick that nothing could be 
descried at a distance, but the 
sound was heard of a great mul¬ 
titude on the hills in front. With 
this evidence of the French being 
there in force,Erskine imprudently 
sent the 52nd forward in column 
of sections, without further pre¬ 
caution, and even before the 
pickets had come in from their 
posts. The riflemen now followed, 
and the rest of the division was 
about to descend the valley, when 
the rattling of musketry, and 
then the sound of cannon, was 
heard. The mist slowly rising, 
discovered the 52nd on the slopes 
of the opposite mountain, engaged 
in the midst of the French army. 
Lord Wellington arriving at this 
moment, directed the light divi¬ 
sion to succour the 52nd, and as 
the enemy’s ground was so ex¬ 
tensive as to occupy their whole 
attention, Picton sent the rifles of 
the 60th to prolong their line. 
The fight was thus vigorously 
maintained amidst the numerous 
enclosures on the mountain side, 
and the right of the enemy was 
partially turned ; but their main 
position remained unshaken until 
Picton and Cole had assailed the 
left. The 1st, 5th, and 6th di¬ 
visions, with heavy cavalry and 
artillery, then moving upon the 
centre, Ney commenced his re¬ 
treat, covering his rear with guns 
and light troops, and retiring 
with such admirable precision 
that for a long time there was no 
confusion, and they suffered but 
very little loss. Towards the 
middle of the day, the British 
guns and skirmishers getting 
within range of his masses, the 
retreat became more rapid ; yet 
he finally gained the strong pass 
of Miranda de Corvo, which had 
been secured by the main body of 
the army. Montbrun also ef- 










XWCarch 15. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 75 


fected a junction, having after a 
difficult march gained the right 
bank of the Deuca. The loss of 
the light division on this day was 
11 officers and 150 men killed 
and wounded. That of the enemy 
was greater, and about 100 pri¬ 
soners were taken. 

1818. The hill-fort of Roarree, 
situated on a range of ghauts, 
commanding the principal pass 
leading from the Concan, near 
Jamboolparra, is of considerable 
strength, covering a circumfe¬ 
rence of a mile and a half. This 
fortress was invested on the 11th 
March by detachments from 
II. M.’s 89tli regiment, the Cory- 
gaum regiment, and from seve¬ 
ral corps of native infantry, Capt. 
Rose of the 89th commanding. 
Finding a body of the enemy 
strongly posted on a height pro¬ 
tected by the guns of the fort, 
the British immediately attack¬ 
ed them with such vigour that 
they were driven to the very 
walls of the fortress, despite the 
heavy fire that covered their re¬ 
treat. The whole strength of the 
field force, commanded by Lieut. - 
Col. Prothers, appeared before 
Roarree during the 12th. On 
the morning of the 14th the 
batteries were opened, and at 7 
o’clock that evening the enemy’s 
principal magazine blew up, and 
the fort surrendered. 

March 15. 

1781. Battle of Guildford 
—At daybreak on 15th March, 
Lord Cornwallis marched to meet 
the enemy, then reported to be 
at Guildford ; and when about 
four miles distant from that town, 
the advance-guard, commanded 
by Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, drove 
back a strong detachment. Short¬ 
ly afterwards, the American army 
was seen strongly posted about a 


mile and a half from the court¬ 
house of Guildford. After a sharp 
cannonade on the enemy’s centre, 
Major-Gen. Leslie, with the 1st 
battalion of guards, the regiment 
of Bose, and the 71st regiment, 
opened a destructive fire on the 
right, while the 23rd and 33rd regi¬ 
ments, supported by the 2nd bat¬ 
talion of guards, under Brigadier- 
Gen. O’Hara, attacked their left. 
The enemy’s first line was speed¬ 
ily broken, but such was the na¬ 
ture of the country that the ope¬ 
rations of the different regiments 
became independent of each other. 
The 1st battalion of guards and 
the regiment of Bose were en¬ 
gaged in front, flank, and rear, 
while the 71st regiment, with the 
grenadiers and 2nd battalion of 
guards, pushing onward, reached 
the court-house. Here they at¬ 
tacked and routed a eorps of 
Continentals far superior to them 
in force, taking two G-pounders ; 
but, pursuing the enemy too 
eagerly, they were driven back by 
Col. Washington’s dragoons, with 
the loss of the captured guns. 
These horsemen were, however, 
dispersed by the fire of two 3- 
pounders, which had just reached 
the ground with the grenadiers 
of the guards. Other regiments 
coming up, the cavalry under 
Lieut.-Col. Tai’leton advanced, 
and, routing the enemy, the long 
disputed guns once more fell into 
our possession. The battle was 
now bravely won over a far su¬ 
perior force, fighting with every 
advantage of position. 

1811 . Combat at Fons 
d’Aronce. —Massena, after set¬ 
ting fire to the town of Miranda, 
passed the Ceira on the night of 
14th March, and concentrated his 
force between the higher Sierras 
and the Mondego, directing Ney 
to cover the passage Avithout 
risking an action. The marshal, 







76 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. march 16 . 


however, disregarding this order, 
kept on the left bank ten or 
twelve battalions, a brigade of 
cavalry, and some guns. The 
British columns did not reach the 
Ceira until 4 o’clock on the even¬ 
ing of the 15th. Wellington, 
ordering the light division and 
Pack’s brigade to hold the 
enemy’s right in play, moved the 
third division against the left, 
and at the same moment, the 
horse artillery opened with great 
effect from a rising ground. Ney’s 
left wing was so overthrown by 
the charge of the third division, 
that they fled in confusion to¬ 
wards the river, where many were 
drowned, while others, crowding 
on the bridge, w r ere crushed to 
death. On the right the ground 
was so rugged and close that the 
action resolved itself into a skir¬ 
mish ; and when darkness came 
on, the French troops in their 
disorder fired upon each other. 
The loss of the British was only 
4 officers and 60 men, but that 
of the enemy was not less than 
500 ; and an eagle was found in 
the river when the waters sub¬ 
sided. 

march 16 . 

1781. Repulse of a Convoy. 
—A detachment of the 1st Bom¬ 
bay and 5th Bengal native bat¬ 
talions, commanded by Captain 
Mackay, escorting a convoy of 
grain from Panwell to the army 
of Gen. Goddard, was attacked 
at the village of Chouke early in 
the morning of the 16th of 
March, by Pureshram Bhow’s 
whole force. Captain Mackay’s 
battalions, amounting to 12,000 
men, behaved admirably, and 
beat off the assailants. One com¬ 
pany of the Bengal sepoys 
routed a troop of horse with the 
bayonet, but, in the eagerness of 


pursuit, were nearly cut off by 
the horsemen. After this success, 
Capt. Mackay remained in po¬ 
sition until night set in, when he 
resumed his march; and the 
next morning he safely delivered 
his convoy at Canpoly head¬ 
quarters. 

1818. Seedgiiur taken. — 
Lieut.-Col. Imlach, having failed 
in an attack upon Scedghur, still 
remained in the neighbourhood 
of that fortress, when, some 
transports with detachments of 
H. M.’s 19th regiment having 
put into the port of Malwan, the 
lieutenant-colonel, availing him¬ 
self of this reinforcement, renewed 
the attack. His batteries opened 
on the 16th of March ; and the 
same day, a breach having been 
effected, the 89th was about to 
storm, when it was discovered 
that the garrison had abandoned 
the place by the rear, and imme¬ 
diate possession was taken of the 
fortress. 

1820. Bhujah Sing, a preda¬ 
tory chief, for full eighteen years 
had supported himself in the 
jungles on the north-east frontier 
of the Barelly and Shahjuhau- 
poor district, making inroads on 
the villages, was this day routed 
by Lieut. Chitty, with a party of 
sepoys from Shahjuhaupoor and 
a detachment of the 1st Rohilla 
horse, in all only 60 men. 
Hearing that the rebel chief was 
encamped in a thick jungle on 
the banks of the Chooka Nullah, 
the lieutenant marched against 
him early in the morning of the 
16th of March. Pickets of 18 
men each were placed at equal 
distances on the road to their 
encampment; but Lieut. Chitty 
before daylight silently extended 
his men in the jungle so as to 
command the main body without 
disturbing their outposts; then, 
commencing independent firing, 









March 17. CALENDAR 


closed upon the enemy, who 
immediately retreated along the 
hanks of the nullah, returning 
the fire until their ammunition 
was expended, when they fled, 
with the loss of 19 killed. 
Bhujah Sing was himself wound¬ 
ed, and his brother, one of his 
principal officers, among the 
slain. Such had been the judi¬ 
cious disposition made by Lieut. 
Chittv of the small force under 
his command, that the loss on 
our side was but trifling. 

March 17. 

1781. The French island of 
Bartholomew this day surren¬ 
dered, on summons, to an expe¬ 
dition consisting of a detachment 
of troops commanded by Lieut..- 
Col. Ferguson, under convoy of 
the Sylph sloop, Capt. Lawrence 
Graeme. 

1823. On the 17th of March, 
Brigadier-Gen. Knox, with the 
1st battalion of the 18th N. I., 
flank company of the 1st bat¬ 
talion of the 25th, and 2nd bat¬ 
talion of the 29th regiment of 
native infantry, and artillery, un 
dcrtook the siege of the fortress 
of Lumba, held by a killidar for 
a refractory chief in Jypoor. 
After a cannonade from 8 until 
11a. m. the garrison surrendered 
at discretion. 

1832. Stockades destroyed. 
—During the expedition against 
Nailing, Malacca, five stockades 
near Soongyapattye having been 
discovered by the British troops 
under Lieut.-Col. Herbert, an 
attack was made upon them in 
the afternoon of the 17th of 
March. Capt. Justice, with the 
right subdivision of the light 
company of the 5th regiment of 
Madras N. I., moving against 
the left, crossed the rice-fields at 
the same time that Lieut. Poole, 


OF VICTORY. 


with the left subdivision, ad¬ 
vanced by the high road toward 
the right of the enemy’s position. 
The left stockade was carried 
with the bayonet, the Malays fly¬ 
ing without even delivering their 
fire. The other detachment, un¬ 
der Lieut. Poole, after enduring 
a sharp fire from the right stock¬ 
ade, drove the enemy from their 
defences. Lieut.-Col. Herbert 
now arriving with a force under 
Capt. Burgess, the stockades were 
set on fire and destroyed. The 
troops then returned to the British 
camp at Rumbish. 

March 18. 

1778. Quintius Bridge.— 
Lieut.-Col. Mawhood, with the 
27tli and 46th regiments of the 
New Jersey volunteers and a de¬ 
tachment of the Queen’s rangers, 
with about 30 cavalry, landed 
on the 18th of March near the 
town of Salem, with the object of 
foraging for the army, and to 
arm the loyalists inclined to take 
part with the British government. 
Col. Mawhood, receiving infor¬ 
mation of an intended attack on 
his troops by a large force ap¬ 
proaching, made a feint of retir¬ 
ing, and thus drew a division of 
the enemy into an ambuscade. 
Then, falling upon the Americans, 
he routed them, and captured 
many prisoners. 

1811. The 1st or Royal regi- 
of dragoons, successfully encoun¬ 
tered a party of the French near 
Sernadilla, Spain, and took a 
sergeant and 12 men prisoners. 

1819. Storm of Ciioora.— 
The Thacoor of Choora being in 
rebellion against the Guicawar 
State, the Hon. Company’s poli¬ 
tical agent at that court directed 
Capt. Gilchrist, with a detachment 
of the 1st battalion of the 6th 
N. I., to support the troops of the 








78 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 19. 


country against the fortress of 
Choora. The pettah submitted 
to the Guicawar forces ; and on 
the 18th of Marh Cacptain Gil¬ 
christ gallantly led his detach¬ 
ment against the fortress, which 
was carried by assault under a 
heavy fire. Lieut. Corker of the 
6th much distinguished himself, 
as did Lieut. Fay of the artillery, 
who was wounded early in the 
action. 

1819. Brigadier-Gen. Dove- 
ton, with the Hyderabad division 
of the army, and the Bombay 
brigade at Neembolah were en¬ 
camped seven miles from Asseer- 
ghur which place was held for the 
Mahratta chief Holkar. On the 
18th of March, Lieut.-Col. Fraser 
of the royals proceeded to attack 
the pettah with a force consist¬ 
ing of detachments of the royals, 
the 30th, 67th regiments, Ma¬ 
dras European regiment, and 
1st battalion 8th regiment Bom¬ 
bay N. I. After some resistance, 
the gate was forced, and the pet¬ 
tah carried. The enemy, how¬ 
ever, rallied under the hill of the 
fortress, but being boldly met by 
about 30 men of the royals, 30th 
and 67th regiments, this last ef¬ 
fort of the enemy was defeated, 
and the pettah secured. In this 
gallant affair Major M"Leod and 
Lieut. Bland of the royals were 
wounded, and one man was killed. 

March 19. 

1779. At the close of 1778, 
the French holding no settlement 
in India but Mahe, on the coast 
of Malabar, it was determined to 
attack their last possession, though 
it was known that such a proceed¬ 
ing would give offence to Hyder 
Ali, who secretly favoured the 
enemy. A native force was ac¬ 
cordingly sent by land, and two 
battalions of the 1st Madras 


European regiment, with artil¬ 
lery, by sea. The whole, under 
Col. Braithwaite, reached the ren¬ 
dezvous at Aujengo, and having 
marched on Mahe, the place sur¬ 
rendered without a shot being 
fired. In the November follow¬ 
ing the fort was blown up, and 
the conquest abandoned. Thus 
terminated the French possession 
in India at that period. 

1810. Whilst Brigadier-Gen. 
Crawfurd was posted on the banks 
of the Agueda, with three regi¬ 
ments of British infantry, the 1st 
regiment of German hussars, 
two battalions of Portuguese ca- 
^adores, and a troop of horse 
artillery, the French were in con¬ 
siderable force on the opposite 
side of the river. During the 
night of the 19th of March, Gen. 
Ferey, an officer of great enter¬ 
prise, pushed across the bridge 
of San Felices with 600 grena¬ 
diers, and, ascending the heights 
beyond, bayoneted the sentries, 
and fell furiously upon the pick¬ 
ets. So sudden was the attack, 
and so great the confusion, that 
the British companies could not 
form ; but each soldier encounter¬ 
ing the nearest enemy, fought 
hand to hand. Col. Sidney Beck¬ 
with, however, restoring order, 
urged the contest with such vi¬ 
gour that in a quarter of an hour 
the French column was borne 
back, and driven over the edge 
of the descent, 

1812. Sortie from Badajoz 
repulsed.— At 1 o’clock in the 
morning some cavalry came out 
of the Talavera gate, and 1300 in¬ 
fantry, under Gen. Yielland, filed 
unobserved into the communica¬ 
tion between the Pecurina and 
the San Roque. These troops, 
now reinforced by 100 men, rush¬ 
ing out, at once drove the work¬ 
men, and began to demolish the 
parallel. Major-Gen. Bowes soon 








BSarcli 20. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 79 


rallied the troops under his com¬ 
mand, and the enemy were driven 
back, even to the castle. In this 
sharp contest the besieged lost 
above 300 men and officers, the 
besiegers less than half that num¬ 
ber ; but Col. Fletcher, the chief 
engineer, was badly wounded. 

1814. Action of Vic Bigorre. 
— Gen. D’Erlon, being directed 
by Soult to take post at Vic Bi¬ 
gorre, and check the advance of 
the allies, in the expectation of 
meeting Gen. Berton at that place, 
rode slowly on before his troops; 
but, to his surprise, he found the 
town in possession of the German 
cavalry. Then, hurrying forward, 
he had only time to place Dorri- 
cau’s division, now under Gen. 
Paris, amongst some vineyards 
two miles in front of Vic Bigorre, 
when Picton, arriving to the sup¬ 
port of the cavalry, fell upon him. 
The action commenced about 2 
o’clock, and Paris was soon driven 
back in disorder ; but D’Armag- 
nac’s division, extending to the 
Adour, renewed the fight until 
D’Erlon’s right was turned by the 
light division and by the hussars; 
whereupon he likewise fell back 
behind Vic Bigorre. The Anglo- 
Portuguese lost about 250 men 
and officers, and among the slain 
Col. Henry Sturgeon. 

1819. On the evening of the 
19th of March, at dusk, a body of 
the enemy, passing silently down 
a ravine in rear of the Pettah of 
Asseerghur, made its way into the 
principal street. Here, met by 
Lieut.-Col. Fraser of the royals, 
the assailants were repulsed, and 
the pettah preserved: but the suc¬ 
cess cost its defenders dearly; 
their gallant commanding officer 
was shot while ordering his men 
to cease firing and use the bayo¬ 
net. 


BSarch. 20. 

1760. Skirmish at Calvaire. 
— Two hundred light infantry, 
some grenadiers, and other troops, 
under Capt. M‘Donald, from 
Quebec, guided by a French de¬ 
serter, on the 20th of March sur¬ 
prised a strong party of the 
French at Calvaire, near Augus¬ 
tine, intrenched and fortified by 
logs. A dwelling near at hand 
was the first attacked, and the 
enemy had 4 killed and 9 
wounded, and 20 taken prisoners. 
The French in the camp were 
in the meantime perceived to 
be making preparations for de¬ 
fence; but the light troops rush¬ 
ing in upon them, the enemy 
threw down their arms and fled, 
leaving 5 killed and 13 wounded, 
while about 80 men were taken 
prisoners by the grenadiers who 
came up to the support of the 
light infantry. We only lost 6 
men, but had nearly 100 dis¬ 
abled from the frost. 

1803. During the campaign in 
Ceylon, Capt. Beaver of the 19th 
regiment, with a small detach¬ 
ment, attacked the fort of Rath- 
mahgalle, on an almost perpendi¬ 
cular height. It was stormed and 
carried under heavy fire, and the 
defenders driven into the woods. 

1807. Alexandria surrendered 
to an expedition under Major- 
Gen. Fraser, the squadron com¬ 
manded by Capt. Hallo well, 
H.M.S. Tigre. 

1814. Combat at Tarbes.— 
Soult, still disputing every avail¬ 
able position, formed his army 
early on the 20th March, on the 
heights of Qleac, behind Tarbes, 
which town he still held, while he 
sent Pierre Soult, with five regi¬ 
ments of cavalry, forward to 
the Trie road, to cover his right 
flank, and secure the route to 
Audi. At daybreak on the 20th 






80 CxiLENDAR OF VICTORY. march 21. 


the British advanced in two co¬ 
lumns. The right, under Lieut. - 
Gen. Hill, moved along the high 
road, to carry the bridge and town 
of Tarbes; whilst the left, com¬ 
manded by Lieut.-Gen. Clinton 
(to which column Wellington 
attached himself), passing through 
the willage of Douars, threw itself 
between the divisions of Harispe, 
who occupied the heights of Orleix, 
and Pierre Soult. Under cover of 
this attack, Gen. Clinton, making 
a movement to his left through 
the village of Douars, endeavoured 
to get between Harispe’s right 
and the main position of Soult at 
Oleac. In the meantime Gen. 
Hill, moving by the other bank 
of the Adour, assailed the town 
of Tarbes, defended by Villatte’s 
division. This movement also 
menaced Clauzel’s two divisions; 
and while Hill bore upon his left 
at Tarbes, the light division, sup¬ 
ported by cavalry and guns, fell 
upon his centre at Orleix. Gen. 
Clinton, opening a brisk cannon¬ 
ade, passed through the villages 
of Oleac and Boulin, and, dividing 
the corps of Harispe and Pierre 
Soult, cut off the latter from the 
army. It was about 12 o’clock, 
when a heavy cannonade opened 
from the artillery of Hill on the 
right, and then of Clinton on the 
left. The light division of Alten 
threw itself in mass upon the 
centre, where the left brigade of 
Harispe was suddenly assailed by 
the three rifle battalions. Al¬ 
though the French fought with 
great determination, they were at 
length compelled to give way; and 
Harispe’s centre being thus over¬ 
thrown, he retired rapidly before 
Clinton could get into his rear. 
During this sharp struggle, Hill 
had forced the passage of the 
Adour at Tarbes, and Villatte re¬ 
treated along the road to Tour- 
nay, under a heavy cannonade. 


The country now became covered 
by the confused masses of the 
French and their pursuers, but 
deep ditches and enclosures pre¬ 
vented the British cavalry from 
acting. Clauzel, having with 
great ability extricated his troops 
from their dangerous situation, 
finally gained the main position, 
where four fresh divisions, drawn 
up in order of battle, immediately 
opened all their batteries upon 
the allies. Darkness coming on, 
Wellington halted the army on 
the banks of the Larret and 
Larros rivers. The loss of the 
allies did not exceed 120; but of 
that number 12 officers and 80 men 
were of the rifle battalions. The 
loss of the French could not be 
ascertained. 

1801. The Swedish island of 
St. Bartholomew, in the West 
Indies, surrendered by capitula¬ 
tion to a naval and militarv force, 
under Rear-Adm. Sir I. T. Duck¬ 
worth and Lieut.-Gen. Trigge. 

XVXarch 21. 

1791. Bangalore stormed. 
—On the night of 21st March, 
Lord Cornwallis hazarded the 
assault of Bangalore, though the 
breaches were yet incomplete, and 
the Sultan with his whole army 
lay in sight of the town. The 
valour of the assailants bore down 
all opposition; the enemy in their 
flight crowded and choked the 
gate. A deplorable carnage en¬ 
sued, and the bodies of more than 
1000 of the garrison were buried 
after the assault. 

1801. Battle of Alexandria. 
— The British army, commanded 
by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Ralph Aber- 
cromby, occupied the same posi¬ 
tion which they had won on the 
13th of March, comprising a 
front of rather more than a mile 
in extent, from the canal of Alex- 








March 21. CALENDAR 


andria and lake Maadie on the 
left, to the sea on the right. The 
centre lay along a range of hills, 
from which the slope descended 
gradually towards the enemy ; 
while the right rested upon a 
second ridge, amid which, and 
near the shore, stood the ruins of 
an ancient palace, which was oc¬ 
cupied by the 58th regiment; and 
not far from the ruin a redoubt 
was erected, in which was thrown 
the 38th regiment. The 42nd, 
40th, and Corsican Rangers next 
took up the line, and carried it on; 
the reserve of cavalry were in the 
hollow. The guards, composing 
the right of the centre, crowned 
the heights, the royals, 92nd, 2nd 
battalion 54th, and 12th battalion 
54th, formed en echelon to the left ; 
while the 8th, 18th, 90th, and 13th 
extended also en echelon , till they 
rested upon a battery near the 
canal. The second line, consist¬ 
ing of the Minorca regiment, 
De Rolle’s, Dillon’s, the 2nd, 44tli, 
89th, 130th, and the 22nd and 
26th dragoons (part dismount¬ 
ed), lay about 500 yards to the rear. 
The 27th, 56th, and 79th again 
faced the canal, and the whole 
were covered by a chain of 
pickets along the foot of the 
sandhills. The artillery consisted 
of two 24-pounders, and 32 
field-pieces, besides a 24-pounder 
in the redoubt of the 58th. The 
whole strength, now reduced by 
detachments and casualties, did 
not amount to more than 11,000 
effective men. On the 20th, the 
20th regiment joined from Abou- 
kir, and on that day the French 
army was reinforced by the ar¬ 
rival of General Menon, with 
9000 men from the interior, mak¬ 
ing their whole force to consist 
of 16,000 men, including 1500 
cavalry. At 3 o’clock on the 
morning of the 21st, as was the 
daily practice, the British army 


OF VICTORY. 81 


was under arms. By and by a 
musket was heard, quickly fol¬ 
lowed by three guns, and in ano¬ 
ther minute the roll of musketry 
awakened all the energies of 
the troops. The enemy had at¬ 
tacked a picket near the canal, 
and was repulsed; but it was not 
long before loud cries of Vive la 
Republique were heard from the 
advancing corps of the enemy. 
The redoubt, the ruins, and one 
wing of the 42nd, were attacked 
with great fury; but on all points 
the assailants were successfully 
resisted by the 28th, 58th, 42nd, 
and by the 40th, which latter, 
moving briskly to the support of 
the 58th, rendered more com¬ 
plete the victory that regiment 
had already won. A fresh column 
of the enemy silently penetrated 
through a hollow way between the 
guards and the left of the 42nd ; 
and, gaining unperceived the rear 
of the latter corps, took it in re¬ 
verse. Then, pushing upon the 
redoubt, they became engaged by 
the right wing of the 42nd, which . 
rushed upon them with the bayo¬ 
net, while the rear-rank of the 
left wing, facing about, charged 
fiercely at the same moment. De¬ 
spite this twofold attack, the 
gallant enemy, maiptaining its 
character of “ Invincibles,” rushed 
on in face of a murderous fire 
from the 28th regiment, and dash¬ 
ing at the ruins, made good their 
entrance, closely followed by the 
42nd. A desperate struggle now 
took place with the bayonet and 
but-end, and while the 40th and 
58th received the French in front, 
the highlanders hung upon their 
rear; but the contest was not of 
long duration. After three-fourths 
of the “ Invincibles ” had fallen, 
the remainder, about 200, laid 
down their arms. In the mean¬ 
while fresh columns of infantry 
bore hard upon the left wing of 


G 






82 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 22. 


the 42nd, but Major-Gen. Moore 
now bringing up rapidly the re¬ 
mainder of the regiment, the en¬ 
thusiasm of the men was greatly 
excited by Sir Ralph exclaiming 
“ My brave highlanders, remem¬ 
ber your country, remember your 
fathers.” A loud shout followed 
this brief address; and then, after 
throwing in a well directed volley, 
rushing forward with the bayonet, 
the enemy fled in great confusion. 
Amid the glimmering of dawn 
several squadrons of horse broke 
in upon the 42nd, and, ere they 
could recover their order, passed 
through their ranks Still the re¬ 
giment, though broken, was far 
from defeated, and the horsemen 
at length driven back with heavy 
loss. The attack was again and 
again renewed in this quarter, 
until the whole space was strewed 
with the slain. Sir Ralph Aber- 
cromby, without any attendant, 
was moving about, cheering the 
men, when two French dragoons 
rode furiously at him, and one of 
the troopers passed his sword 
under the general’s arm. Though 
severely bruised, Abercromby 
wrested the weapon from his an¬ 
tagonist, while the other adversary 
was shot by a corporal of the 
42nd. Shortly after this occur¬ 
rence the general was mortally 
wounded by a musket-ball, which 
lodged in the hip-joint; but he 
did not quit the field until the 
battle was won. In the centre 
the guards, the royals, and the 
54th were successively attacked, 
but not for an instant did they 
penetrate through the line. The 
left remained free from other mo¬ 
lestation than a distant cannonade. 
It was now 8 o’clock, and the 
French, repulsed in all quarters, 
only sustaining the combat with 
their cannon and skirmishers, re¬ 
treated in haste, and, not being 
pursued, effected their escape to 


Alexandria. The loss of the 
French is computed at 3000. The 
field was covered with the killed 
and wounded, 1040 of whom 
were buried by the English ; and 
among the slain were Gens. 
Lanusse, Roize, and Baudot. The 
total number of British killed and 
wounded amounted to 1400, in¬ 
cluding among the latter Major- 
Gen. Moore, Brigadier-Generals 
Oakes and Hope, and Col. Paget. 

March 22. 

1810. Attack on Santa 
Maura. — A small force under 
Brigadier-Gen. Oswald landed on 
the 22nd March, from the 74-gun 
ships Montagu and Magnificent, 
and Belle Poule frigate, to reduce 
the Island of Santa Maura, be¬ 
tween Corfu and Cephalonia. The 
fortress is situated on a narrow 
sandy isthmus of 3 miles in length, 
which joins it to the island ; and 
it has besides a direct communi¬ 
cation with the town, by a sin¬ 
gularly narrow causeway, nearly 
a mile in length. The neck of 
land is defended by two small 
redoubts, and an intrenchment 
regularly constructed, and capable 
of much resistance. The advance, 
under Major Bosset, was com¬ 
posed of 160 men of De Rolle’s, on 
the right; 240 marines, under 
Capt. Snowe, in the centre; and 
the left of 216 men of the Cala¬ 
brian free corps, under Major 
Oswald; with a reserve of 100 men 
of the Calabrese on each flank. 
This force, commanded by Major 
Clark, formed at an early hour 
preparatory for the assault. The 
line to be attacked extending from 
across the isthmus, Avas mounted 
with four pieces of cannon, well 
flanked and manned by 500 in¬ 
fantry, having a wet ditch with 
an abatis in front, and so well 
protected on the sea side as to be 








March 23. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 83 


almost secure from the fire of 
shipping. The town having sur¬ 
rendered without opposition, a 
small force was left in possession, 
while the main body moved for¬ 
ward towards the citadel. It 
was soon discovered that the 
enemy had thrown up two re¬ 
doubts upon the neck of land, 
whence it was necessary to drive 
them before anything could be 
undertaken against the principal 
work. Whilst the Leonidas fri¬ 
gate cannonaded the redoubts, the 
troops, headed by Gen. Oswald, 
advanced under a heavy fire, 
drove the enemy from their in- 
trenchments at the point of the 
bayonet, and followed them so 
closely that they had not time to 
rally at the second redoubt, but 
fled through it, and were pursued 
close to the walls of the citadel. 
As the column advanced, left in 
front, the Calabrian troops be¬ 
came the leading division of the 
battalion under Major Clark, but 
at the first discharge of grape and 
musketry from the enemy, the 
Calabrese threw themselves on 
the ground, and, in spite of every 
effort to rallv them and the in- 
dignant treatment of the other 
troops, they remained immove¬ 
able. The marines, cheering, 
passed over their bodies, and 
dashing forward, broke through 
the abatis ; then, rushing into the 
intrenchments, pursued the enemy, 
until their gallant progress was 
arrested by an order to fall back 
to the redoubts they had so nobly 
carried. 

1814. Defeat of French 
Cavalry. — Soult, apprehensive 
that the allies, moving by Trie 
and Castelnau, would gain the 
plains of Muret, and intercept his 
retreat upon Toulouse, directed 
his corps to march rapidly towards 
that point. The allies pursued 
in three columns by St. Gaudens, 


Galan, and Trie, but without 
much haste. On the 21st March, 
Beresford, commanding fhe left 
column, was at Castlenau, Hill in 
the vicinity of Lannemazan, and 
Wellington at Tournay. On the 
22nd, while Beresford remained 
at Castlenau, Wellington reached 
Galan, and Hill Monrejean ; 
whilst Fane’s horsemen pushed 
forward to St. Gaudens. Here 
four squadrons of French cavalry, 
drawn up in front of the town, 
were overthrown by two squa¬ 
drons of the 13th dragoons, led 
by the veteran Major Dogherty, 
who was seen charging between 
his two sons at the head of the 
leading squadron. The enemy 
galloped in disorder through the 
town, yet rallied on the other 
side, and were again broken and 
pursued for two miles, many being 
sabred, and above a hundred 
taken pi’isoners, 30 of whom 
were badly wounded. Altogether, 
this was one of the most dash¬ 
ing affairs of cavalry that oc¬ 
curred during the campaign; but, 
as the official report did not ap¬ 
pear in the Gazette until after 
the occupation of Paris, when the 
war might be considered to have 
terminated, the enterprise did 
not obtain the notice it deserved. 

March 23. 

1706. Defence ofMontjuich 
—The city of Barcelona, captured 
by the Earl of Peterborough in 
the previous year, continued to 
be held for Charles III. of Aus¬ 
tria; but was closely besieged 
by the French, until the arrival 
of the British fleet under Adm. 
Leake on 1st May, 1706. Previous 
to this event, the citadel of fort 
Montjuich had fallen, after hav¬ 
ing been obstinately defended, but 
more particularly on the 23rd 
March. On that morning the 

















84 CALENDAR 


Freneh made a strong effort to 
carry the fortress by assault, but 
were gallantly repulsed by Ha¬ 
milton’s regiment, of which corps 
100 men had just reached the 
garrison, after a march of seventy 
miles within the last two days. 
The French are represented to 
have been less annoyed at their 
actual defeat than by the gibes 
and jeers of the British troops, 
which reached their ears as they 
were repelled from the walls of 
the citadel. 

1757. Reduction of Chan¬ 
dernagore. — After having 
brought the Nabob of Bengal to 
terms by the victory obtained on 
5th February, it was determined 
to attack the French settlement 
of Chandernagore. Accordingly, 
a joint expedition, the navy under 
Admiral Watson and the army 
under Col. Clive, proceeded on 
this service. On the 14th March 
Clive invested Chandernagore, 
with a small force which had 
marched from Calcutta and other 
places, together with detachments 
landed from the fleet. At day¬ 
break on the 23rd, the ships pro¬ 
ceeded up the river, and having 
anchored in suitable positions, a 
simultaneous cannonade by the 
squadron and batteries opened at 
sunrise. After an unremitting 
fire of several hours, the enemy 
held out a flag of truce. Nego¬ 
tiations were entered into, and at 
3 o’clock the fort surrendered. 
The garrison consisted of 300 
French troops, 300 inhabitants 
and sailors, and 400 sepoys. 
Their loss amounted to 40 killed 
and 70 wounded. The casualties 
of the English, 150 killed and 
wounded. 

1794. Surrender of Mar¬ 
tinique. —The island of Marti¬ 
nique was attacked, as we have 
previously related, on the 5th of 
February, by Vice-Admiral Sir 


OF VICTORY. March 24. 


John Jervis, with a squadron of 
five ships of the line and several 
frigates, and 7000 troops com¬ 
manded by Lieut.-General Sir 
George Grey. On the 16th of 
March the whole island, with 
the exception of forts Bourbon 
and Royal, was in possession of 
the British. Articles of capitu¬ 
lation were signed on the 22nd ; 
and on the following day the co¬ 
lony surrendered to His Britannic 
Majesty, and the troops took for¬ 
mal possession of fort Bourbon at 
4 o’clock in the same afternoon. 
The total loss of the British 
amounted to 71 killed and 193 
wounded. 

March 24. 

1801. Reduction of St. 
Martin.— The expedition under 
Rear-Adm. Sir J. T. Duckworth 
and Lieut.-Gen. Trigge, after the 
capitulation of the Swedish island 
of St. Bartholomew, in the West 
Indies, proceeded to attack the 
Dutch island of St. Martin. The 
military force consisted of the 1st 
battalion of royals, some com¬ 
panies of the 3rd Buffs, the 11th, 
64th, and the 3rd and 8th West 
India regiments, with detach¬ 
ments of royal artillery and sap¬ 
pers and miners. The troops, 
formed in two brigades, respec¬ 
tively commanded by Gens. Ful¬ 
ler and Maitland, were landed on 
the island of St. Martin at day¬ 
break on the 24th of March, and 
speedily gained the heights to¬ 
wards Fort Amsterdam, although 
opposed by detachments of the 
enemy ; and here the 8th West 
India regiment particularly dis¬ 
tinguished itself. The main body 
of the Dutch, instead of being, as 
was expected, opposed to the first 
brigade, which had marched to 
attack fort Chesterfield, now 
advanced with two field-pieces 







IVXarch 25. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


85 


against Brigadier-Gen. Maitland. 
After a short contest, they were 
gallantly repulsed by the 64th 
regiment, commanded by Lieut. - 
Col. Pakenham, and the 8th 
West India regiment, with the 
loss of more than 50 men, while 
the casualties on our side were 
but trifling. No further oppo¬ 
sition was attempted by the 
Dutch, who that evening opened 
a negotiation for the surrender of 
the colony, which was concluded 
before midnight. Lieut.-Gen. 
Trigge, in his despatch, speaks 
in terms of commendation of the 
conduct of the whole of the 
troops, and particularly notices 
the 64th and the 8th West India 
regiments. 

1818. The fortress of Dha- 
monee, held by a killidar in 
rebellion against the state of 
Nagpore and the British Govern¬ 
ment, was besieged by a division 
of our army under Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir D. Marshall. The batteries 
of the desiegers opened early in 
the morning of the 24th of March; 
and their effective fire brought 
the enemy to terms before noon, 
when the fortress surrendered at 
discretion. 

1842. Assault on Jella- 
labad.— One of the determined 
efforts of the British garrison 
under Major-Gen. Sale to hold 
possession of Jellalabad against 
the assaults of an almost count¬ 
less force of Affghans, occurred on 
the 24th of March. The enemy, 
in great strength, attacked the 
transverse walls of the fortress 
to the northward, but were gal¬ 
lantly repulsed by a body of the 
defenders under command of 
Captain Broadfoot, of the Shah 
Soojah’s sappers, who was se¬ 
verely wounded on the occasion. 
Capt. Fenwick and a detachment 
of H. M.’s 13th light infantry also 
shared in the honour of the day. 


1843. Major-Gen. Sir Charles 
Napier^with a British force 5000 
strong, routed about 20,000 Be- 
loochees, under the command of 
the Ameer of Neerpore, near 
Hyderabad. 

XVIarcli 25. 

1796. Brigadier-Gen. Nicolls, 
acting against the French and 
insurgents at Grenada, made but 
little progress until he received 
reinforcements on the 24th of 
March. The next day, under 
cover of the fire of a battery 
raised during the previous night, 
detachments of the 88th regi¬ 
ment and the black corps of the 
island were sent against the left 
of the enemy, but were repulsed ; 
and at this moment the English 
had the mortification of seeing 
two transports, with French 
troops, enter the harbour. A 
part of the 8th regiment was 
then ordered to renew the attack 
on the enemy’s left, while de¬ 
tachments of the 3rd Buffs and 
63rd regiment advanced on a 
hill and redoubt mounting four 
16-pounders and swivels, which 
covered the approach to Port 
Royal. Meeting at first with a 
check, they were reinforced by 
fresh detachments, including a 
part of the 29th regiment; and, 
after the fall of Lieut.-Col. Daw¬ 
son, Major Edwards, and Lieut. 
Williams, all of the Buffs, with 
other officers and many men, 
this formidable position was car¬ 
ried, and the redoubt stormed. 

1812. Siege of Badajoz.— 
As Major-Gen Kempt, with 500 
men of the third division, ad¬ 
vanced, at about 9 o’clock in the 
morning of the 25th of March, 
to attack the Picurina, the fort 
seemed one mass of fire. The 
assailants, with undaunted cou¬ 
rage, endeavoured to break 

















86 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 26. 


through the palisades in the rear. 
This failing, an effort was made 
against the faces of the work ; 
but they were baffled by the 
depth of the ditch and the stand¬ 
ing stakes at the top of the 
brickwork. The crisis appearing 
imminent, Kempt sent the re¬ 
serve against the front; the 
carnage became terrible, and a 
battalion coming out from the 
town to succour the fort, was 
beaten by the party on the com¬ 
munication. The guns of Bada- 
joz and of the castle now opened, 
whilst the Picurina sent out 
streams of fire, by the light of 
which dark figures were seen 
furiously struggling on the ram¬ 
parts. Meanwhile the axemen 
of the light division discovered 
the gate, and broke in by the 
rear; nevertheless the struggle 
continued. Capts. Powis of the 
83rd, and Oates of the 88th, 
and other gallant leaders, fell 
wounded on or beyond the ram¬ 
part. Nixon, of the 62nd, was 
shot within the gate, Shaw, 
Rudd, and nearly all the other 
officers had fallen outside ; and 
it was not until half the garrison 
were killed that Caspar Thiery, 
the commandant, and 86 men, 
surrendered ; while a few, endea¬ 
vouring to cross the inundation, 
were drowned. This heroic as¬ 
sault, which lasted an hour, cost 
the British, 4 officers and 50 men 
killed, 15 officers and 250 men 
wounded. 

1811. Action near Campo 
Mayor. —Marshal Beresford, on 
the 23rd of March, moved from 
Portalegre, with a force of 20,000 
infantry, 2000 cavalry, and 18 
guns, to relieve Campo Mayor 
and besiege Badajoz. In the 
morning of the 25th his advanced 
guard of cavalry, supported by 
infantry under Colborne, came 
suddenly upon Campo Mayor 


just as Latour Maubourg was 
marching out in confusion, with 
1200 cavalry, three battalions of 
infantry, some horse artillery, 
and the battering train of thirteen 
guns. He was pursued by the 
allies; and, after passing some 
wooded heights, he emerged on a 
fine plain. Col. Colborne was 
on the right at some distance 
from the enemy; but Col. Head, 
with the 13th light dragoons, 
was on the left, close to them, 
supported by Col. Otway, with two 
squadrons of the 7th Portuguese, 
the heavy cavalry remaining in 
reserve. The French hussars, 
suddenly emerging from behind 
their infantry, fell on the 13th 
dragoons; and so fiercely did 
they come together that many 
men on both sides were dis¬ 
mounted by the shock, and both 
parties pierced clear through to 
the opposite side ; then re-formed, 
and passed again in the same 
ruthless manner to their own 
ground. But Head’s horsemen 
rallying quicker than the French, 
rode a third time so closely in 
upon them, that they overthrew 
horse and man; and, although 
under the fire of their infantry 
squares, they charged upon the 
battering train, and barred their 
line of march, in expectation that 
the heavy cavalry would also fall 
on ; but Beresford would not 
suffer the latter to advance, and 
the French resumed their march. 
The 13th and the Portuguese, 
however, continued the pursuit 
in a rash and disorderly manner, 
even to the bridge of Badajoz. 

March 26. 

1811. Cavalry Patrol. — 
While Massena was endeavouring 
to maintain his hold upon Portu¬ 
gal, many were the encounters be¬ 
tween the patrols and foraging 

















IVIarch 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 87 


parties of the French and English 
armies; and an affair which re¬ 
flected the highest credit upon 
the British officei's and men en¬ 
gaged, occurred near Guarda. 
Lieut. Perse, with a small de¬ 
tachment of the 16th light dra¬ 
goons, and Lieut. Foster, in com¬ 
mand of a detachment of the 
royals, forming one of the patrols 
between Alverca and Guarda, 
attacked a detachment of French, 
cavalry, which they routed, kill¬ 
ing or wounding many, and tak¬ 
ing the officer in command, and 
37 of his men, prisoners. 

1819. Surrender of Biioojia. 
— On the 26th of March the hill 
fort of Bhoojia, and the city of 
Bhooj, the capital of Cutch, sur¬ 
rendered to the British native 
and European army under Major- 
Gen. Keir. Some hours after the 
success, which completely occu¬ 
pied the attention of the enemy, 
who had gladly returned to the 
fortress, a storming party, consist¬ 
ing of a detachment of II. M.’s 
65th regiment, commanded by 
Capt. Digley, was sent forward in 
order to arrive at the foot of the 
walls of the forts at daybreak on 
the 26th of March. This attack, 
which was planned by Lieut. 
Kinion of the engineers, admir¬ 
ably succeeded, and the enemy, 
taken by surprise, fled towards 
the gate leading to the town, but 
not before many of the garrison 
were slain. The besieged were 
so dismayed by the prowess of 
the assailants, that the capital sur¬ 
rendered, and the Rao, who had 
fallen under the displeasure of 
the British, by wantonly putting 
his brother to death, delivered 
himself into the hands of Major- 
Gen. Keir. 

1825. On this day a company 
of infantry, with a few rockets, 
were sent over to an island form¬ 
ed by the channel of the river 


Irrawaddy. Here they forced 
some 15 war-boats of the ene¬ 
my from a position on the river 
commanding the British camp. 
At first these boats showed fight, 
but a discharge of rockets soon 
dispersed them, and they speedily 
moved out of harm’s way. At 
nightfall, an old pagoda, 300 
yards from the enemy’s works, 
was occupied by H. M.’s 47th 
regiment, and ground was broken 
before Donoobew, which ulti¬ 
mately led to the abandonment of 
the place by the Burmese. 

1825. On the 26th of March, 
the army, under Brigadier-Gen. 
Morrison, advancing upon the 
city of Arracan, crossed the Wab- 
raing river in four columns, 
drove the enemy from their de¬ 
fences, and made them abandon 
their stockades at Ivheong Peela. 

March 27. 

1664. The Earl of Teviot, Go¬ 
vernor of Tangier, made a sally 
from that fortress with a troop of 
horse, and routed a body of 
Moors lying in ambush. 

1799. Battle of Malvelly. 
—AfterTippoo had lost several op¬ 
portunities of attacking the army 
of the Carnatic with advantage, 
he resolved to hazard a battle at 
Malvelly. His plan of attack was 
to break through the right of the 
British by a force of 300 men, 
commanded by his able adviser, 
Boorniah, and Tippoo was then 
to pour his whole force of cavalry 
into the opening, and cut through 
the army. Gen. Harris, aware of 
the enemy’s intention, prepared the 
Scotch brigade for their reception. 
The troops had scarcely formed 
on the morning of 27th March, 
when 300 horsemen, infuriated by 
stimulating liquors, burst from 
the jungle. In another minute, 
about 40 men and horses rolled 


G 4 









88 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 28. 


on the ground within 20 yards of 
the line, by a well directed volley. 
The right wing then advanced; 
but Tippoo’s soldiers were so dis¬ 
heartened by the failure of their 
first charge, that they instantly 
retreated, and the English were 
too deficient in means of trans¬ 
port for artillery and stores to at¬ 
tempt a pursuit. Meanwhile Col. 
Wellesley, on the left, advanced 
en echelon of battalions, support¬ 
ed by cavalry under Colonel 
Floyd; and the 33rd regiment 
became alone opposed to nearly 
2000 of Tippoo’s infantry. After 
a short exchange of musketry, 
the British regiment advanced 
with such determination that the 
enemy broke into disorder, and 
Col. Floyd, seizing this opportu¬ 
nity, fell upon them with his ca¬ 
valry with such effect that num¬ 
bers were slain, six standards 
captured, and the rout became 
general. The loss on the part of 
the British was no more than 66 
killed and wounded ; while that 
of Tippoo was nearly 2000. 

1825. Action near Donoo- 
bew. — As the night of the 26th 
March bi-ought with it a clear 
and cloudless moon, the troops 
under Gen. Campbell though 
within cannon-shot of the stock¬ 
ades, were so strongly posted that 
they lay down to rest. Suddenly, 
however, the rapid discharge of 
musketry and the running in of 
the picket on the right flank 
called the men to their guns, and 
to prepare for battle. Then arose 
a discordant yell, and a crowd of 
Burmans rushing towards the 
camp, began a desultory fire. 
This bold effort on the part of 
Bandoola failed to produce any 
effect, and the remainder of the 
night being dark, they were en¬ 
abled to carry off their killed and 
wounded. On the morning of the 
27th the flotilla was seen in full 


sail ascending the river. The 
Burmese made desperate efforts 
to resist its progress, but 13 of 
their war-boats were soon cap¬ 
tured. In the meantime a power¬ 
ful sortie, in which 17 elephants 
took a part, was repelled with 
great slaughter ; the body-guard 
charging both elephants and ca¬ 
valry, and overthrowing them. 

1825. In continuation of the 
British successes in the advance 
against Arracan under Brigadier- 
Gen. Morrison, Major Carter, 
with detachments of H. M.’s 44th 
and 54th regiments, supported 
by other troops, this day compel¬ 
led the enemy to abandon their 
posts on the river near Mahatee, 
and secured the bridge on the 
road to Arracan. 

1835. It would appear that the 
dispersion of the Caffres on the 
12th of February had only the 
effect of intimidating them for a 
time. By the 27th of March they 
had gathered in such strength on 
the bank of the Iveiskamma, that 
the British troops again attacked 
them ; and Col. Smith, crossing 
the river, routed a large horde 
of the savages, took many pri¬ 
soners, destroyed 500 huts, and 
captured 1200 head of cattle. 

March 23. 

1791. Action with Tippoo. 
— Immediately after the reduc¬ 
tion of Bangalore, the breaches 
were repaired and the place put in 
a state of defence, with a con¬ 
siderable garrison. The army, 
under Lord Cornwallis, changed 
its ground to the westward of the 
fort on the 22nd March, and on 
the 28th moved towards Dean- 
hully. At the same time the 
Mysore forces marched towards 
Ballipore, and at daybreak the 
Sultan’s army crossed the front 
of the British advance-guard at 








March 29. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 89 


the distance of three miles. 
Tippoo’s object was to avoid a 
battle, and he continued his re¬ 
treat, covered by the Mysore ca¬ 
valry under his personal com¬ 
mand. The bullocks became so 
exhausted for want of food that 
they could no longer drag the 
guns; but the Europeans and 
sepoys, seizing the drag-ropes, 
brought them along with them, 
frequently at a run. The enemy’s 
cavalry were dispersed by the ar¬ 
tillery wherever they made a stand, 
and their infantry were at last 
so hard pressed as to be obliged 
to break into several columns, and 
effect their retreat by different 
routes. One brass 9-pounder and 
some ammunition waggons were 
taken; and the British army, after 
having marched twenty miles, now 
encamped in a country abounding 
in forage. The Sultan’s army on 
the same night assembled at Great 
Ballipoor, but in course of a few 
hours continued their march to¬ 
wards Seragunga. 

1810. The British squadron 
under Rear-Admiral Duckworth, 
with the force commanded by 
Lieut.-Gen. Trigge, having se¬ 
cured possession of the island of 
St. Martin (taken on the 24th of 
March), appeared before the 
Danish West India islands of St. 
Thomas and St. John on the 
28th, and received their submis¬ 
sion to the British Crown. 

1811. On this day several 
detachments of the British army 
obtained advantages over the 
French under Massena. A patrol 
of light cavalry and a party of 
the 95th regiment, under com¬ 
mand of Major-Gen. Slade, forced 
the enemy to retire from Frexadas, 
on which occasion Brigade-Major 
Stewart of the 95th was killed. 
Another affair arose out of an 
encounter of a patrol of light in¬ 
fantry under command of Col. the 


Hon. J. Ramsay, with a French 
detachment at Avelans. The 
enemy had several killed and 
wounded, and many prisoners 
were taken. The royals, who 
were actively engaged in the 
skirmishes of the day, captured a 
car laden with officers’ baggage. 

March 29. 

1760. Capture of Carical. 
— A squadron under Rear-Adm. 
Cornish arrived in Carical road 
on the 28th March, and at five in 
the evening Major Monson, with 
300 marines and 50 pioneers, 
landed about four miles to the 
north of the place. They marched 
directly up to the town, which 
was taken possession of at an 
early hour on the 29th, with very 
little loss. The troops being an¬ 
noyed by the fire of the redoubt 
of fort Dauphin, in their rear. 
Major Monson caused some shells 
to be thrown into it; on which 
the enemy immediately abandon¬ 
ed the fort, and retired to fort 
Louis. 

1811 . French driven from 
Guarda. — The light division 
and the cavalry of Wellington’s 
army passed the Mondego at Ce- 
lerico on the 28th, and occupied 
the villages beyond Frexadas, 
while the third division was 
established half-way up the moun¬ 
tain at Porca de Misarella, to se¬ 
cure the bridges over the higher 
Mondego. Early on the 29th, 
the third, sixth, and light divi¬ 
sions, and two regiments of light 
cavalry, disposed in five columns 
of attack around the foot of the 
Guarda mountain, ascended by 
as many paths, leading to the 
town of Guarda, outflanking 
both the right and left of the 
enemy. They were supported 
on one wing by the fifth divi¬ 
sion, and on the other by the 










90 CALENDAR 


militia, and in the centre by 
the first and seventh divisions. 
Their appearance threw the 
French into great confusion, and, 
without firing a shot, this impor¬ 
tant and almost impregnable po¬ 
sition was abandoned; the enemy 
retiring upon Sabugal on the 
Coa, followed by the British ca¬ 
valry, who took some prisoners. 

1812. On the 29th a slight sally 
made from Badajoz on the right 
bank of the Guadiana was re¬ 
pulsed by the Portuguese, and 
the besieged continued to raise 
the counterguard and ravelin of 
the Trinidad, and to strengthen 
the front attacked. 

1814. Lieut.-General Lord 
Wm. Bentinck, commanding the 
Anglo-Sicilian army, this day 
occupied La Spezzia, on the coast 
of Italy. 

1818. During the Malacca 
war, the strong hill fort of 
Bhugwantghur, on the Missoura 
river, being besieged by a force 
under Lieut.-Col. Imlach, the 
batteries opened on the 29th from 
the opposite side of the river. 
The enemy having assembled in 
force under the height on which 
the fort stands, the lieut.-colonel 
with two columns, composed of 
H. M.’s 89th regiment and 2nd 
regiment of native infantry, un¬ 
der command of Capts. Pearson 
and Gray, gallantly forded the 
Missoura under a heavy fire. No 
sooner had the British made good 
their landing than the enemy fled, 
not only from the banks of the 
river, but from the fort itself, 
which was immediately occupied 
by our victorious troops. 

J832. A large stockade, de¬ 
fended by a strong garrison, was 
taken and destroyed by Capt. 
Justice and Lieuts. Poole and 
Harding, with the light company 
of the 5th regiment of Madras 
native infantry, and grenadier 


OF VICTORY. March 30. 


companies of the 29th regiment. 
Lieut. Harding was mortally 
wounded. 

March 30. 

1741. In continuation of the 
successes of the British expedition 
against Carthagena, the squadron, 
under Kear-Adm. Ogle, having 
entered the harbour, on 30th 
March the Spaniards sank several 
ships, and abandoned their forts, 
and our troops took possession. 

1759. The reduction of Guada- 
loupe, according to the plan of 
Gen. Barrington, who took com¬ 
mand after the death of Gen. 
Hopton, was at this time carried 
on by the attacks of detachments 
landed at different points of the 
island. On the 30th of March, the 
military post and town of Gosier 
was carried by storm, and the 
French garrison, driven from 
their guns, took refuge in the 
neighbouring woods. 

1801. During the war with the 
Poligars, a strong force, under 
Major Colin Macauley, proceeding 
against the fortress of Punjalum, 
Coorchy fell in with a body of 
the enemy on the road to Pe- 
sliairm Thally. Some cavalry, 
consisting chiefly of ninety men, 
composing the governoi'’s body¬ 
guard, led by Lieut. James Grant, 
with two small galloper-guns, were 
sent against them. The detachment 
soon found themselves engaged 
with about 600 infantry. Lieut. 
Grant, killed four with his own 
hand; the last, after he had him¬ 
self received a desperate wound 
through the lungs. The Poligars 
fled into the woods in their rear, 
leaving 96 killed on the field, and 
carried off many wounded. 

1811. The French army under 
Massena being in retreat on the 
30th of March, some cavalry and 
horse artillery, under orders of 
Major-General Sir Wm. Erskine, 







March 31. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


91 


came up with the rear-guard of 
the 2nd corps, which, during the 
previous night, had marched from 
Belmonte for the Coa. Several 
of the enemy were killed and 
wounded, and some prisoners 
taken. 

1814. The post at La Colie 
Mill, near Odel’s Town, Canada, 
defended by a British force 
amounting to about 550 men, 
under the command of Major 
Hancock of the 13th regiment, 
was attacked on 30th March by 
the American army of 5000 men, 
under Gen. Wilkinson. The 
enemy having planted a 12- 
pounder and 5|-inch howitzer in 
front of the mill, which did con¬ 
siderable execution on the gable- 
end of the building, two sorties 
were made, to attempt the cap¬ 
ture of the guns. Notwithstand¬ 
ing the gallant behaviour of the 
troops on the occasion, both at¬ 
tacks were unsuccessful. The 
garrison, however, continued to 
resist the enemy with determina¬ 
tion, and at nightfall the Ame¬ 
ricans retired; nor did they make 
any attempt to renew the attack. 
The loss of the British amounted 
to 10 killed, 44 wounded, and 4 
missing. 

1819. The lower fort of the 
fortress of Asseerghur, besieged 
by British and native regiments, 
under command of Brigadier- 
Gen. Doveton, being abandoned 
by the enemy, was taken posses¬ 
sion of on this day. 

March 31. 

1801. After taking possession 
of the island of St. Thomas, the 
expedition under Rear-Admiral 
Duckworth and Lieut.-General 
Trigge proceeded to the Danish 
island of Santa Cruz, which sur¬ 
rendered on summons this day. 

1805. Holkar routed. —Capt. 


Royal, with the 1st battalion of 
the 25th native infantry, six 
companies of the 24th, a battalion 
of irregular infantry, and some 
Pohlman’s horse, left Agra on the 
26th of March, to act against 
Hernaut, the Chelah of Jeswunt. 
Rao Holkar, with Bopoojee, com¬ 
manding the cavalry, now held 
together the remnant of the luck¬ 
less chief’s army, after its dis¬ 
comfiture on the 29th of March 
by Lord Lake and the pursuit of 
the following day. Capt.Royal, at 
the end of a long march, coming 
up with the cavalry of Holkar, in 
position between Bharee and 
Dholpore, at once charged and 
broke their squadrons, which only 
saved themselves from destruction 
by immediate flight. This success 
effected, the captain continued his 
pursuit, but did not again come 
within reach of the enemy till the 
7 th of April, then under the walls 
of Adaulut Nuggur. 

1814. Battle of Romain- 
ville. — On the heights of Ro- 
mainville and Belleville, the 
French army which had moved 
out of Paris under Joseph Bona¬ 
parte, Marmont, and Mortier, was 
defeated on the 30th March by 
the allied army, which entered 
Paris on the following day ; and 
thus was completed the memo¬ 
rable and glorious campaign of 
this year, and the overthrow of 
Napoleon’s power in Europe and 
rule in France. 

1825. Attack upon Arracan. 
—Notwithstanding the unsuccess¬ 
ful attack upon the enemy’s posi¬ 
tion at Arracan on 29 th March 
by the force under Brigadier-Gen. 
Morrison, a further attempt was 
made on the 30th. On that day 
ground was broken before the 
defences of the capital ; batteries 
were soon erected, and by day¬ 
light on the 31st a fire opened 
upon the works. The same 














92 CALENDAR 


evening Brigadier-Gen. Richards, 
with Major Carter and detach¬ 
ments of H. M.’s 44th regiment, 
the 26th and 49th regiments of 
Bengal native infantry, and other 
European and native troops, with 
some seamen of the flotilla, made 
a determined attempt upon the 
right of the enemy, the key of 
their position. Climbing a height 
abounding with natural defences, 
the gallant storming party rushed 
on a stockade that crowned its 
summit, and, without losing a 
man, and having but a few 
wounded, drove the enemy from 
their works at the point of the 
bayonet. Thus was gained a 
position which led to the fall of 
Arracan on the following day. 

April 1. 

1794. Attack on St. Lucie. 
— An expedition under Vice- 
Adm. Sir John Jervis, and the 
land forces, commanded by Lieut.- 
Gen. Sir Charles Grey, arrived 
at St. Lucie from Martinique, on 
the 12th of April, when the army 
landed in three divisions, with 
little resistance and no loss; Ma¬ 
jor-Gen. Dundas’s division, con¬ 
sisting of 3rd battalion light in¬ 
fantry under Lieut.-Col. Close, at 
Anse au Cap, and the 2nd light 
infantry under Lieut.-Col. Blun- 
del, at Anse au Choc. On form¬ 
ing a junction, these corps, after 
taking the enemy in reverse, were 
to occupy a position to invest the 
works of Morne Fortunee, on the 
side of the Carenage. These 
operations were executed with 
the usual spirit and ability of the 
major-general and the flank bat¬ 
talions. The division commanded 
by H. R. H. Prince Edward, con¬ 
sisting of the 1st and 3rd grena¬ 
diers, disembarked at Marigot des 
Roseaux, under the vice-admiral’s 
immediate direction, and speedily 


OF VICTORY. April 1, 


proceeded towards Morne For¬ 
tunee. The 1st battalion of light 
infantry, under Lieut.-Col. Coote, 
which did not reach the shore 
until seven o’clock in the even¬ 
ing, landed at Ance de la Tocque, 
and immediately moved upon and 
captured the four-gun battery of 
Ciceron, investing MorneFortunee 
on that side; at the same time 
covering Cul de Sac, or Barring¬ 
ton Bay, for our shipping, which 
anchored there on the following 
morning. The 2nd grenadiers 
and Col. Sir Charles Gordon’s 
brigade (the 6th, 9 th, and 43rd 
regiments) were kept in reserve 
on board the squadron. 

1825. Capture of Arracan. 
— The success of Brigadier-Gen. 
Richards in his attack upon the 
right, and key of the enemy’s 
lines before Arracan, was an¬ 
nounced to Brigadier-Gen. Mor¬ 
rison by a rocket fired at half¬ 
past eleven o’clock on the night of 
the 31st of March, and confirmed 
by the arrival of Lieut. Wroughtou 
of the surveying department. On 
the 1st of April, the brigadier 
was reinforced by the remainder of 
his brigade, with two 6 -pounders, 
which were conveyed to him on 
elephants. Having brought the 
guns up the difficult ascent, a 
fire was opened upon the nearest 
fortified height, and the troops 
moved forward to assault it, but 
the enemy fled on their approach. 
Taking advantage of the panic 
that was spreading through the 
Arracan lines, reinforcements 
under Brigadier-Gen. M‘Bean 
were brought up. * Height after 
height was abandoned and seized 
upon, as the troops advanced, 
until Arracan was won. The 
city was then takefi possession 
of; but unfortunately, the second 
day after its capture, a consi¬ 
derable portion was burnt, sup¬ 
posed to have been done by 







April 2. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


93 


Burmese incendiaries, that the 
houses might not afford quar¬ 
ters for our troops during the 
approaching rainy season. 

April 2. 

1755. Severndroog and the 
Port of Geriah taken. — 
Commodore James, commanding 
the British squadron in the 
Indian seas, in his expedition 
against the piratical state of Ge¬ 
riah, having chased the fleet of 
Tulagee Angria off the coast, 
returned to destroy the fortifica¬ 
tions of his stronghold. These 
consisted of Severndroog, a strong 
isolated fortress, mounting 54 
guns, within musket-shot of the 
mainland, defending the port of 
Geriah, which was also protected 
by the fort of Goa, mounting 40 
guns, and two other forts of 20 
guns each. Placing his ships be¬ 
tween the island and the main, 
the commodore cannonaded Se¬ 
verndroog with his upper-deck 
guns, while with those on the 
lower deck he engaged fort Goa. 
By noon Severndroog was nearly 
in ruins, and the houses within 
the walls in flames. The can¬ 
nonade of the ships prevented 
the defenders from extinguishing 
the fire, and the conflagration 
communicating with two maga¬ 
zines, the garrison abandoned the 
place. A short time after this, 
the fort of Goa hung out a flag of 
truce; but the Governor with his 
garrison crossed over to the 
island and reoccupied the smok¬ 
ing ruins of Severndroog. Com¬ 
modore James sent them terms 
of surrender, but as no satisfac¬ 
tory reply could be obtained, he 
landed a party of seamen to 
storm the place. Forming under 
cover of the fire of the ships, 
these gallant fellows rushed to 
the gate of the sallyport, and 


with their axes cut their way 
into the fort, and, having with 
their axes cut their way into the 
fort, drove the defenders beyond 
the walls, and took possession of 
the place. The loss of the British 
was but trifling. 

1772. The Capture of Ram- 
nadaporam.— The English troops, 
under Col. Smith, and their ally, 
the Nabob of Arcot, besieged 
Ramnadaporam, the capital of the 
greater Marawar. The Poligar 
garrison refusing the terms of¬ 
fered, the place was this day car¬ 
ried by assault. 

1783. Fortress of Caroor 
taken. — The southern army in 
the Mysore, under command of 
Col. Lang, captured the fortress 
of Caroor. In this siege the 1st 
Madras European regiment much 
distinguished itself. 

1805. Holkar’s Camp sur¬ 
prised, SOUTH-WEST OF BHURT- 
poore. — The cavalry, with the 
reserve and horse artillery, si¬ 
lently left the British camp at 
midnight, and at daybreak came 
upon Holkar’s army. Charging 
them before they had time to 
mount their horses, the enemy 
sustained considerable loss, both 
in the onset and pursuit, and 
many camels, with the whole of 
their bazaars, were taken. The 
8th light dragoons, 2nd regi¬ 
ment of native cavalry, 24th and 
25th light dragoons, and 1st re¬ 
giment of native cavalry were 
engaged. 

1818. Nukye, a Hill Fort, 
surrendered. — The ghaut hill 
fort of Nukye surrendered on 
summons to a field force under 
Col. M‘Dowall. 

1825. Bombardment of Do- 
nabew. — The sortie of the Bur¬ 
mese having failed on the 30th of 
March, mortars and battering 
train were landed during the 
night. A heavy bombardment 











94 CALENDAR 


commenced on the 1st of April, 
and on the 2nd dispositions were 
made by Sir Archibald Campbell 
to carry the place by assault. The 
day had scarcely dawned, when two 
prisoners escaping from the fort 
brought the startling intelligence 
that Bandoola had been killed on 
the previous day by the fragment 
of a shell, and the troops refused 
to obey any other officer, or to 
remain in Donabew. The works 
were evacuated in the night with 
a degree of regularity that set the 
vigilance of the besiegers at de¬ 
fiance. Nothing remained but to 
take possession of the abandoned 
redoubt, and to recommence the 
march to Prome. 

1834. Passage of the River 
Cavery forced. — Lieutenant- 
Col. Stuart, commanding the 1st 
or eastern column of the Coorg 
field force, with H. M.’s 39th re¬ 
giment, 48th regiment of N. I., 
and other troops, forced the pas¬ 
sage of the river Cavery, in spite 
of a bold resistance by the enemy. 

April 3. 

1369. Action near Najara. 
—When Edward the Black Prince 
supported the cause of Don Pedro, 
the deposed King of Castile 
against Enrique, his illegitimate 
brother, 30,000 adventurers were 
sent to Enrique’s aid by the King 
of France. Of that number, 
12,000, under Sir John Clavery 
and Sir Robert Knowles, at once 
joined the English ranks; and with 
this force, Prince Edward met 
Enrique on the plains near Najara 
on the 3rd April. The superi¬ 
ority of numbers on the side of 
the usurper did not prove of 
much avail; for they were so 
panic-stricken by the showers of 
arrows from the English bow¬ 
men, that they soon turned and 
fled. The throne was thus se¬ 


OF VICTORY. April 3. 


cured to Pedro, through the in¬ 
strumentality of the English 
Prince and his gallant warriors. 

1780. The British army, under 
Gen. Goddard, on the 3rd April, 
at daybreak, surprised the Mah- 
ratta camp, and dispersed the 
army of Scindiah and Ilolkar, 
routing their numerous forces, 
almost without sustaining any 
loss. 

1811. Action of Sabugal. 
—During the two first days of 
April the allies occupied a line 
along the rugged banks of the 
Coa, parallel to the enemy’s right. 
Trant and Wilson, meanwhile, 
passing the river below Almeida, 
penetrated between that fortress 
and Ciudad Rodrigo; but Lord 
Wellington intending to assail the 
other flank, and, in order to pro¬ 
tect the left and rear of the army, 
he placed the 6th division oppo¬ 
site the 6th corps in position at 
Rovina* At daylight on the 3rd, 
the cavalry under General Slade, 
being on the extreme right, was or¬ 
dered to cross the Upper Coa; the 
light division to ford a little be¬ 
low, the 3rd division still lower, and 
the 5th with the artillery to force 
the bridge of Sabugal; whilst the 
1st and 7th were held in reserve. 
The morning was so foggy that 
the troops could not gain their 
posts of attack with regularity, 
and the light division moved 
with so little precision, that Col. 
Beckwith, commanding the 1st 
brigade, acting under a miscon¬ 
ceived order, forded the river; 
and, although aware of the ene¬ 
my being in considerable force, 
mounted a very steep wooded 
hill, preceded by four companies 
of the 95th, in skirmishing order, 
with the 43rd regiment in sup¬ 
port; but the other part of the 
brigade were at some distance, 
moving to the true point, when 
a heavy rain rendered it impos- 








April 4. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 95 


sible to distinguish friends from 
foes. Scarcely had the riflemen 
reached the top of the hill, when 
a strong body of the French made 
them retire upon the 43rd. Beck¬ 
with, nothing daunted by this 
overpowering mass, immediately 
charged the enemy with such de¬ 
termination that he drove them 
back, and the summit of the hill 
was attained. At this moment 
two French guns opened with 
grape, as fresh bodies were ga¬ 
thering round, and the enemy 
rushed up the acclivity with great 
clamour. Capt. Hopkins of the 
43rd, leading a flank company to 
the right, with admirable presence 
of mind seized a small eminence 
close to the French guns. By 
well-directed volleys he checked 
the advancing columns, then, sud¬ 
denly rushing forward with the 
bayonet, threw them into disorder, 
just as the two battalions of the 
52nd regiment entered the line. 
Meanwhile the centre and left of 
the 43rd were furiously engaged. 
The French fell fast, a second 
charge cleared the hill, and a ho¬ 
witzer was captured. A second 
and a stronger column of infantry 
had ascended the face of the hill, 
to retake the howitzer, but the 
deadly fire of the 43rd kept them 
in check. Two English guns now 
came into action, and the two 
battalions of the 52nd, charging 
upon the flank of the assailants, 
maintained possession of the 
height. Reynier, bringing up his 
reserves, amounting to 6000 in¬ 
fantry, with cavalry and artillery, 
resolutely advanced to storm the 
contested height. But at this 
crisis the 5th division passed the 
bridge of Sabugal, the cavalry 
appeared on the hills beyond the 
enemy’s left, and Gen. Colville, 
with the leading brigade of the 
3rd division, issuing out of the 
wood on Reynier’s right, opened 


a fire on their flank, which in¬ 
stantly decided the fate of the 
day. The French general hastily 
retreated upon Reudo, where 
uniting with the 6th corps, they 
fell back upon Alfayates, pursued 
by the English cavalry. The 
loss of the allies in this sharp en¬ 
counter, which did not last quite 
an hour, was nearly 200 killed 
and wounded. That of the ene¬ 
my was far more considerable: 
300 dead bodies were heaped to¬ 
gether on the hill, the greater part 
around the captured howitzer; 
and more than 1200 were wound¬ 
ed. Wellington, in his official 
despatch, thus expresses, himself: 
“ This was one of the most glo¬ 
rious actions that British troops 
were ever engaged in. ” 


April 4. 

1760. VlLLAPORAM TAKEN.— 
Capt. Wood, of the 1st Madras 
European regiment, detached 
with a force to effect the reduc¬ 
tion of the fortress of Villaporam, 
situated 20 miles west of Pon¬ 
dicherry, attacked the place oil 
the 3rd of April. The sepoys, 
scrambling up the walls without 
ladders, were repulsed ; and the 
garrison, elated with their success, 
made a sally, in which they were 
so severely handled by the Indian 
horse that, before another assault 
could be attempted, the enemy 
abandoned the fortress to the be¬ 
siegers. 

1794. Surrender of St. 
Lucie _The capture of the re¬ 

doubt and batteries near the 
works of Morne Fortunee on the 
2nd of April hastened the re¬ 
duction of the island of St. 
Lucie; and on the 4th, Gen. 
Picard, commanding the French 
forces, entered into terms of capi 
tulation for the surrender of the 







96 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 5. 


island and its dependencies to 
Great Britain. On the same 
day H.R.H. Prince Edward and 
Major-Gen. Dundas, with their 
brigades, took possession of 
Morne Fortunee, the name of 
which, on hoisting the British flag, 
was changed to Fort Charlotte; 
and thus this valuable colony was 
gained without loss on the part 
of the British. 

1799. Cavalry routed. — 
Gen. Baird, with the flank com¬ 
panies of his brigade and a picket 
of cavalry, sent to reconnoitre the 
enemy before Seringapatam, fell 
in with and routed a detachment 
of the enemy’s cavalry. 

April 5. 

1760. Reduction of Cari- 
cal. — The force under Major 
Monson, which arrived in the 
roads of Carical on the 28 th of 
March, on board the squadron of 
Rear-Adm. Cornish, threw up 
batteries ; and fort Dauphin, the 
principal outwork seaward, was 
bombarded until abandoned by 
the French garrison. The north 
side of the fortress itself then be¬ 
came the point of attack. Guns 
were landed from the squadron, 
and breaching batteries speedily 
opened upon the works, the ene¬ 
my actively returning the fire. 
Major Monson being reinforced, 
was enabled to invest the fortress 
completely on the 2nd of April. 
By the evening of the 4th the 
batteries had ruined the north 
face of the east ravelin ; whilst a 
battery was almost completed 
that would demolish the east 
face of the northern; and other 
works had also been injured, or 
were about being commanded by 
our guns. The major hearing 
that a force of 120 horse and 400 
European infantry were within 
twenty miles, marching to relieve 


the fortress, summoned the go¬ 
vernor to surrender, threatening 
to storm the place if his proposal 
did not meet with immediate com¬ 
pliance. The commandant, not 
aware of a relief so near at hand, 
surrendered the garrison, consist¬ 
ing of 206 Europeans and 200 
sepoys, together with 155 pieces 
of ordnance. 

1761. The strong fort of Gin- 
gee, the last fortress held by the 
French in the Carnatic, this day 
surrendered to the British, after a 
feeble resistance. 

1799. The fortress of Caroor 
surrendered this day, during the 
operations against Tippoo Saib 
previous to the fall of Seringa¬ 
patam. The British besieging 
force was under the command of 
Col. Brown. 

1814. Action at Etauliers. 
—Lieut-Gen. the Earl of Dal- 
housie, with the 2nd brigade 
of his division and other troops, 
crossed the river Dordogne on 
the 4th of April, and on the 5th 
attacked and routed General 
L’Huillier, with 1200 infantry 
and 300 cavalry, at Etauliers, 
taking 30 officers and about 250 
men prisoners. 

1842. Ivhyber Pass forced. 
—In the advance of the British 
army under Major-General Pol¬ 
lock to relieve the fortress of 
Jellalabad, and then march on 
Cabul to take vengeance upon 
the treacherous Affghans, our 
troops this day forced the fearful 
Ivhyber Pass. The right column, 
which performed this gallant 
service, consisted of H. M.’s 9th 
foot, 26th and 64th N. I., four 
companies from each regiment, 
under the command of Lieut. - 
Col. Taylor. The left column 
drew an equal strength from the 
same regiments, with 400 Jezail- 
chees, commanded by Lieut.- 
Col. Moseley. These swept the 







April <3 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


97 


heights defended by the Kyber-' 
ries, driving them from their fast¬ 
nesses,— Capt. Alexander, with 
artillery, aiding the advance by a 
shower of shrapnel shell when 
opportunity offered. The heights 
gained, the main body advanced; 
and though they found a barrier 
and other works at the mouth of 
the pass, the enemy retreated be¬ 
fore them, and the passage of the 
Kyber, which had never been 
forced either by native or Euro¬ 
pean troops, was this day effected. 

April 6. 

1812 . Assault op Badajoz. 
—It was arranged that the San 
Roque, the breaches, the Parda- 
leras, the distant bastion of St. 
Vincente, and the bridge-head on 
the other side of the Guadiana 
were to be simultaneously at¬ 
tacked at 10 o’clock at night on 
the 6th of April; but an unfore¬ 
seen accident delayed the move¬ 
ment of the 5th division, and a 
lighted carcass thrown from the 
castle, having discovered the ar¬ 
ray of the 3rd division, obliged 
them to anticipate the signal by 
half an hour. Everything being 
suddenly disturbed, the double 
columns of the 4th and light 
divisions also moved silently and 
swiftly against the breaches ; and 
the guard of the trenches, rushing 
forward, encompassed the San 
Roque with fire, and broke in 
with such violence that scarcely 
any resistance was made. Gen. 
Kempt, leading the 3rd division, 
passed the Rivillas in single 
files by a narrow bridge, under a 
terrible fire of musketry, then, 
re-forming, ran up the rugged 
hill, and had reached the foot of 
the castle, when he fell severely 
wounded, and, being carried 
back to the trenches, met Picton 
hastening forward to take the 

o 


command. Meanwhile his troops 
reared their heavy ladders against 
the lofty castle, and, with incre¬ 
dible courage, .ascended amidst 
showers of heavy stones and 
bursting shells, rolled off the pa¬ 
rapet, while a rapid musketry 
poured on the flanks; and in 
front the assailants were stabbed 
with pikes and bayonets, or the 
ladders overthrown. All this was 
attended with deafening shouts, 
the crash of breaking ladders, 
and the shrieks of crushed sol¬ 
diers. The British, baffled in 
their daring efforts, took shelter 
under the edge of the hill. Here, 
the ranks being re-formed, the 
heroic Col. Ridge called on his 
men to follow, then, seizing a 
ladder, placed it against the 
castle, where an embrasure of¬ 
fered facility. Canch, an officer 
of grenadiers, followed his ex¬ 
ample ; and the next instant they 
were on the rampart. Their 
shouting comrades pressing after 
them, the amazed enemy were 
driven into the town, and the 
castle was won. A reinforce¬ 
ment from the French reserve 
then came up ; and after some 
sharp firing the enemy retired, 
but Ridge had gloriously fallen. 
Meanwhile the light and the 
4th divisions, bearing upon the 
bastion of Santa Maria and the 
breaches of the Trinidad, ar¬ 
rived nearly at the same moment 
at their respective points of attack. 
The two divisions got mixed, 
until the ditch was quite filled, 
and all, cheering vehemently, 
rushed up the great breach ; but 
across the top were ponderous 
beams chained together, which 
glittered with a range of sword 
blades, and for ten feet in front 
the ascent was covered with loose 
planks studded with sharp iron 
points, which, moving, threw the 
unhappy victims back upon their 


II 








98 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 7. 


gallant followers. Again and 
again, the assailants rushed up 
the breaches, whilst the hissing 
shells and thundering powder- 
barrels exploded around them. 
Two hours spent in these vain 
efforts convinced the soldiers that 
the breach of the Trinidad was 
impregnable. At this awful mo¬ 
ment, when the dead were lying 
in heaps around, Capt. Nicholas, 
of the engineers, assisted by 
Lieut. Shaw of the 43rd and 50 
daring followers, forced their way 
into the Santa Maria bastion; 
but they had only gained two- 
thirds of the ascent when nearly 
the whole fell to the earth under 
the concentrated discharge of 
grape and musketry, Nicholas be¬ 
ing among the mortally wounded. 
About midnight, when 2000 
brave men had fallen, Wel¬ 
lington, finding that the castle 
was taken, determined to make a 
second assault. On the other 
side of the fortress the 5th di¬ 
vision had commenced the false 
attack on the Pardaleras, the 
Portuguese were sharply engaged 
at the bridge on the right of the 
Guadiana, and General Walker’s 
brigade was escalading the dis¬ 
tant bastion of San Vincente. 
Spite of determined opposition 
and severe loss, their enduring 
courage gained them the ram¬ 
parts ; . half the 4 th regiment 
enterecT the town itself, while 
others, by dint of hard fighting, 
successively won three bastions. 
In this moment of success, the 
troops, appalled by the cry of “ a 
mine!” were so firmly attacked 
by the French reserve, that they 
cleared the ramparts even to the 
San Vincente; but here a bat¬ 
talion of the 38th, pouring in one 
close volley, routed the exulting 
enemy. The panic then ceased ; 
the soldiers once more charged 
along the walls towards the 


breaches, whilst the detachment 
of the 4th regiment that had 
entered the town, which was 
brilliantly illuminated, advanced, 
with bugles sounding, to the 
great square. The light still 
raging at the breaches, they at¬ 
tempted to take the garrison in 
reverse; but, driven back with 
loss, they resumed their move¬ 
ment in the streets. At length 
the breaches were abandoned by 
the enemy; and finally General 
Viellande, and Phillipon, who 
was wounded, passed the bridge 
with a few hundred soldiers, and 
entered San Christoval, where 
they all surrendered early the 
next morning. 

Five thousand men and officers 
fell during this siege. Of these, 
including 700 Portuguese, 3500 
had been stricken in the assault, 
60 officers and 700 men being 
slain on the spot. Gens. Kempt, 
Harvey, Bowes, Colville, and 
Picton were wounded, the first 
three severely. 

April 7. 

1597. Sir Anthony Shirley land¬ 
ed with troops from the English 
squadron at Puerto de Cavallos, 
Bay of Honduras, and captured 
that town on the 7th of April. 

1759. The garrison of Musula- 
patam, was besieged since the 25th 
of March by the British under 
command of Colonel Forde, who, 
disappointed in the non-arrival 
of promised relief, and learning 
that only sufficient ammunition 
remained in his batteries to re¬ 
open a breach -which the enemy 
had stopped, at once resolved 
to storm the place, though the 
garrison far outnumbered his 
own force. Accordingly, at night¬ 
fall, Capt. Knox, with a sepoy 
force, was sent round to the 
south-west angle of the fort, and 










April 8. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 99 


about midnight commenced an 
attack in that quarter. This de¬ 
monstration was supported by a 
similar assault upon the ravelin 
of the pettah gateway, by troops 
of the Rajah of Visnapore. The 
real attack was by the European 
troops, chiefly of the Madras 
European regiments, about 370 
men, including artillerymen and 
sailors of H. M. S. Hardwicke. 
This force, supported by 700 
sepoys, assaulted the breaches 
in the north-east bastion, which 
they carried after suffering heavy 
loss. Here stationing a reserve, 
divisions pushed forward which 
swept the Avorks, while each bat¬ 
tery gained, Avas turned upon the 
enemy. The fight continued 
until messages passed between 
Col. Forde and M. de Conflans, 
the French general, Avhen all re¬ 
sistance ceased, and the fortress 
surrendered. 

1811. Cavalry Attack at 
Val de Mula. — A division of 
4000 Portuguese militia under Col. 
Trant, marching on the 6th April 
to Val de Mula, Avas in danger 
of being cut off by the 9th corps 
of the enemy, AA'lien suddenly tAvo 
shots were heard to the south¬ 
ward. The French, forming 
squares immediately, had com¬ 
menced a retreat, Avhen six squa¬ 
drons of British cavalry and 
Bull’s troop of horse artillery 
came SAveeping over the plain in 
their rear. Notwithstanding the 
fearful effect produced on the 
dense masses of the enemy by 
the cannon shots, and the horse¬ 
men continually flanking their 
line of march, they retreated in 
such perfect order that they 
gained the rough ground, and 
finally escaped over the Agueda, 
but with the loss of 300 men, 
killed, Avounded, and prisoners. 

1842. Sortie from Jella- 
labad.— Major-Gen. Sir R. Sale, 


commanding the forces at Jella- 
labad, directed a sortie to be 
made in three columns, at day¬ 
light on 7th April. The first 
column consisted of H. M.’s 13th 
regiment, under Lieut.-Coloncl 
Dennie ; the 35th native in¬ 
fantry, under Lieut.-Col. Mon- 
teith, formed the second ; and the 
third column, commanded by 
Capt. Havelock, Avas composed 
of detachments from the several 
regiments, Avith sappers and 
miners. The Avhole force, sup¬ 
ported by cavalry and artillery, 
amounting to 1800 men, moved 
steadily forward; and although 
the enemy’s whole force, full 
6000 men, were in order of battle 
for the defence of the camp, the 
British bore all before them, and 
the enemy dispersed in great con¬ 
fusion, All their artillery was 
captured, and the camp fired in 
all directions. Our loss Avas not 
severe, though Ave had to regret 
the death of Lieut.-Col. Dennie, 
who fell mortally Avounded Avhile 
leading on his column of attack. 

April 8. 

1801. Capture of Rosetta. 
—The British and Turkish troops 
under Col, Spencer, appearing 
before the toAvn of Rosetta on the 
8th of April, the garrison, con¬ 
sisting of 800 French troops, of- 
fei'ed but slight resistance, and 
made their retreat to the right 
bank of the Nile. A feAv of the 
enemy Avei'e killed, and some pri¬ 
soners taken by the British. Fort 
Julian, the citadel of the toAvn, 
still holding out, Avas besieged. 

1814. The Angio-Sicilian army, 
under Lieut.-Gen. Lord William 
Bentinck,in the expedition against 
Genoa, by a series of judicious 
movements, and without meeting 
Avith much opposition, this day 
compelled the French to retire 







100 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 9. 


from the strong position they 
had occupied near Sestri. 

1814. Action at Croix d’O- 
rade. — The 3rd, 4th, and 6th 
British divisions, and three bri¬ 
gades of cavalry, under Bores- 
ford, crossed the Garonne at 
Grenade, fifteen miles below 
Toulouse, on the 3rd April; but 
the river swelled so fast that the 
light division and Spaniards 
were unable to follow. On the 
8th, the waters having subsided, 
Freyre’s Spaniards and the Por¬ 
tuguese artillery crossed, and 
Wellington, taking the command 
in person, advanced to the heights 
of Fenoulhiet, within five miles 
of Toulouse. When the left of 
his columns approached the 
heights of Ivyrie Elcison, on the 
great road of Alby, Vivian’s 
horsemen drove Berton’s cavalry 
up the right of the Ers towards 
the bridge of Bordes, and the 
18th hussars descended towards 
that of Croix d’Orade. The latter 
was defended by Vial’s dragoons, 
and, after some skirmishing, the 
18th was suddenly menaced by 
a regiment in front of the bridge, 
the opposite bank of the river 
being lined with dismounted car¬ 
biniers. On the approach of 
some British, both parties sounded 
a charge at the same moment; 
but the English horses were so 
fleet that the French were in an 
instant jammed up on the bridge, 
their front ranks sabred, and the 
mass, breaking away to the rear, 
went off in disorder, leaving many 
killed and wounded, and above 
a hundred prisoners in the hands 
of the victors. They were pur¬ 
sued through the village of Croix 
d’Orade, but beyond it, they ral¬ 
lied on joining the rest of the bri¬ 
gade, and again advanced. The 
hussars then recrossed the bridge, 
which was defended by British 
infantry, whose fire repelled the 


French cavalry. The communi¬ 
cation between the allied columns 
was thus secured. Col. Vivian 
having been wounded by a car¬ 
bine shot previous to the charge 
on the bridge, the attack was 
conceived, and this brilliant ac¬ 
tion achieved, by Major Hughes, 
of the 18 th. 

April 9. 

1755. The port and fortifica¬ 
tions of Bancole, in the piratical 
state of Geriah, on the coast of 
Malabar, surrendered this day to 
the expedition under Commodore 
James. 

1780. A detachment of the 60th 
regiment, under Capt. Poison, 
embarked on board the Hitchen- 
brooke, Capt. H. Nelson, at Port 
Royal, Jamaica, proceeded to 
Cape Gracias a Dios, where they 
were reinforced by a party of the 
79th regiment. Then, sailing 
along the Musquito shore until 
they reached the river San Juan, 
where, being joined by some In¬ 
dians, the troops embarked in the 
ship’s boats, and such small craft 
as could be procured, ascended 
the river. After much difficulty, 
they arrived at the fortified island 
of Bartolomew, where Nelson, 
leading his men, made an easy 
conquest of the battery, and then 
the place surrendered. 

1819. Surrender of Fortress 
of Asseerghur. — Major-Gen. 
Doveton invested the strong for¬ 
tress of Asseerghur on 27 th March, 
and on the 21st the enemy were 
driven out of the lower part of the 
fortification, but the commanding 
fire of the upper fort would not 
allow the British to take posses¬ 
sion. It being therefore deter¬ 
mined to bring the enemy to sub¬ 
mission, batteries continued to be 
erected until the 7th April, on 
which day the cannonade was so 






April 10, CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 101 


fiercely maintained that a prac¬ 
ticable breach was effected. On 
the 8 th, negotiations being opened, 
the firing ceased, and at sunrise 
on the 9 th the British colours were 
hoisted on the western tower of 
the upper fort of Asseerghur, 
under a royal salute ; at the same 
time the garrison, consisting of 
1200 men, descended into the 
pettah, where they laid down 
their arms. The British casual¬ 
ties during the siege wei'e eleven 
European and four native officers, 
ninety-five European, and one 
hundred and thirteen native rank 
and file, killed and wounded. The 
enemy’s loss was forty-three killed, 
and ninety-five wounded. 

1825. A British force, consist¬ 
ing of European and native in¬ 
fantry and the troops of the state 
of Cutch, was detached under the 
command of Colonel Campbell in 
pursuit of the Maunaha marau¬ 
ders who had overrun the coun¬ 
try. On the morning of the 9th 
April, they were discovered in 
great force among the hills of 
Rymal Roahs, and attacked so 
boldly that they fled in great 
disorder; but at nightfall they 
reunited and crossed the Pix- 
hum ; thus the country was rid of 
those daring intruders. 

April 10. 

1814. Battle of Toulouse.— 
The light division of the army 
under Wellington passed the 
Garonne by the bridge of Seilh at 
2 o’clock on the morning of 10th 
April, and about 6 o’clock the 
whole army moved forward. Pic- 
ton and Alten on the right, drove 
in the French advanced posts ; 
and Freyre’s Spaniards, compel¬ 
ling the enemy to retire to the 
hornwork on the Calvinet plat¬ 
form, established themselves on 
the Pugade, whence a heavy fire 


was opened against Calvinet by 
the Portuguese guns. Beresford, 
preceded by the hussars, moved 
from Croix d’Orade in three co¬ 
lumns, and, passing behind the 
Pugade through the village of 
Montblanc, entered the marshy 
ground between the Ers river and 
Mont Rave, leaving his artillery 
at the village. Vivian’s cavalry 
on his left drove Berton’s horse¬ 
men back with loss, and had 
nearly seized the bridge of 
Bordes, which the enemy passed 
and destroyed ; but the German 
hussars succeeded in gaining the 
bridge of Montabiau, though 
defended by Berton himself, who 
remained in position near the 
bridge of Bordes, looking down 
on the left of the Ers. Mean¬ 
while Gen. Freyre, with 9000 Spa¬ 
niards, assailed the hornwork on 
the platform of Calvinet, at about 
eleven o’clock, while Beresford 
was still in march. Moving in 
two lines and a reserve, they 
advanced with great resolu¬ 
tion, although opposed to a tre¬ 
mendous fire that thinned their 
ranks at every step; but they still 
advanced until their right wing 
became raked from the bridge of 
Montabiau. The leading ranks, 
rushing madly onwards, jumped 
for shelter into a hollow road 
covering this part of the French 
intrenchments; hut the left wing 
and the second line ran back in 
great disorder. Then the French, 
leaping out of their works and 
lining the edge of the hollow 
road, poured upon the helpless 
crowds a murderous fire, while 
the battery of Montabiau raked 
this opening with destructive ef¬ 
fect. The Spaniards rallied, but 
being assailed by several corps of 
the enemy, they fled in disorder, 
until Wellington covered these 
panic-stricken troops with Pon- 
sonby’s cavalry, and a vigorous 







102 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 10. 


fire from the reserve artillery. In 
the meantime the Portuguese 
guns continued to cannonade the 
Pugade, and a brigade of the 
light division menacing the vic¬ 
torious French, they hastily re¬ 
tired into the intrenchments on 
Calvinet ; but more than 1500 
Spaniards had been killed or 
wounded. Gen. Picton, disre¬ 
garding his orders, turned his 
false attack into a real one 
against the bridge of Jumeaux; 
and the enemy, fighting from 
an elevated position, approach¬ 
able only along an open flat, re¬ 
pulsed him with a loss of nearly 
400 men. Thus, from the hill 
of Pugade to the Garonne, the 
French had vindicated their po¬ 
sition. The musketry now 
ceased for a time ; but the can¬ 
nonade was kept up along the 
whole French line, and by the 
allies, from St. Cyprien to Mont- 
blanc. The repulse of Picton en¬ 
abled Soult to drawTaupin’s whole 
division and other troops from 
St. Cyprien, and then his force 
on the Mont Rave was not less 
than 15,000 combatants, dispos¬ 
able for an offensive movement, 
without weakening his defences 
in that quarter. While Beresford, 
having completed his flank move¬ 
ment, had wheeled into lines at 
the foot of the heights, Taupin’s 
infantry poured down the hill ; 
but the discharge of some rockets 
having arrested their progress, 
Lambert’s brigade of the 6th di¬ 
vision rushed forward, shouting 
loudly, and the French, turning, 
fled back to the upper ground, 
with the loss of their general. 
Vial’s horsemen now charged on 
the right flank, but the second 
and third lines of the 6th divi¬ 
sion being thrown into squares, 
repulsed them. On the other 
flank, Gen. Cole had been so 
sudden in his advance up the 


heights that Berton’s cavalry 
had no opportunity to charge. 
Lambert, without a check, won 
the summit of the platform, while 
Cole, meeting with less resist¬ 
ance, rapidly gained the heights ; 
and so complete was the rout, 
that two redoubts were abandon¬ 
ed from panic, and the enemy 
sought shelter in the works of 
Sacarin and Cambon. About 
half-past two o’clock, the French 
had concentrated a considerable 
force under Gen. Clauzel, in ad¬ 
vance of the intrenchments. Just 
at this moment Beresford re¬ 
newed the action ; his troops, 
scrambling up the steep banks 
of the Lavaur road, where they 
had been well protected from the 
fire of the enemy, wheeled to the 
left by wings of regiments, and, 
ascending the slope facing the 
Ei's in spite of a heavy cannon¬ 
ade, carried the Colombette and 
Calvinet redoubts. But soon the 
enemy came back reinforced, re¬ 
covered the Colombette, and the 
struggle became terrible. At 
length, when the 6th division as¬ 
sailed them flank and front, their 
Gens. Harispe and Baurot had 
fallen dangerously wounded, and 
the Colombette retaken by the 
79th regiment, the battle turn¬ 
ed, and the French, abandoning 
the platform, fell back towards 
Sacarin and Montabiau. It was 
now 4 o’clock. The Spaniards 
had once more partially attacked, 
but they were again put to flight, 
and the French remained masters 
of the intrenchments in that 
quarter ; for the 6th division had 
been severely engaged, and Beres¬ 
ford halted to re-form his order 
of battle and bring up his artil¬ 
lery. But Soult, seeing that the 
Spaniards, supported by the light 
division, had rallied a fourth time, 
that Picton again menaced the 
bridge of Jumeaux, while Beres- 






April 11. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 103 


ford was now advancing along 
the summit of Mont Rave, deem¬ 
ed further resistance useless. 
About 5 o’clock he withdrew his 
whole army behind the canal, but 
still retaining the advanced works 
of Sacarin and Cambon. Lord 
Wellington then became master of 
the Mont Rave in all its extent, and 
thus the battle terminated. The 
French had five generals and about 
3000 men killed or wounded, and 
they lost one piece of artillery The 
allies lost four generals, and 4669 
men, of which 2000 were Spa¬ 
niards. This was a lamentable and 
useless sacrifice of life ; for before 
this period, Napoleon had abdi¬ 
cated, and the allies were in Paris. 

April 11. 

1794. Landing at Guada- 
loupe. — The expedition under 
Vice-Adm. Sir John Jervis, which 
sailed from St. Lucie on the 5th 
April, with troops under Major - 
Gen. Sir Charles Grey, anchored 
at Pointe a Petre, Guadaloupe, on 
the 10th. At one o’clock on the 
following morning a landing was 
effected in Gosier Bay, by detach¬ 
ments of the 1st and 2nd grena¬ 
diers, one company of the 43rd 
regiment, and 500 seamen and 
marines, the whole under the 
command of Col. Symes. The de¬ 
barkation was so effectually co¬ 
vered by the Winchelsea, Capt. 
Lord Garlies, that the enemy 
were driven from their batteries ; 
and this service was effected with 
but trifling loss. Reinforcements 
arriving on the same evening, 
dispositions were made for the 
attack of Fleur d’Epee. 

1794. Caribs defeated. — 
In the prolonged and desperate 
war carried on by the Caribs, 
aided .by the French, against the 
English in Grenada, on the night 
of the 10th of April, 1794, three 


columns of British troops were 
detached from Berkshire Hill to 
storm the insurgents’ camps, si¬ 
tuated about three miles from Sion 
Hill. The light infantry, which 
were to cut off the enemy’s re¬ 
treat to Calliaqua, arriving at the 
point of attack before the co¬ 
operating columns, were nearly 
overpowered by superior numbers. 
On the other side, the militia and 
sailors from H. M. S. Roebuck, 
from some misconceived order, 
retreated. Fortunately at this 
moment Capt. Campbell, with the 
grenadiers of the 46th, and Lieut. 
Farquharson, with a detachment 
of the 60th, came up, and, having 
restored the confidence of the 
troops, charged the Caribs so ef¬ 
fectually that they flew in all di¬ 
rections; and they then carried 
and destroyed their camps. 

1812. Action near Llerena. 
— Sir Stapleton Cotton, following 
the retreating French army 
under Marshal Soult, being ap¬ 
prised on the evening of the 10th 
of April that Peyreymont’s ca¬ 
valry was between Villa Garcia 
and Usagre, immediately took 
measures to cut it off. Anson’s 
brigade now commanded by Col. 
Fred. Ponsonby, moved during 
the night from Villa Franca upon 
Usagre, and at the same time 
Le Marchant’s brigade marched 
from Los Santos upon Benvenida, 
to intercept the retreat upon 
Llerena. Ponsonby’s advanced 
guard having commenced the 
action before Le Marchant could 
arrive at liis destination, the 
French fell back; but, as some 
heights, skirting the Llerena road, 
prevented their seeing that gene¬ 
ral’s brigade, they again drew up 
in order of battle behind the 
junction of the Benvenida road. 
The hostile forces were nearly 
equal, numbering about nine¬ 
teen hundred sabres on each 


H 4 







104 CALENDAR 


side; but the action was soon de¬ 
cided. Sir Stapleton Cotton, ably 
seizing the accidental advantage 
of ground, engaged the ene¬ 
my's attention by skirmishing 
with Ponsonby’s squadrons; while 
Le Marchant, passing at the back 
of the heights unseen, sent the 
5th dragoon guards against their 
flank, and the next moment Pon- 
sonby charged their front. Thus 
assailed, the French gave way in 
disorder, and, being pursued four 
miles, many were killed, and seve¬ 
ral officers and one hundred and 
twenty-eight men taken prisoners. 
The loss of the British was only 
fifty-six men and officers killed 
and wounded. 

April 12. 

1794. Reduction op Guada- 
loupe.— It having been arranged 
on the preceding evening by 
Gen. Sir Charles Grey that an 
attack should be made on the fort 
of Fleur d’Epee, where the enemy 
had assembled in considerable 
force, that post was carried by 
storm at 5 o’clock on the morning 
of the 12th of April, under a 
heavy fire of cannon and mus¬ 
ketry. The troops, strictly en¬ 
joined not to fire, but to ex¬ 
ecute everything with the bayonet, 
moved to the attack according to 
the following arrangement. The 
1st division, commanded by 
H.R.H. Prince Edward, consist¬ 
ing of 1st and 2nd battalions and 
100 of the naval battalion, to 
attack the position of Morne 
Marcot. The 2nd, under Major- 
Gen. Dundas, consisting of the 
1st and 2nd battalions of light 
infantry and 100 of the naval bat¬ 
talion, to attack the fort of Fleur 
d’Epee in the rear, and to cut off 
the communication with fort 
Louis and Pointe a Petre. The 
third, under Col. Symcs, consist¬ 
ing of 3rd battalion of grena- 


OF VICTORY. April 12. 


diers, 3rd battalion of light in¬ 
fantry, and the remainder of the 
naval battalion, to proceed on the 
road by the seaside, to co-operate 
with Major-Gen. Dundas. The 
signal-gun being fired by H.M. S. 
Boyne at 5 o’clock, the attack 
immediately commenced, and was 
performed with such exactitude, 
ability, and courage, that the se¬ 
veral posts were carried, and the 
whole of Grande Terre fell into 
the possession of the British. The 
loss sustained amounted to 15 
rank and file killed, 2 captains, 
3 lieutenants, and 40 men 
wounded. The enemy had 68 
killed, 55 wounded; and 110 pri¬ 
soners were taken. 

1814J Termination of the 
Campaign.— Lord Wellington re¬ 
paired, on the 11th of April, to St. 
Cyprien, in order to ascertain the 
state of General Hill’s position, 
and to direct the further move¬ 
ments in attacking Toulouse. 
Meanwhile all the light cavalry 
was sent up the canal to inter¬ 
rupt the communications with 
Suchet and menace Soult’s re¬ 
treat by the road leading to 
Carcassone. The appearance of 
this corps on the heights of St. 
Martyn, above Baziege, combined 
with the preparations in his front, 
convinced Soult that he could no 
longer delay, if he would not be 
shut up in Toulouse. Having 
therefore terminated all his ar¬ 
rangements, he left the gallant 
Harispe and another general, with 
eight pieces of heavy artillery 
and sixteen hundred severely 
wounded soldiers,to thehumanity 
of the conquerors; then filing out 
of the city with surprising order, he 
made a forced march of twenty- 
two miles, cut the bridges over the 
canal and the Upper Ers, and on 
the 12th established his army at 
Villefranche. Wellington now 
entered Toulouse in triumph. 








April 13 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


105 


April 13. 

1813. Action of Castalla. 
— The allied forces under com¬ 
mand of Lieut.-Gen. Sir John 
Murray, in the south of Spain, 
had taken up a strong position, 
about three miles from the pass 
of Biar on the 11th of April. 
The left, composed of Whit- 
tingham’s Spaniards, was in¬ 
trenched on a rugged mountain, 
ending abruptly above the town of 
Castalla, which, with its old castle 
on the summit of a sugar-loaf 
hill, closed the right of that wing, 
and was occupied in strength by 
Mackenzie’s division, while the ca¬ 
valry were on an extensive plain, 
interspersed with olive planta¬ 
tions, at the foot of the town. 
The advanced guard, in the pass 
of Biar, amounting to about 
2500 men, was composed of two 
Italian regiments and a battalion 
of the British 27th regiment, 
two companies of German rifle¬ 
men, a troop of hussars, and six 
guns. The position, though strong 
and difficult, was attacked with 
such vigour by the French on 
the 12 th April, that they fought 
their way to the summit, and 
compelled the allies, after a fight 
of two hours, to abandon the pass 
with loss. On the 13th the 
enemy’s cavalry extended in the 
plain as far as Onil; they were 
followed by the infantry, who oc¬ 
cupied a low ridge in front of the 
allies’ left. Suchet, opening his 
artillery against the centre and 
right wing of the allies, and form¬ 
ing several columns of attack, 
commenced the action against 
their left. The ascent in front 
of Whittingham’s post being 
rugged and steep, and the upper 
parts intrenched, it there became 
a fight of light troops, in which 
the Spaniards maintained their 
ground with resolution. On the 


other side of the projecting hill, 
the French mounted the heights 
with determination, spreading 
their light troops over the whole 
face of the Sierra, and, though 
partially driven back, the main 
body moving up maintained its 
ground; and while the British 
were preparing for the struggle, 
a grenadier officer, advancing 
alone,challenged the captain of the 
27th grenadiers to single combat. 
Waldson, a vigorous active Irish¬ 
man, instantly sprang forward: 
the hostile lines looked on in 
silent solicitude as the swords of 
the champions glittered in the 
sun, and the Frenchman’s head 
Avas cleft in twain. The next 
instant the 27th, jumping up with 
a deafening shout, fired a volley 
at half-pistol shot, then, rushing 
forward with the bayonet, over¬ 
threw the enemy, and the side of 
the Sierra was covered with the 
fallen. Suchet, seeing his prin¬ 
cipal column defeated, and at 
every other point having the 
worst of the fight, made two se¬ 
condary attacks, to cover the re¬ 
treating troops; but these also 
failing, his army became se¬ 
parated in three parts. Had Sir 
John Murray seized the mo¬ 
ment and made a vigorous sally 
from Castalla, a general advance 
would have obliged the French 
reserves to fall back upon Biar 
before the cavalry could come to 
their assistance; but the com¬ 
mander-in-chief having remained 
behind Castalla during the whole 
of the action, gave the enemy 
time to retire his forces towards 
the pass of Biar. Then gradually 
passing out of the town, he 
changed his front, forming two 
lines across the valley. In the 
meantime,Mackenzie, moving out 
by the left of Castalla, with three 
British, and one German batta¬ 
lion, and eight guns, followed the 


I 







106 CALENDAR 


enemy more rapidly. By this time 
the French plunged into the pass 
in a confused mass, having a rear¬ 
guard of three battalions with eight 
guns; and these being pressed by 
Mackenzie, suffered so much from 
the English shot, that a vigorous 
charge would have driven them 
in disorder upon the other troops 
in the narrow defile; but Murray, 
despite of all remonstrance, in¬ 
sisted upon the recall of Mac¬ 
kenzie’s brigade when the victory 
was within their grasp. Suchet, 
thus relieved, immediatelv oc- 
cupied a position across the de¬ 
file, with his flanks on the heights; 
and although his left was even¬ 
tually assailed by some light 
troops, he retained his position, 
and in the night retired to Fuente 
de la Higuera. In the battle of 
Castalla the allies had about 
17,000 of all arms, and the French 
about 15,000. The loss of the 
latter in killed and wounded, ac¬ 
cording to Suchet’s account, was 
no more than 800 ; but it is sup¬ 
posed to have exceeded double 
that number. That of the al¬ 
lies was between six and seven 
hundred. 

.April 14. 

1814. Sortie from Bayonne. 
— Major-Gen. Sir John Hope, 
conducting the investment of 
Bayonne, had made preparations 
for attacking the citadel, when 
the news reached him indirectly 
of the events at Paris, and these 
rumours perhaps lulled the vigi¬ 
lance of the besiegers. The for¬ 
tified posts at St. Etienne were at 
this period furnished by a bri¬ 
gade of the 5th division, while 
thence to the extreme right, the 
guards had charge of the line; and 
they had also one company in 
the village of St. Etienne. The 
German brigade of Gen. Hinuber 


OF VICTORY. April 14. 


was encamped as a support to the 
left, the remainder of the 1st 
division was in the rear, towards 
Boucaut. About 1 o’clock in the 
morning of the 14th April, a de¬ 
serter coming over to Gen. Hay, 
who commanded the outposts, 
gave an exact account of a pro¬ 
jected sally from Bayonne. The 
intelligence was transmitted to 
Sir John Hope; but Hay, not 
crediting the man’s story, took no 
additional precautions. Gen. 
Hinuber, more cautious, fortu¬ 
nately placed the German brigade 
and the reserves of guards under 
arms. About 3 o’clock the French, 
commencing with a false attack 
on the left of the Adour, poured 
suddenly out of the citadel a force 
of 3000 men, who, surprising the 
pickets, broke through the chain 
of posts at various points, and 
carried the whole village of St. 
Etienne, with the exception of a 
fortified house which was reso¬ 
lutely defended by Capt. Forster 
of the 38th regiment. They 
drove the pickets and supports 
along the Peyrehorade road, 
killed Gen. Hay, and took Col. 
Townsend of the' guards pri¬ 
soner ; then, dividing, the wings 
of the investing troops passed 
into the rear and threw the whole 
line into confusion. At this mo¬ 
ment Gen. Hinuber moved up his 
Germans on the side of St. Eti¬ 
enne, rallied some of the 5th 
division, and being joined by a 
battalion of Portuguese, regained 
the village. On the right, the com¬ 
bat was even more disastrous than 
in the centre; the troops on both 
sides, broken into small bodies 
by the enclosures, unable to re¬ 
cover order, came dashing to¬ 
gether in the darkness, fighting 
often with the bayonet, some¬ 
times encountering friends, and 
sometimes foes; and the horror 
was increased by the shot and 
















April 15. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 107 


shells fired from the citadel, whilst 
the gun-boats opened upon the 
flank of the supporting columns, 
which, having been put in motion 
by Sir John Hope on the first 
alarm, were then coming up from 
Boucaut. Nearly one hundred 
pieces of artillery were now in full 
play, and the shells having set fire 
to several houses and to the fascine 
depots, the flames cast a horrid 
glare over the striving masses. 
Amidst this confusion, Sir John 
Hope, having his horse shot 
under him, was severely wounded 
and taken prisoner. The day 
Avas now beginning to break, and 
the allies were enabled to act 
with more unity. The reserve bri¬ 
gades of the guards being proper¬ 
ly disposed by Gen. Howard, who 
had succeeded to the command, 
suddenly raised aloud shout, and, 
running in upon the French, 
drove them back into the Avorks 
Avith such slaughter that they 
lost a general and 900 men. The 
British loss amounted to 830 ; of 
these more than 200 were taken 
prisoners, and Gen. Stopford was 
among the wounded. The heroic 
defence of the fortified house by 
Capt. Forster, and the gallant 
manner in Avhich Gen. Hinuber 
and his Germans retook St. 
Etienne, saved the allies from a 
very serious disaster. 

April 15. 

1752. Attack upon Samia- 
veram repulsed. — A midnight 
attack was made by about 80 
French troops and 700 sepoys 
upon Samiaveram, a fortress held 
by the English under command 
of Clive. This distinguished of¬ 
ficer, then a captain, was for the 
moment taken by surprise, and 
Avounded ; but, soon recovering 
his presence of mind, by inducing 
a division of the attacking party 


to believe that it Avas surrounded 
by his troops, it speedily sur¬ 
rendered. The prisoners thus 
taken, were, however, soon re¬ 
leased by the main body of the 
enemy, Avho, making a stand in 
a small pagoda, repulsed an at¬ 
tack upon them. While holding 
parley Avith Clive and making 
terms, an English deserter killed, 
by a single discharge of his mus¬ 
ket, the tAvo sergeants on Avhom 
the Avounded captain, Aveak from 
loss of blood, Avas leaning. The 
French, after this treacherous act, 
immediately surrendered. The 
sepoys made the best of their 
Avay out of the camp before morn¬ 
ing, and, pursued by the British 
Mahratta horse, were all cut to 
pieces. 

1759. Guadauoupe. — In the 
attacks on the different positions 
held by the French at Guada- 
loupe, as mentioned in our co¬ 
lumns for the 12th April, Briga¬ 
dier Crumpe Avas ordered by Gen. 
Barrington to advance to the Bay 
of Mahault with 700 men, de¬ 
taching from this force 100 men 
under Capt. Steele to Goyave, 
Avhere that officer took a battery 
and an intrenchment. The ene¬ 
my, after one discharge of their 
guns, abandoned them to the 
English. Capt. Steele, having 
spiked 7 guns of the battery, re¬ 
turned to head-quarters. 

1793. Reduction of Tobago. 
—The expedition under Major- 
Gen. Cuvier, and a squadron 
commanded by Vice-Adm. Sir 
John Laforey, arrived in Great 
Courland Bay, in the island of 
Tobago, at noon on the 14th 
April, and the Avhole of the troops 
Avere on shore by 3 o’clock. That 
force, consisting of nine com¬ 
panies of the 4th battalion of the 
60th regiment, tAvo flank com¬ 
panies of the 9th regiment under 
the command of Major Baillie, a de- 








108 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 16. „ 


tachment of artillery, and twenty- 
five marines commanded by Major 
Bright, immediately advanced 
within sight of the enemy’s fort, 
whence a summons was sent to 
the commandant of the island to 
surrender. This being refused, 
Gert. Cuyler determined to assault 
the fort that night, and at half 
past 1 o’clock on the morning of 
the 15th the troops moved to¬ 
wards the town of Scarborough, 
which they reached undiscovered; 
but being fired upon from a 
house by some of the inhabitants, 
gave the garrison the alarm. As 
the troops had been strictly en¬ 
joined not to fire, but trust en¬ 
tirely to the bayonet, no return 
was made. In consequence of 
the guide leading the grenadiers 
having run away, a delay was 
occasioned, and part of the co¬ 
lumn separated in mounting the 
hill. Nevertheless, as soon as 
daylight appeared, the light in¬ 
fantry and part of the grenadiers 
reached the fort. The other 
troops having taken the road 
leading directly to the barrier, 
and the enemy’s fire commencing 
on the flank companies led by 
Major Gordon, the former at¬ 
tacked the barrier under a heavy 
fire of grape and musketry, while 
the latter, at that moment pushing 
forward, very gallantly carried 
the work, and the enemy speedily 
surrendered as prisoners of war. 

1811. Surrender of Oli- 
venza.— Marshal Beresford sum¬ 
moned Olivenzaon the 9th April; 
but the governor rejecting the 
summons, the army encamped 
around the place, and prepara¬ 
tions were ordered for the siege. 
The French, under Latour Mau- 
bourg, having retired to Llerena, 
Beresford on the lltli, leaving 
Gen. Cole with the 4th division, 
Madden’s cavalry, and a brigade 
of 9-pounders, to besiege Oli- 


venza, took post himself at Al- 
buera. On the 14th six 24- 
pounders arrived, and being 
placed in a battery constructed 
on the abandoned hornwork, 
played with such effect that the 
breach became practicable by the 
morning of the 15th. Some rifle¬ 
men posted in the vineyards kept 
down the fire of the place, and the 
garrison, consisting of three hun¬ 
dred and eighty men, surrendered 
at discretion. 

April 16. 

1746. Battle of Culloden. 
—The English, under the Duke 
of Cumberland, defeated the 
Scottish rebels, headed by the 
young Pretender, the last of the 
Stuarts, near Inverness. The 
Scots lost 2500 men, while the 
loss of the English did not far 
exceed 200. Immediately after 
the battle, Prince Charles sought 
safety by flight. 

1759. Capture of Conje- 
veram. — Major Brereton, with 
British and native troops, ap¬ 
peared before the pagoda of Con- 
jeveram, and invested it on the 
evening of the 15th of April. 
The French had strengthened 
that fortress with additional 
works; but these and the original 
fortifications on the plain were 
by daylight the following morn¬ 
ing commanded by the batteries 
of the besiegers. On a breach 
being made in a ravelin mounted 
en barbette before the gateway 
of the pagoda, the grenadiers of 
the Madras European regiment 
drove its defenders within the 
walls of Conjeveram. The ravelin 
thus gained, the victors, among 
whom were many officers, pro¬ 
ceeded to attack the gateway, 
when a gun, loaded with musket- 
balls, was fired among them, by 
which eight men were killed and 










April 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 109 


ten wounded. Of the killed were 
Capts. Stewart andBannatyn, and 
Lieuts. Hunter and Elliott. Major 
Calliaud, who commanded the 
storming party, two lieutenants, 
and two ensigns were wounded. 
While this murderous warfare was 
occupying the principal part of the 
garrison, Lieut. Airey, with En¬ 
glish troops and some sepoys, had 
forced an entrance in the rear 
of the pagoda, which, after show¬ 
ing but slight resistance, was 
now speedily carried, and its de¬ 
fenders, on throwing down their 
arms, obtained quarter. 

1783. The fortress of Avara- 
courchy, Mysore country, was 
stormed and taken possession of 
by the army under Col. Lang. 

1810. Surrender of Santa 
Maura. — The attacks on the 
island of Santa Maura, the first 
success of which we mentioned 
on the 22nd of March, were con¬ 
tinued up to this day, the French 
obstinately defending themselves 
in the citadel. On the 15th of 
April, about midnight, the in- 
trenchments close up to its walls 
were gallantly stormed by Lieut.- 
Col. Moore, commanding detach¬ 
ments of the 35th regiment, ma¬ 
rines, and other troops. A heavy 
and continued fire was poured 
upon the British immediately they 
had taken possession, which con¬ 
tinued during the remainder of 
the day. But the French, fearing 
that the assault would be renewed 
at night, showed a flag of truce, 
and the gates of the citadel were 
taken possession of the same 
evening. 

1811. Defeat of Cavalry at 
Usagre. —While Major-Gen. the 
Hon. Lowry Cole was engaged 
in the attack on Olivenza, Marshal 
Beresford moved forward \vith 
the intention of compelling the 
French to quit the province of 
Estremadura before he com¬ 


menced the siege of Badajoz. On 
the 15th he was at Santa Marta, 
and on the 16th at Los Santos. 
Meanwhile two French regiments 
of cavalry, advancing from Lle- 
rena to collect contributions, had 
(reached Usagre, where, meeting 
with the British cavalry, they 
were suddenly charged by the 
13th dragoons, and followed for 
six miles so vigorously that three 
hundred were killed or taken, 
without the loss of a man on the 
part of the pursuers. 

1821. A squadron of the 
governor - general’s body - guard 
under Capt. Thornton having been 
sent from Calcutta towards Singh- 
boom, in search of a band of ma¬ 
rauders, came up with and routed 
them, killing between fifty and 
sixty men, with but trifling loss on 
our side. 

April 27. 

1794. Battle of Landrecy. 
— On the 17th April the French 
attempted to throw a relief of two 
thousand men into Landrecy, 
which was besieged by the allies, 
under the direction of the Austrian 
Gen. La Tour. To effect this they 
attacked the Austrian advanced 
post commanded by Gen. Belle- 
garde, but met with so warm a 
reception that they were compel¬ 
led to fall back, with the loss of 
600 men and several pieces of 
cannon. H. R. H. the Duke of 
York, acting under the orders of 
Marshal Clairfait, commanded 
two of the five columns that were 
directed to carry the village of 
Vaux, where the enemy were in¬ 
trenched and strongly posted. 
Major-Gen. Abercromby, with 
the grenadier companies of the 
1st regiment of guards com¬ 
manded by Col. Stanhope, and 
the British columns led byLieut.- 
Gen. Sir William Erskine, who 
was second in command, distin- 








110 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 13. 


guished themselves in carrying se¬ 
veral redoubts, and eleven pieces 
of cannon were taken during the 
day. The village of Vaux, car¬ 
ried by assault, was plundered and 
set on fire. 

1799. Investment of Serin- 
gapatam. — During the siege of 
Seringapatam the enemy were 
dislodged from some command¬ 
ing ground intended for the 
British batteries, and on the 17th 
April the troops advanced within a 
thousand yards of the fort. While 
this was being accomplished on 
the northern side of the river 
Cavery, a watercourse on the 
south side was seized upon, and a 
parallel established within the 
same distance of the city in that 
quarter. 

1814. The Anglo-Sicilian army, 
commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Lord 
William Bentinck, attacked the 
French in a strong position before 
Genoa. The allied troops carried 
several posts, which were obsti¬ 
nately defended: others surren¬ 
dered, and the town became com¬ 
pletely at the mercy of the British 
general; while at the same time 
a squadron appeared and anchor¬ 
ed in front of Nervi. 

1817. Major Henry Smith, 
14th regiment of Madras N. I., 
was detached by Col. Wilson, 
commanding the reserve of the 
Poonah field force, with 600 rank 
and file, made up of the 2nd and 
3rd Bombay N. I. and his own 
regiment, in search of a body 
of predatory horse, said to be 
5000 strong. After some severe 
marches, he at length found them 
encamped near the village of 
Pattre. The major, attacking 
them just before daybreak, took 
them by surprise, and the ad¬ 
vanced guard pouring in a well 
directed fire, the marauders fled 
in all directions. Some hours af¬ 
terwards, a body of about two or 


three hundred horsemen made a 
demonstration of attack, but were 
quickly routed. The enemy was 
afterwards fallen in with by Capt. 
Swayne, 13th regiment of Ma¬ 
dras N. I., and pursued down the 
Ilajapoor Ghaut into Candeish, 
where they met with fresh disas¬ 
ters from the native forces. 

1818. Brigadier-Gen. Doveton, 
hearing that Bajee Row was in 
great strength at Peelpeelhote, 
marched at night from Alumneo, 
with his field force, to surprise the 
enemy. At daylight on the 17th 
of April, the brigadier-general fell 
in with the chief and his army in 
a valley near Sewney, routed and 
pursued them over a most intri¬ 
cate track of country, killing be¬ 
tween three and four hundred 
men, and taking four brass 6- 
pounders, with some treasure. 

April IS. 

1783. New Providence 
taken. — Sir Guy Carleton, in 
command at the West Indian 
island of St. Augustine, under¬ 
took, at his own expense, a small 
expedition against the Spaniards 
at New Providence, to restore, as 
he himself expresses it, the inha¬ 
bitants thereof, and those of the 
adjacent islands, to the blessings 
of a free government. It will be 
necessary to premise that, at the 
time this expedition was under¬ 
taken, the news of a treaty of 
peace between England and 
Spain had not reached the West 
Indies. The colonel embarked 
about 65 men in a small vessel, 
and first made for Harbour Island, 
where he remained four or five 
days, and then sailed for the 
eastern fort of New Providence. 
Having reached his destination 
before daylight on the 14th of 
April, he attacked and carried 
this work, and also took from the 







April 19. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


Ill 


enemy three war galleys. Col. 
Deveauxthen summoned the cita¬ 
del, and, receiving an evasive an¬ 
swer, on the 16th he took pos¬ 
session of two commanding 
hills, on which he erected bat¬ 
teries. By the morning of the 
18th April, the batteries being 
complete and within musket-shot 
of their principal fortress, the 
English colours were hoisted on 
them. The governor, finding his 
shot and shells of little effect, 
offered to capitulate. Four bat¬ 
teries were consequently surren¬ 
dered, with seventy pieces of can¬ 
non, and four large gallies, carry¬ 
ing heavy guns. 

1794. Battery of D’Anet 
stormed. — In the expedition to 
Guadaloupe, the troops under 
Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles Grey 
having taken possession of fort 
Fleur d’Epee, leaving the 43rd 
regiment in that garrison, re- 
embarked on the 14th April, and 
on the following day landed at 
Petit Bourg. On the 16th Lieut. - 
Col. Coote, with the 1st light 
infantry and 2nd battalion of 
grenadiers, reached Tron. du 
Chien, which the enemy had 
abandoned. On the 17th Major- 
Gen. Dundas, with his division, 
landed at Vieux Habitants, meet¬ 
ing with but slight opposition. 
Lieut.-Col. Blundell, with the 2nd 
battalion of light infantry, took 
possession of several batteries 
during thatnight,and dispositions 
were made by Sir Charles Grey 
for a general attack upon the 
enemy’s redoubt D’Arbaud, at 
Grande Anse, and the battery 
D’Anet; but the former was eva¬ 
cuated in the evening, the French 
setting fire to everything about 
it. The attack of D’Anet took 
place before daybreak on the 18th 
Lieut.-Col. Coote with his light 
infantry having gallantly carried it 
by assault; and the defenders were 


either killed, wounded, or taken 
prisoners. 

April 19. 

1775. Action at Concord.— 
Gen. Gage, posted at Boston, in 
North America, with 10,000 men, 
having received information that 
a large quantity of military stores 
had been collected at Concord 
for supplying a body of troops 
acting in opposition to His Ma¬ 
jesty’s Government, detached, on 
the 18th of April, the grenadiers 
and light infantry of the army, 
under the command of Lieut.-Col. 
Smith of the 10th regiment and 
Major Pitcairn of the marines, to 
destroy the said stores; and on 
the following morning eight com¬ 
panies of the 4th, with the same 
number of the 23rd and 49th regi¬ 
ments, marched under Lord Percy, 
in support of the detachment; 
Col. Smith, finding the country 
alarmed by the ringing of bells 
and firing of guns, despatched 
Major Pitcairn with six companies 
of light infantry to secure two 
bridges beyond Concord. Upon 
their arrival at Lexington they 
found a number of armed people 
assembled, who, on being dis¬ 
persed, took shelter behind some 
stone walls. These having fired 
upon the king’s troops, several 
were killed by the light infantry. 
The detachment then proceeded 
on to Concord, where they destroy¬ 
ed three guns and all the mili¬ 
tary stores. The alarm had now 
extended, and large numbers of 
the rebels collecting, attacked the 
troops posted at one of the bridges; 
on which an action ensued, and 
some men were killed and wound¬ 
ed. On the return of the detach¬ 
ment from Concord to Charles¬ 
town, several men fell by the fire 
of the rebels from behind walls 
and hedges; but the brigade of 











112 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 20. 


r 


Lord Percy having joined them 
at Lexington with two guns, the 
enemy for a time withdrew. The 
troops resuming their march, the 
rebels kept up an occasional fire 
during the whole of their route 
of fifteen miles. The British loss 
amounted to 1 lieutenant and 64 
rank and file killed; Lieut.-Ccl. 
Smith, 2 captains, 9 lieutenants, 
and 165 rank and file wounded ; 
a lieutenant and 28 men missing. 

1801. Surrender of Fort 
St. Julian near Rosetta. — 
During the operations against the 
French in Egypt, a strong force, 
formed of British and Turkish 
troops, was detached from the 
allied army by Major-Gen. Hutch¬ 
inson, who succeeded to the com¬ 
mand after the fall of Aber- 
cromby, to act against the town 
and fort of Rosetta, then held by 
the French. The British force 
that at first proceeded with Col. 
Spencer being reinforced by the 
2nd and 6th regiments, the whole 
now amounted to about 4000 
men. Cn the troops reaching 
Rosetta, after a toilsome march 
across the desert, the enemy eva¬ 
cuated the town, making only a 
slight resistance, and having but 
few killed and wounded. The 
main body of the French retired 
to the right bank of the Nile, but 
the fort of St. Julian, which com¬ 
manded the entrance of the river 
on which Rosetta is situated, still 
held out. This fort mounted 
fifteen pieces of cannon; and the 
French had left three hundred 
and sixty men to defend it. Guns 
were immediately landed, a bat¬ 
tery speedily raised, and the 
Turkish troops under the Capitan 
Pacha now doing duty with much 
regularity, rendered themselves 
very useful. The battery opened 
on the 16th, but it was not till the 
19 th that the garrison surrendered, 
on the same terms as granted at 


Aboukir Castle. The possession 
of Rosetta and of fort St. Julian 
secured the navigation of the 
Nile to the British expedition 

April 20. 

1759. During the operations 
against the island of Guadaloupe, 
Brigadier Clavering, with about 
1500 men, having attacked the 
French on the heights of St. Marie, 
charged with such resolution that 
the enemy quitted their cannon 
and fled; upon which the detach¬ 
ments took possession of the town, 
and next morning broke into the 
Capes Terre. 

1794. The successes of the 
expedition for the reduction of 
Guadaloupe continuing without a 
reverse, Sir Charles Grey moved 
forward from Trois Rivieres at 
12 o’clock on the night of the 
19th of April, with the 1st and 
2nd battalions of grenadiers and 
1st light infantry, and at day¬ 
break on the 20th carried the 
enemy’s famous post of Palmiste, 
together with all their batteries 
commanding fort St. Charles and 
Basse Terre. 

1797. Attack of Fort Irois 
repulsed.— The French Gen. Ri- 
gaud, with 1200 of his best troops, 
at 12 o’clock in the night of the 
20th of April, attempted to storm 
the fort of Irois, in the island of St. 
Domingo, which at that time was 
defended by only 25 men of the 
17th infantry, under Lieut. Talbot 
of the 82nd regiment, and twenty- 
seven colonial artillery,under Capt. 
Brueil. The enemy made several 
vigorous attacks, and although 
many were killed even within the 
fort, they were each time repulsed 
with severe loss. Meanwhile Col. 
Dagress having gained the fort 
with 350 men of Prince Edward’s 
black chasseurs, the assailants, 
leaving the fort surrounded with 












April Zl. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 113 


their dead, retired to a neighbour¬ 
ing eminence, where they made 
a stand in spite of a sortie that 
was made with some advantage. 
Our loss was but 3 men killed; 
and the only persons wounded 
were Lieuts. Talbot, 82nd regi¬ 
ment, and Colville, black chas¬ 
seurs, both mortally. 

1817. Capt. Evan Davis, com¬ 
manding a detachment of horse, 
with subsidiary troops of Berar, 
under British officers, routed a 
strong force of insurgents led by 
Godajee Row, near the Gootalla 
Ghaut. Our loss was 10 men killed; 
Capts. Evan, Davis, and Pedlar, 
and 25 men, wounded The ene- 
my, who were reinforced during 
the action, suffered severely. 

1841. Outworks of Ciiingong 
carried.— The siege of Chingong 
in Bundlecund, under the direc¬ 
tion of Capt. Beatson, was com¬ 
menced by subsidiary troops un¬ 
der British officers. In the early 
part of the month of April the 
besiegers suffered severely; but, 
reinforced by three companies of 
the 52nd regiment N. I., under 
Capt. Jamieson, a troop of the 
8th cavalry, two 18-pounders, and 
two mortars, directed by Captain 
Pepper, a speedy termination was 
put to the siege. The batteries 
set the town on fire several times; 
and on the 20th of April, the 
52nd, with a squadron of horse, 
carried a stockade and garden. 
They were hardly in possession 
when a discharge of stinkpots 
and rockets, with a heavy match¬ 
lock fire, threw our men into 
confusion for the moment; but, 
having rallied, they drove the 
enemy into the town. The guns 
were now planted in the garden, 
sweeping the works till midnight, 
when the fortress was evacuated 
by the enemy. 


April Zl. 

1794. Reduction of Guada- 
loupe. —Major-General Dundas, 
having sailed from Pointe-a- 
Petre on the 15th of April, landed 
at Vieux Habitants on the 17 th, 
with the 3rd battalion of grena¬ 
diers and the 2nd and 3rd bat¬ 
talions of light infantry; and 
meeting with but little opposition 
and no loss, taking possession of 
Morne Magdalene, destroyed two 
batteries ; then, detaching Lieut.- 
Col. Blundell with the 2nd bat¬ 
talion of light infantry, he forced 
several very difficult posts of the 
enemy during the night. Dis¬ 
positions were made for the 
attack, on the same night, of the 
redoubt d’Arbaud at Grande 
Anse and the battery d’Anet; 
but at 8 o’clock on that evening 
the enemy evacuated the former, 
after setting everything about it 
on fire ; and Lieut.-Col. Coote 
with the light infantry were in 
possession of the battery d’Anet 
by daybreak on the 18th, having 
killed, wounded, or captured 
every one of the defenders with¬ 
out sustaining any loss. On the 
19th Sir Charles Grey, with the 
1st and 2nd battalions of grena¬ 
diers and the 1st light infantry, 
moved from Trois Rivieres and 
Grande Anse, and at daybreak 
on the 20th carried the enemy’s 
important post of Palmiste, witli 
all their batteries commanding 
fort St. Charles and Basse Terre, 
communicating with the division 
of Major-Gen. Dundas on the 
morning of the 21st, who had 
made his approach by Morne 
Howel. Gen. Collot, seeing that 
all his posts had fallen into the 
hands of the invaders, proposed 
terms of capitulation, surrender¬ 
ing Guadaloupe and all its de¬ 
pendencies, comprehending the 
islands of Mariagalante, Desse- 


I 









114 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 22. 


ada, the Saintes, &c.,—the garri¬ 
son of fort Charles to march out 
with the honours of war, lay down 
their arms, and to be sent to 
France, not to serve against the 
forces of Great Britain during the 
■war. This being carried into effect, 
Prince Edward, with the grena¬ 
diers and light infantry, taking 
possession of the citadel on the 
morning of the 22nd, hoisted the 
British colours, changing the 
name to fort Matilda. 

1801. Reduction of St. Eu- 
s tatia. — Lieut.-Col. Blunt, with 
one hundred of the 3rd regiment 
of Buffs, with two field-pieces, 
under Lieut. Brown, R. A., em¬ 
barked at St. Christopher’s on 
board H. M.’s sloop Arab, Capt. 
Perkins, and an armed schooner. 
On the 21st of April a landing 
was effected on the Dutch West 
India island of St. Eustatia "with¬ 
out opposition ; and the colony, 
including the neighbouring island 
of Saba, having capitulated, was 
taken possession of. 

April 22. 

1710. The British and con¬ 
federate army under the Duke of 
Marlborough and Prince Eugene, 
having broken up their winter- 
quarters on the Maese, advanced 
to besiege the fortress of Douay. 
A detachment was sent to reduce 
Chateau Loway, situated to the 
northward of Douay, which being 
attacked on the 22nd of April, 
speedily surrendered. 

1761. Expedition to Belle- 
isle.— An army of 10,000 men 
commanded by Major-General 
Hodgson, escorted by ten sail of 
the line under Commodore Kep- 
pel, sailed from St. Helen’s on 
the 29th of March, and arrived 
in sight of Belleisle on the 6th of 
April. The island had been put 
into the best state of defence, 


batteries erected at every position 
that afforded a practicable place 
for landing, and a strong gar¬ 
rison occupied the citadel under 
the command of the Chevalier de 
St. Croix. On the 7th, at noon, 
the fleet anchored in the roads of 
Palais. On the 8th a division of 
the army effected a landing in 
the bay of Port Andeo; but all 
their efforts to ascend the hill 
proving unavailing, a retreat was 
the only alternative. On this 
occasion Generals Crawfford and 
Carleton were conspicuous for 
the gallantry they displayed in 
leading the attack ; and the lat¬ 
ter was wounded in the thigh. 
The weather became so tempes¬ 
tuous that several transports ran 
foul of each other, and many 
boats were destroyed. The loss 
sustained in this attempt amount¬ 
ed to nearly 500 men in killed, 
wounded, and prisoners. On the 
22nd, it was determined to make 
a descent at Port d’Arsic, under 
the direction of Major-General 
Crawford ; and in order to further 
that operation, two separate at¬ 
tacks were to be made,— the first 
by Brigadier-Gen. Lambert, near 
St. Foy, and the other at Sauc;on. 
Early in the morning, the bat¬ 
teries being silenced by the ships, 
the boats with the troops ad¬ 
vanced in two divisions. Brig.- 
Gen. Lambert’s division having 
landed in the bay of Locmaria, 
under stupendous rocks, that 
seemed almost inaccessible, and 
which consequently were unfor¬ 
tified, Capt. Patterson, leading 
the grenadiers of the 19th regi¬ 
ment, supported by Capt. Mur¬ 
ray with a company of marines, 
climbed the rugged ascent unper¬ 
ceived by the enemy. Other 
troops soon followed their in¬ 
trepid example, and, reaching 
the summit, were attacked by a 
regiment of infantry, which they 



















April 23. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


115 


kept in check until reinforced by 
Brigadier Lambert with the gre¬ 
nadiers of the 30th regiment and 
the remainder of the marines 
under Col. Mackenzie ; and then 
the enemy fell back to the top of 
the hill, where they had some 
field-pieces. Perceiving the suc¬ 
cessful efforts of this detachment, 
the division of troops designed to 
attack Port d’Arsic hastened to 
unite with those under Brigadier 
Lambert, who, finding himself 
thus reinforced, moved up the 
hill, drove the enemy back upon 
their main body, and captured 
three field-pieces, with some pri¬ 
soners. Our loss did not exceed 
30 men. By five in the evening 
the troops were all on shore ; and 
the army, after advancing three 
miles into the country, took post 
on an eminence during the night. 
In order to retard the march of 
the troops, the enemy broke up 
the roads, destroyed the bridges, 
and, after withdrawing the men 
from the batteries along the 
coast, blew up their magazines. 

April 23. 

1780. Marauders routed 
near Surat. —Gunnesh Punt, a 
Mahratta officer having a small 
command in the Concan, had 
quitted his station, and com¬ 
menced plundering on his own 
account such villages of Atta- 
veesy as were favourable to the 
British. On his approaching 
near to Surat, Gen. Goddard was 
required by the authorities of 
that town and fortress to send a 
force against the marauders. 
Accordingly Lieut. Welsh, an 
officer of the Bengal cavalry, was 
detached with a force of native 
troops, horse and foot, to the re¬ 
lief of the plundered villagers. 
The following letter from that 
officer describes the service he 


performed; but when he in his 
despatch expressed a desire for 
the robber’s head, he was not 
aware that the insurgent chief 
had been mortally wounded in 
the action. Lieut. Welsh’s letter 
to the Chief of Surat was as fol¬ 
lows : — 

“ Dear Sir, — I have the plea¬ 
sure to acquaint you that I rode 
on at the head of the regiment 
of Candahars and reached Gun¬ 
nesh Punt’s camp at 4 o’clock 
this morning, when I took his 
camp, standing bazar, and three 
guns. We killed ninety, and 
wounded fifteen men. I have 
only lost one duffedar, and two 
troopers wounded. I had also 
one Candaliar killed. In short, 
there was nothing wanting to 
complete this matter but sending 
you Gunnesh Punt’s head. I don’t 
think he has much to brag of. 
The inhabitants of the villages 
seem exceedingly happy, and are 
coming in from all quarters. 

“ I am, Sir, &c. &c. 

“ Tho. Welsh.” 

1811. Attack of Pickets 
repulsed. — While the allies 
were preparing for the siege of 
Ciudad Rodrigo, and at the same 
time blockading Almeida, ‘2000 
French infantry and a squadron 
of cavalry suddenly marched out 
of the former fortress on the 23rd 
of April, and made for the bridge 
of Marialva on the Alzava river, 
in which neighbourhood the 
pickets of the allies were posted. 
Although the enemy were far su¬ 
perior in numbers, Capt. Dobbs, 
with a company of the 52nd 
regiment and a few riflemen, 
gallantly repulsed them. Lieut. 
Prichard, 1st batt. 52nd regi¬ 
ment, and seventeen men, were 
wounded. Captain Dobbs was 
among the slain at the assault of 
Ciudad Rodrigo. 


I 2 

















116 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 24. 


April 24. 

1780. Castle op San Juan 
surrenders. — On the 9th of 
April we noticed the arrival in 
the river San Juan, in Mexico, of 
a small expedition under Capt. 
H. Nelson in the Hichcnbrook, 
28, with a detachment of the 60th 
regiment under Lieut.-Col. Poi¬ 
son. The castle of San Juan, 
after an obstinate resistance, sur¬ 
rendered on the 24th. 

1794. Action near Cam- 
brat.— The French having as¬ 
sembled in great force on the 
23rd of April, and being strongly- 
posted at the village of Villiers en 
Couchie, near Cambray, H. R. H. 
the Duke of York detached Gen. 
Otto with some cavalry to recon¬ 
noitre, and then reinforced him 
with two squadrons of Zetchwitz 
cuirassiers, Major-Gen. Mansel’s 
brigade of heavy cavalry, and 
the 11th regiment of light dra¬ 
goons. Soon after daybreak on 
the 24th two squadrons of hus¬ 
sars and two squadrons of the 
15th light dragoons charged the 
enemy with great success; and 
finding a line of infantry in rear 
of the cavalry, they continued 
boldly to break through them 
likewise. Had the detachment 
been properly supported, the en¬ 
tire destruction of the enemy 
must have been the consequence; 
hut, by some mistake, Gen. Man¬ 
sell brigade did not arrive in 
time to render any assistance. 
The French were, however, com¬ 
pletely driven back, and com¬ 
pelled to retreat in great confu¬ 
sion into Cambray, with the loss 
of 1200 killed and wounded, and 
three pieces of cannon. 

1812. The Sultan of Palem- 
bang, island of Sumatra, having 
been guilty of great cruelty to 
the European as well as native 
inhabitants belonging to the 


Dutch factory, and having, more¬ 
over, during the previous No¬ 
vember, insulted an agent sent to 
him on the part of the British, it 
was determined that an expe¬ 
dition should proceed to that 
island to obtain redress. Ac¬ 
cordingly Col. Gillespie, having 
under his command detachments 
of H. M.’s 59th and 89th regi¬ 
ments, horse artillery, and hussars 
(dismounted), embarked at Ba¬ 
tavia, and, accompanied by a 
small squadron under Captain 
Bowen in II. M.’s frigate Phoenix, 
after experiencing many diffi¬ 
culties, appeared before the 
strong fort of Barang on the 
river Soosang. Here a messen¬ 
ger arrived from the sultan with 
a specious assurance that the 
forts should be placed in the 
hands of the British. The troops 
were nevertheless landed on the 
24th of April, in such imposing 
strength, that, though every pre¬ 
paration had been made to oppose 
them, the garrison abandoned 
their guns. The expedition then 
moved up the river towards the 
city of Palembang. 

1818. A force of 200 Eu¬ 
ropeans, with some native 
troops, under command of Major 
Hall of H. M.’s 89ih regiment, 
detached to attack the fortress of 
Ryghur, held for Bagee Row, a 
stockade on the road was aban¬ 
doned at his approach; but on 
his arrival near the pertah he 
was attacked by 300 of the ene¬ 
my’s horse and foot. These he 
completely defeated, and drove 
them into the fortress, with the 
loss of 20 killed. Our loss was 
only 3 men wounded. 

1837. The Bisley Ghaut was 
forced by Col. Williamson, with 
part of H. M.’s 89th regiment, 
some horse artillery, and six light 
cavalry from Bangalore, meeting 
but slight resistance. 













April 25. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


117 


April 25. 

1781. Battle of Hobkirk’s 
Hill. — On the morning of the 
25th of April, the British army, 
commanded by Lord Rawdon, 
gained the left flank of the Ame¬ 
ricans under Gen, Green at Hob- 
kirk’s Hill, drove in their pickets, 
and formed in order of battle. 
The 63rd regiment and the 
volunteers of Ireland composed 
the British right ; the king’s 
American regiment and Capt. 
Robinson’s detachment the left; 
the New York volunteers the 
centre ; and the Carolina regi¬ 
ment, with the cavalry, a reserve. 
The American general, though 
surprised, ordered his right and 
left brigades to take the British 
in flank, while the main body 
marched down the hill to attack 
them in front, and his cavalry he 
despatched to engage the rear. 
Lord Rawdon, to meet these 
movements, extended his front, 
and as the Americans advanced 
received them with so determined 
a fire, that, supported even as they 
were by a powerful artillery, they 
were compelled to retreat. Pursued 
to the top of the hill, they preci¬ 
pitately drew off their cannon, 
and were at length put to 
flight, the British following them 
nearly three miles. The loss on 
the side of the enemy must have 
been full 500 men ; *100 of these 
were made prisoners. The En¬ 
glish casualties were about 258 
men, of which 38 were killed. 

1812. Occupation of Palem¬ 
bang. — Col. Gillespie’s advance 
to Palembang was hastened by 
learning that the place had been 
abandoned by the sultan to his 
troops. The colonel, with Cap¬ 
tain Bowen of H. M. S. Phoenix 
and a small party in boats, at 
midnight on the 25th April 
reached the city, which was al¬ 


ready in flames. Col. Gillespie 
and his companions, landing 
among the infuriated soldiery, 
marched for the palace, while the 
17th British grenadiers and the 
boats’ crews seized upon the forts; 
and soon after midnight they were 
reinforced by the arrival of sixty 
men of the 89th regiment. The 
defences of the city mounted 
240 pieces of cannon, and these 
had been thronged with troops. 
Early in May, Col. Gillespie and 
Capt. Bowen placed on the throne 
of Palembang the brother of the 
late sultan. 

1818. Surrender of Fort 
Trimbuck. — In the successful 
career of Col. M‘Douall, with de¬ 
tachments of H. M.’s Royal Scots, 
the Madras European regiment, 
first battalion of the 2nd, and se¬ 
cond battalion of the 12th native 
infantry, and a small battering 
train, against the hill forts of the 
Chandore range, that officer on 
the 24th April opened his bat¬ 
teries against the fort of Trim- 
buck, in the valley of Godavery, 
situated at the source of the river 
of that name; and on the 25th 
the garrison surrendered. 

April 26. 

1703. Convoy routed. — The 
2nd or Royal Scotch dragoons, 
forming part of a division of 
Marlborough’s army, being de¬ 
tached on a forced march to re¬ 
capture from the French some 
treasure intended for the allied 
forces, came up with the captors, 
and, putting them to flight, reco¬ 
vered the treasure, without much 
loss. 

1794. Action on the Heights 
f Cateaij. — The French army 
under Gen. Chapuy, which at¬ 
tacked the allied forces under 
II. R. H. the Duke of York.at day¬ 
break on 26th April, marched out 




















118 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 27 


of Cambray the preceding night, 
and consisted of a column of 28,000 
men, with, seventy-nine pieces of 
cannon ; and a smaller force 
moved forward by the way of 
Premont and Marets. The enemy, 
advancing under favour of a fog, 
carried the villages in front of the 
allies without much resistance; 
and then pushed their attack 
upon the village of Troisvilles, 

which thev had no sooner enter- 

%> 

ed than they were dislodged by 
the well directed fire from two 
British 6-pounders under the 
command of Lieut. -Col. Congreve. 
Their movements being now 
plainly seen, and their left ap¬ 
pearing to be unprotected, the 
cavalry of the right wing, con¬ 
sisting of the Austrian cuirassier 
regiment of Zetchwitz, the blues, 
1st and 2nd life-guards, and the 
royals under the command of 
Lieut.-Gen. Otto, were directed 
to turn them on that flank: whilst 
a severe cannonade from the 
front of the line diverted their 
attention from this movement, at 
the same time some light troops 
assailed their left, drove the 
enemy, and captured two pieces of 
cannon. Gen. Otto, attacking the 
enemy on their flank and rear, 
soon threw them into confusion, 
and the slaughter was immense. 
Twenty-two pieces of cannon and 
a quantity of ammunition fell into 
the hands of the allies, and Lieut. - 
Gen. Chapuy, the commander-in¬ 
chief, with 350 officers and rank 
and file, were taken prisoners. 
Meanwhile, the cavalry of the 
left wing having moved forward 
to observe the enemv’s. column 
approaching from Premont and 
Marets, their advanced guard was 
attacked with so much spirit and 
impetuosity by the 7th and 11th 
regiments of light dragoons, with 
two squadrons of the Archduke’s 
hussars under the command of 


Major Stephanitz, that they were 
entirely defeated. Twelve hundred 
men Avere left dead upon that 
part of the field; and ten pieces of 
cannon, with eleven tumbrils, were 
taken. The loss of the allies Avas 
not severe, but among the killed 
Avere Major-Gen. Mansel, and 
Capts. Pigot and Forbes of the 
3rd dragoon-guards. 

1799. Siege of Seringapatam. 
— In the progress of the siege of 
Seringapatam by the English army 
under Lieut.-Gen. Harris, the 
enemy’s advanced intrenchments 
Avere assaulted on the night of 26th 
April, and, after an obstinate de¬ 
fence of some hours, carried by 
the enduring bravery of the 
British troops. A position Avas 
thus gained on which the breach¬ 
ing batteries Avere erected. 

April 27. 

1296. Battle or Dunbar.— 
Immediately after the siege of 
Berwick, Edward I., King of 
England, detached the Earl of 
Warrenne to Dunbar, A\ r hither 
John Baliol had retired. The 
earl laid siege to the castle, but 
the brave defence of the besieged 
at length tired the assailants, 
and they desired a truce of three 
days, on condition that, if the 
castle Avere not relieved in that 
time, it should surrender. Baliol, 
having assembled a considerable 
force, resolved to hazard an en¬ 
gagement rather than give up a 
castle of such importance, and 
on the third day of the truce, the 
27th April, an army of 40,000 
men appeared in sight of Dunbar. 
Warrenne immediately attacked 
them with such impetuosity, that 
the Scots Avere routed with great 
slaughter, and fled beyond the 
Forth, leaving all the southern 
parts to the mercy of the En¬ 
glish. 

















April 28. 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 


119 


1560. The French at Leith. 
— A French army being in pos¬ 
session of Leith, in right of 
Francis II. of France, husband 
of Mary Queen of Scots, an army 
under Lord Grey de Wilton, with 
the “ Confederate Scots,” besieged 
that town. One of the few 
successes gained by Elizabeth 
that marked the progress of the 
siege, was the taking of an out¬ 
work, which was obstinately de¬ 
fended by the enemy. Although 
the French continued to hold the 
town against all the forces brought 
against it, they were ultimately 
induced, by diplomatic arrange¬ 
ments, to abandon Scotland. 

1777. Action at DtflNBURT.— 
The rebels having established 
considerable magazines of stores 
at the town of Danbury and 
other places on the borders of the 
Connecticut Sir William Howe 
detached a force for their destruc¬ 
tion under Gen. Tryon, consisting 
of detachments from the 4 th, 15th, 
23rd, 27th, 44th, and 64th regi¬ 
ments, the Prince of Wales’s vo¬ 
lunteers, with other troops, and 
a party of artillery with six 
field-pieces. The whole being 
embarked in transports, sailed 
from New York, and on the 
evening of 25th April arrived at 
Norwalk, about 20 miles from 
Dunbury. Having landed with¬ 
out opposition, they marched that 
night and arrived at Dunbury on 
the following day. Setting the 
magazines on fire, the flames 
reached the town, which w r as un¬ 
avoidably burnt. Early on the 
27th the detachment took the 
road for Ridgefield. While the 
general was executing his orders 
at Dunbury, the American Gens. 
Wooster, Arnold, and Solliman, 
were exerting themselves to 
collect the militia in the different 
districts, and, by adopting every 
means, to interrupt and retard 


the march of the king’s forces. 
Wooster hung upon the rear of 
the detachments ; while Arnold, 
by making a circuitous route, 
gained their front, and had ac¬ 
tually posted himself in the vil¬ 
lage of Ridgefield. The British 
troops, however, continued their 
march and although constantly 
meeting opposition from the rebel 
force, they reached Ridgefield 
about noon; but Gen. Arnold had 
preceded them, and was busily 
occupied in throwing up in- 
trenchments to cover his front. 
Gen. Tryon immediately attacked 
them; and, their newly thrown up 
works unable to withstand the 
effects of his cannon, the troops 
rushed forward and soon routed 
the enemy. 

1796. Landing at St. Lucie. 
— A squadron under Rear-Adm. 
Sir Hugh Christian, with an army 
under Lieut.-Gen. Abercromby, 
arrived at the island of St. Lucie 
on 26th April, and on the same 
day Major-Gen. Campbell with 
1000 men landed without opposi¬ 
tion in Longueville Bay. On the 
morning of the 27th this force 
marched to Choc Bay, and the 
whole army having landed, the 
enemy retreated to MorneChabot, 
which was attacked on the follow¬ 
ing morning. 

1811. The British pickets on 
the rivef Arzova, belonging to 
the light division of the army 
under Wellington, were attacked 
on 27th April by detachments of 
the French forces commanded by 
Massena ; but these met with re¬ 
pulse at every post they assailed. 

April 28. 

1703. Assault of Bonn. — 
Invested by a large body of 
troops, under the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough, the city of Bonn was 
bombarded by 9 mortars and 500 








120 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 29. 


pieces of cannon, during four 
days. On the 27 th April the 
trenches were opened, the fortress 
carried by storm, and all its de¬ 
fenders put to the sword, except a 
few that effected their escape in a 
boat. The town,however, still con¬ 
tinued in the hands of the French, 
who vigorously defended it. 

1705. At the siege of Valen¬ 
cia d’Alcantara, in Estremadura, 
the Earl of Galway commanded 
the English force that assisted in 
fighting the battles of Charles III. 
of Spain against Philip V. After 
the batteries had opened during 
two days, and a breach being 
practicable, on the 28th April, 
between eight and nine in the 
morning, one English and one 
Dutch regiment, with a large body 
of Portuguese and Spaniards, par- 
tizans of Charles III., mounted the 
breach. The Castilians, unable 
to brave the fury of the besiegers, 
retired into the castle, and shortly 
afterwards, displaying a white flag, 
offered to surrender. During the 
negotiation the soldiers within 
mutinied; and throwing open the 
gates, the confederates marched 
in and took possession. 

1775. Action of the Subur- 
mattee. — In this year com¬ 
menced the first Mahratta war. 
The extended dominions of the 
Bombay Presidency in India had 
induced treaties and exchange of 
territory between the English and 
thcPoonah sovereignty, and when 
the chiefs Holkar and Scindiah 
took part with the Mutseddies or 
Brahman state councillors, who 
had dethroned Ragoha, the Pre¬ 
sidency espoused the cause of 
that deposed monarch. About 
the middle of April his army 
was joined by a force under Col. 
Keating, consisting of the Bom¬ 
bay European and native troops, 
strengthened by two grenadier 
companies of the Madras Euro¬ 


pean regiment and a battalion 
of sepoys This army, moving 
along the banks of the Subur- 
mattee on the 28th of April, was 
cannonaded by the guns of the 
Mahrattas from the village of 
Hossamlee, the opposite side of 
that river. The British artillery 
soon silenced the enemy’s lire, 
and drove back the centre and 
left of their army ; but the right 
of the Mahrattas, boldly crossing 
the river, made a furious charge 
upon the British. They were, 
however, repulsed, with a loss of 
400 men in killed and wounded. 
Their whole army then speedily 
retired, leaving the English 
masters of the field. 

1796. The landing on the island 
of St. Lucie on the 27th April was 
followed up by the successful as¬ 
sault of the strongly fortified post 
of Morne Chabot. This was ef¬ 
fected by a division of Aber- 
cromby’s army, under command 
of Brigadier-Gen. Moore, over¬ 
coming the determined resistance 
of the enemy. The 23rd regi¬ 
ment were the troops principally 
engaged. 

April 29. 

1710. During the siege of 
Douay by the confederate armies 
under Marlborough a sortie was 
made from fort Scarpe by the 
French garrison, to cut off a con¬ 
voy with bread intended for the 
besiegers. They had nearly reach¬ 
ed Pont a-Rache, when being sud¬ 
denly attacked by a squadron of 
Scotch Greys and two squadrons 
of the Royal Irish dragoons, they 
were routed, and pursued under 
the guns of fort Scarpe. 

1745. French Outposts 
driven in. — With the object of 
humbling the House of Austria, 
by making a conquest of the 
Netherlands, the French monarch 










April 30. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


121 


ordered a numerous army, under 
the command of Marshal Saxe, to 
march into that country, and His 
Majesty and the Dauphin joined 
it soon after ; and invested the 
strongly fortified town of Tour- 
nay on the 24th April. The Duke 
of Cumberland, commanding the 
allied forces, although vastly in¬ 
ferior to the French army, re¬ 
solved on relieving that place. 
On the 28th, the two armies were 
in sight of each other, and on 
the 29th, the allies were employed 
in driving the enemy from their 
advanced posts and clearing the 
defiles through which they might 
advance to the attack ; while the 
French completed their batteries, 
and made the most formidable 
preparations for the approaching 
contest. 

1796. After the capture of 
Morne Chabot on the previous 
day, the success obtained by the 
expedition against the island of 
St. Lucie, was the occupation of 
Morne Duchassau, in the rear of 
Morne Fortunee, by Brigadier- 
Gen. Moore and the troops under 
his command. Lieut.-Gen. Aber- 
cromby, whose measures con¬ 
tinued to be attended with un¬ 
interrupted success, was now gra¬ 
dually investing the fortress of 
Morne Fortunee. 

April 30. 

1745. Expedition against 
Louisbourg. —At the commence¬ 
ment of the war in this year, the 
British colonies in North America 
began to be sensible of the im¬ 
portance of Cape Breton; for, 
whilst the inhabitants of that 
island infested the coasts of the 
British settlement, ruining their 
fishery, interrupting their navi¬ 
gation, destroying Canso, and in¬ 
vading Annapolis, it afforded a 
safe asylum for men-of-war and 


privateers. These hostilities 
roused the colonists to a sense 
of their danger and insecurity, 
while the French possessed this 
island. On the 25th January 
the General Assembly at Boston 
voted the sum of 27,000 pounds 
sterling towards equipping an 
expedition for the reduction of 
Louisbourg. The inhabitants of 
the several colonies of New Eng¬ 
land so cheerfully concurred in 
the prosecution of the enterprise, 
that 3850 volunteers, principally 
men of property and respectabi¬ 
lity, embarked for Canso on 20th 
March, in eighty-five transports, 
protected by well-armed priva¬ 
teers ; and the whole force was un¬ 
der the command of Mr. Pepperel, 
who was unanimously chosen as 
their chief. On the 2nd of April 
the fleet arrived at Canso, a port 
separated by a narrow strait from 
Cape Breton, and about 167 
leagues from Boston, where, being 
joined by Commodore Warren, in 
the Superb, 60, with the Lancaster, 
Etham, and Mermaid, of 40 guns, 
sent from Antigua by orders from 
the British Government, they pro¬ 
ceeded to Gabarus Bay, within 
five miles of Louisbourg, the gar¬ 
rison of which consisted of 1200 
regulars and 800 militia. Then* 
it was, that the French, on seeing 
the expedition, became aware of 
the intended attack. The de¬ 
barkation was immediately un¬ 
dertaken under cover of the guns 
of the privateers; and on the 30th 
April, 200 men having effected a 
landing, a French detachment, 
which had arrived to oppose them, 
was defeated with the loss of 6 
killed and 5 taken prisoners; and 
the rest having dispersed in the 
woods, the main body of the troops 
reached the shore without opposi¬ 
tion. 

1794. Surrender of Lan- 
drecy. — The town of Landrccy, 













122 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 1. 


in the French Netherlands, si¬ 
tuated on the river Sambre, had 
been invested since the 20th April 
by the confederate army under the 
command of the Emperor of Ger¬ 
many; the siege being directed 
by the Austrian general La Tour, 
under the orders of the Prince 
of Orange, and fifteen thousand 
pioneers were at work with a neces¬ 
sary train of artillery. The Duke of 
York and the English troops took 
an active part in covering and 
supporting the operations, as we 
have shown in our columns for 
the 17th, 24th, and 26th of this 
month. On the 30th Landrecy 
surrendered at discretion to the 
confederate army. 

1804. Expedition to Suri¬ 
nam. — A force, under orders of 
Brigadier-Gen. Hughes, landed, 
on the night of the 29th of April, 
from the expedition, commanded 
by Major-Gen. Green and Com¬ 
modore Wood, against the Bata¬ 
vian settlement of Surinam. 
Early on the morning of the 30th 
they attacked and carried Fre¬ 
derica battery, driving the enemy 
into fort Leyden, which work 
they also took by assault. The 
force engaged consisted of de¬ 


tachments of the 64th regiment, 
■'under the Hon. Lieut.-Col. Crans- 
toun, the 6th West India regi¬ 
ment, Major Stirke, and seamen 
and marines of the squadron 
under Capt. Maxwell, R. N. 


May 1. 

1549. Repulse of an Attack 
upon Bullonberg.— The French, 
under Chatillon, marching to sur¬ 
prise the fortress of Bullonberg, 
had unfortunately in their ranks 
an Englishman who had been ex¬ 
pelled from the garrison for hav¬ 
ing married a Frenchwoman, or 
probably some more serious of¬ 
fence. This man having ap¬ 


prised the English of the enemy’s 
approach, Sir Nicholas Arnaut 
gave the assailants such a warm 
reception that they were com¬ 
pletely repulsed, and, according to 
the chroniclers, fifteen waggons 
went away laden with the slain. 

1759. Surrender of Guada- 
loupe. — The troops under Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Clavering, after car¬ 
rying the fortified heights of St. 
Marie, entered the Capes Terre, 
the richest and most beautiful 
part of the island, where, finding 
the inhabitants of the country in 
arms, and their houses abandoned, 
they were under the painful ne¬ 
cessity of setting fire to all their 
habitations, sugarcanes, &c., so 
that at night this fine country 
appeared in one continued blaze. 
Gen. Nadau now finding all the 
fortifications of the several passes 
successively forced, every hope 
of receiving supplies by help of 
the Dutch cut off, and the militia 
becoming so tired of the war that 
they no longer seconded his ef¬ 
forts with spirit, while the prin¬ 
cipal inhabitants importuned him 
to submit, sent to General Cla¬ 
vering to demand a suspension 
of arms. On the 25th, terms of 
capitulation were agreed to, and 
on the 1st May being signed by 
Gen. Barrington, the island of 
Guadaloupe surrendered, after a 
defence of three months. 

1779. Landing at Jersey re¬ 
pulsed.— An expedition against 
the island of Jersey, consisting 
of five large vessels and a number 
of smaller ones, conveying 2500 
men, appeared off St. Aubin’s 
Bay on 1st of May, and attempted 
to disembark the troops ; but the 
preparations along the shore were 
so formidable that they desisted 
and drew off. As soon as the 
alarm of an enemy being on the 
coast spread through the island the 
militia flew to arms, and, accom- 








IVIay 2. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


123 


paniedby the 78th regiment, with 
a detachment of artillery, has- 
tened to the intended place of 
descent; and, with the field-pieces 
they had by great exertions 
dragged through the heavy roads, 
cannonaded the enemy until they 
were beyond the range of shot. 

1796. Reduction of St.Lucie. 
—After the successful attacks on 
Morne Fortunee, on 28th April, 
the advanced posts of the Bri¬ 
tish grenadiers under Lieut.-Col. 
M‘Donald, of the 56th regiment, 
was attacked by a French detach¬ 
ment, and after a spirited contest 
the enemy were defeated with 
sei^ere loss. The English casual¬ 
ties were also considerable, they 
having 50 killed and wounded; 
Capt. Kerr, York rangers, among 
the former, and Major Napier, 
63rd regiment, among the latter. 

1799. Assault of Acre re¬ 
pulsed. — The garrison of Acre 
continued to make occasional 
sorties, under the protection of the 
ships’ boats, until the evening of 
1 st of May. On that day, after seve¬ 
ral hours’ cannonade from twenty- 
three pieces of artillery, including 
nine battering 24- and 18-pound¬ 
ers, the French made a fourth 
desperate attempt to mount the 
breach, which was now much ex¬ 
tended. II. M.’s ships Tigre and 
Theseus, anchored on either side 
of the town, flanked the walls, 
while the gun-boats were stationed 
in the most suitable positions for 
raking the enemy’s trenches. 
Opposed by this destructive fire, 
the French troops, in spite of the 
most determined efforts, were 
repulsed with a heavy loss. On 
the part of the British, Capt. 
David Wilmot, of H. M. S. Al¬ 
liance, with 5 others, were killed, 
and 9 wounded. The French 
continued to batter in breach 
with progressive effect, although 
repulsed with great slaughter in 


their several attempts to storm ; 
nor were they more successful in 
their attacks on the two ravelins 
that had been erected by Sir 
Sidney Smith to flank the nearest 
approaches of the besiegers, and 
which were only a few yards dis¬ 
tant. 

IVIay 2. 

1422. Meaux surrenders.— 
Henry V. of England, by a se¬ 
ries of conquests, had possessed 
himself of the greater portion of 
France ; and the victory of Agin- 
court, with the territorial dower 
brought him by his queen, con¬ 
firmed and added to his posses¬ 
sions. Still a few towns held out 
for the Dauphin. Among these 
was the town of Meaux,— a con¬ 
tumacy the more annoying, as 
being near Paris; for when 
Henry held his occasional court, 
it seemed to mock the power by 
which he reigned as King of 
France, though the imbecile 
Charles VI. was yet allowed that 
name. The town of Meaux, 
was beleaguered from October in 
the previous year, and several 
reverses had befallen the English 
before its Avails, involving the loss 
of some nobles and knights, to¬ 
gether with a A r ast number of 
men-at-arms. At length the En¬ 
glish made a successful attack 
on the town, Avhich Avas carried 
by assault. The citadel yet held 
out, which so exasperated Henry, 
that Avhen famine had compelled 
its defenders to offer terms of 
submission, he refused to grant 
the lives of such English, Welsh, 
Irish, and Scotch, as had been en¬ 
gaged against him. The garrison 
Avas thus under the necessity of 
surrendering at discretion on the- 
2nd of May. Henry found in. 
Meaux many of the nobles who 
held castles for the Dauphin ; 
these he obliged to sign orders 














124 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. IVIay 3. 


for their surrender, and he took 
summary vengeance upon several 
nobles and captains who had 
themselves refused to give quarter 
during the war. 

1703. After the capture of the 
fortress of Bonn by the confe¬ 
derate army under Marlborough, 
on the 28th April, the French in 
the city still held out. A des¬ 
perate sortie which they made 
on the 2nd of May was so effec¬ 
tively repulsed, that the Prince of 
Hesse, who had the immediate 
direction of the siege, pursuing 
the enemy, carried the counter¬ 
scrap of the work by storm. 

1705. Sortie from Gibral¬ 
tar. — Whilst the fortress of 
Gibraltar was besieged by the 
French, under Marshal de Tesse, 
the garrison under the Prince of 
Hesse D’Armstadt did not re¬ 
main idle. On the 2nd of May, 
a detachment of the British gre¬ 
nadier guards, under Colonel 
Rivett of the Coldstream regiment, 
made a sortie, and attackedthe be¬ 
siegers’ post of the Sand Hill with 
so much intrepidity, that the enemy 
fled with great precipitation, and 
the colonel destroyed the works. 

1768. In our war with Hyder 
Ali, Col. Smith, commanding a 
force consisting chiefly of the 
Madras European regiment, re¬ 
ceived the surrender of the fort 
of Iiistnagherry, after a vigilant 
blockade of that fortress. 

1775. After the slight affair at 
the village of Ilossamlee on the 
28th of April, in the Mahratta 
war, the British and their allies, 
under Col. Keating, next fell in 
with the enemy near Daboun. 
The Mahrattas, not loath to at¬ 
tack, threw themselves on the left 
of our troops, but were repulsed 
and entirely dispersed, with the 
loss of 1600 men in killed and 
wounded. 

1796. The Dutch colony of 


Berbice surrendered, on summons, 
to an expedition under Commo¬ 
dore Parr and a military force 
commanded by Major-General 
White. 

May 3. 

1764. In the war between the 
Anglo-Indian Government and 
the allied armies of the Mogul 
Emperor and Sujah Dowla, the 
deposed Nabob of Oude, the Bri¬ 
tish and native forces com¬ 
manded by Major Carnac, when 
encamped under the walls of 
Patna, were attacked by the 
enemy. Early on the 3rd of 
May, the Indian army advanced 
in order of battle, under a heavy 
cannonade, and about noon a 
corps of infantry, supported by a 
strong force of cavalry, com¬ 
menced a vigorous attack on the 
English front. In the meantime 
the main body of the enemy 
getting into the rear, made in¬ 
cessant attacks until evening, but 
were repulsed on all sides, having 
sustained considerable loss. 

1765. Sujah Dowla was still 
in the field, though the victory 
gained over him on the 3rd of 
May, 1764, was followed by even 
a more disastrous defeat at Buxar, 
and by the capture of most of his 
fortresses. He was now in alli¬ 
ance with the Mahrattas, whom 
the British under Gen. Carnac 
routed in the neighbourhood of 
Carah, following up the advent 
of this untoward anniversary to 
Sujah Dowla by successful en¬ 
counters with his allies ; who 
being driven out of the country, 
the deposed nabob made terms 
with the English Government. 

1811. Combat of Fuentes 
de Onoro. —On the 2nd of May, 
Marshal Massena, moving from 
Ciudad Rodrigo, crossed the 
Agueda, and entered Portugal, 
with 40,000 infantry, 5000 horse, 







Xttay 4. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 125 


and thirty pieces of artillery. 
Lord Wellington, aware of their 
intention to relieve Almeida, de¬ 
termined to fight another battle 
rather than relinquish the block¬ 
ade of that place, although his 
own army was so weakened by 
the reinforcements sent down 
to Beresford that he had only 
32,000 foot, 1200 horse, and 42 
guns, to oppose the enemy’s 
inarch. The allies occupied a 
fine table-land between the Tu- 
rones and the Dos Casas; the left 
at fort Conception, the centre 
opposite the village of Alameda, 
and the right at Fuentes de Onoro, 
the whole distance being five 
miles. The French advanced on 
the morning of the 3rd of May, 
in three columns abreast, the ca¬ 
valry, the 6th corps, and Drouet’s 
division, against Fuentes de Onoro, 
while the 8th and 2nd corps 
menaced the left of the position. 
Towards evening Loison’s corps 
fell upon the village, under a 
heavy cannonade from the ridge 
which commanded it. The low 
parts were vigorously defended, 
but the attack was so power¬ 
fully maintained that the British 
abandoned the streets, and with 
difficulty held the upper ground 
about the chapel. Col. Williams, 
the commanding officer, fell se¬ 
verely wounded, and the fight was 
becoming critical, when the 24th, 
71th, and 79th regiments, coming 
down from the main position, 
charged so boldly, that the French 
were forced back, and, after a 
severe struggle in the narrow 
streets of the village, were finally 
driven over the river of Dos 
Casas. During the night the de¬ 
tachments were withdrawn, but 
the 24th, the 71st, and 79th were 
left in Onoro, where two hun¬ 
dred and sixty of the allies, and a 
still greater number of the French 
had fallen. 


ZVEay 4. 

1778. Action at the 
Crooked Billet. — An Ameri¬ 
can force of 1000 men, command¬ 
ed by Brigadier Lacy, took post at 
the Crooked Billet on the high 
road to Philadepliia, and thus cut 
off the supplies of the British 
army under Gen. Clinton, then oc¬ 
cupying that city. On the morn¬ 
ing of the 4th of May, Major 
Simcoe, with the Queen’s rangers 
and a small body of cavalry, at¬ 
tacked the Americans, and com¬ 
pelled them to retreat, with the 
loss of their baggage, and some 
men killed and wounded. 

1799. Seringapatam taken 
by Storm. — The English army 
under Lieut.-Gen. Harris appear¬ 
ed before Seringapatam on the 
5th of April, and the labours of 
the siege proceeded steadily until 
the 4 th of May It was then deter¬ 
mined to assault the fortress on 
that day at one o’clock, the hour 
when the orientals usually take 
some repose. Syed Goff’har, 
Tippoo’s ablest officer, sent Avord 
to the Sultaun that the English 
were about to make an attack, 
but, misled by astrological predic¬ 
tions, Tippoo refused to credit 
the report, and while Syed was 
deliberating on forcing the Sul¬ 
taun to the breach he was killed by 
a cannon-shot. At half-past one 
o’clock, the party for the assault, 
under the orders of Major-Gen. 
Baird, consisting of ten flank 
companies of Europeans, taken 
from those regiments necessarily 
left to guard the camp, followed 
by the 12th, 33rd, 73rd, and 74th 
regiments, three corps of grena¬ 
dier sepoys selected from the 
troops of the three presidencies, 
and 200 of the Nizam’s soldiers, 
accompanied by artillery and pio¬ 
neers, entered the ford of the 
river, and, under a deadly fire 








126 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 5. 


from the enemy’s cannon, crossed 
the rocky bed of the Cavery. Then 
passing the glacis, and having 
gained the ditch, they mounted the 
valorously defended breaches in 
the fausse braye and rampart of 
the fort, surmounting in the most 
gallant manner every obstacle 
which the difficulty of the pas¬ 
sage and the resistance of the ene¬ 
my offered to their progress. Ge¬ 
neral Baird had divided his force 
for the purpose of clearing the 
ramparts to the right and left. 
One division was under Col. Sher¬ 
brooke, the other commanded by 
Lieut.-Col. Dunlop; and although 
the latter was disabled in the 
breach, both corps, in spite of the 
most determined opposition, were 
completely successful. Resistance 
continued to be made from the 
Sultaun’s palace for some time 
after all firing had ceased from 
the works, until two of his sons 
who were there, on assurance of 
safety, surrendered; when guards 
were placed for the protection of 
the family. It was soon reported 
that Tippoo Sultaun had fallen, 
and three of his chiefs were also 
among the slain; but the strength 
of the fortress was such, both from 
its natural position and the stupen¬ 
dous works by which it was sur¬ 
rounded, that it required all the 
exertions of the brave troops that 
attacked it to overcome the he¬ 
roic resistance of its defenders. 
The loss on the part of the assail¬ 
ants amounted to 2 captains, 
6 lieutenants, and 62 rank and 
file, Europeans, killed ; 1 lieute¬ 
nant-colonel, 4 captains, 3 lieu¬ 
tenants, 3 ensigns, and 247 
wounded; natives, 13 killed, 34 
wounded: making the total loss 
of Europeans in the assault, 70 
killed and 258 wounded ; whilst 
the native troops had only 47 
killed and wounded. 


May 5. 

1811. Battle of Fuentes 
de Onoro. — In order to pre¬ 
vent Massena, by a direct march 
from Ciudad Rodrigo, placing his 
army on the right flank of the 
allies, and attacking them while 
entangled between the Dos Casas, 
the Turones, the Coa, and the 
fortress of Almeida, and at the 
same time cover his communica¬ 
tions with Sabugal and Seceiras, 
Lord Wellington stretched his 
right wing out to Nava d’Aver, 
causing Julian Sanchez to oc¬ 
cupy the hill, supported by Gen. 
Houston with the 7 th division. 
The French Marshal having de¬ 
ferred his intended attack at day¬ 
break on the 5th for two hours, 
his movements were plainly de¬ 
scried. The 8 th corps, withdrawn 
from Alameda supported by all 
the French cavalry, was seen 
marching above the village of 
P 090 Velho, whilst the 6 th corps 
andDrouet’s division took ground 
to their own left, still keeping a 
division in front of Fuentes. The 
light division and English horse, 
were therefore hastened to the 
support of Gen. Houston, while 
the 1st and 3rd divisions moved 
parallel with the 6 th corps of the 
enemy. The latter, however, 
drove the left wing of the 7th di¬ 
vision from P 090 Velho, until the 
arrival of the rifles of the light 
division restored the fight. Mont- 
brun’s cavalry then formed in 
order of battle on the plain be¬ 
tween the wood and the hill of 
Nava d’Aver, and, having turn¬ 
ed the right of the 7 th division, 
charged the British cavalry that 
had advanced to its support. 
Although the fight was unequal 
as regards the numbers of the 
English, the enemy were partially 
checked, and the French colonel 
Lamotte taken in a personal en- 








May 5. CALENDAR 


counter with General Charles 
Stewart. The French charging 
Houston’s corps, the horse artil¬ 
lery of Capt. Ramsay was cut off 
and surrounded. The light di¬ 
vision instantly threw itself into 
squares, but before the 7 th divi¬ 
sion could effect a similar forma¬ 
tion the French horsemen were 
upon them ; nevertheless, they 
were received with such firmness 
that little impression was made. 
Just at this moment, the French 
squadrons became agitated : a 
body was seen coming upon them 
at full speed, and then, with a 
loud shout, Norman Ramsay burst 
forth at the head of his battery, 
the gunners in compact order 
protecting the rear. Meanwhile, 
the English divisions having be¬ 
come separated, and the right 
wi ng turned, Wellington directed 
the 7th division to cross the 
Turones and move along the left 
bank to Frenada, whilst the light 
division retired over the plain, 
the cavalry covering their rear. 
At the same time he placed the 
1st and 3rd divisions and the 
Portuguese in line on the steppes 
perpendicular to the ravine of 
Fuentes de Onoro. The French 
horse continued to follow the 
light division as it retired slowly 
in squares over the plain; but they 
were repulsed in a charge they 
made upon the 42nd regiment. 
The whole of the vast plain was 
now covered by a confused mul¬ 
titude, composed of commissa¬ 
riat, camp-followers, &c. The 7th 
division was separated from the 
army by the Turones, whilst 
5000 French cavalry, with fifteen 
pieces of artillery, were close at 
hand; the 8th corps were in order 
of battle behind the horsemen, 
and the wood was filled with 
skirmishers of the 6th corps. But 
yet no effort was made by the 
enemy to avail themselves of their 


OF VICTORY. 127 


vantage ground ; and the light 
division formed a reserve to the 
right of the first division, its rifle¬ 
men connecting it with the se¬ 
venth, which had arrived at Fre¬ 
nada. The French now opened a 
heavy cannonade, which being re¬ 
plied to with vigour by the twelve 
British guns, their fire soon abated. 
In the meantime a fierce battle 
was maintained at Onoro, which 
Massena had directed Drouet to 
carry at the moment Montbrun 
should turn the right wing; but it 
was not until two hours later that 
the attack commenced. The three 
British regiments made a despe¬ 
rate resistance, but, overmatched 
in number, they became divided: 
two companies of the 79th were 
taken, and Col. Cameron was 
mortally wounded. The upper 
part of the town was still con¬ 
tested with great obstinacy, and 
reinforcements were detached by 
Wellington in support of the gal¬ 
lant defenders of Fuentes; and, 
whilst the French continued to 
strengthen their force in that quar¬ 
ter, the village was never entirely 
abandoned by the British. In a 
charge of the 71st, 79th, and 88th 
regiments, led by Col. M‘Kinnon, 
against a strong column which 
had gained the chapel eminence, 
the enemy was beaten back with 
considerable loss. The fight con¬ 
tinued until evening, when the 
lower part of the town was aban¬ 
doned by both parties; the British 
maintaining the chapel and crags, 
and the French retiring beyond 
the stream. When the action 
ceased, a slight demonstration of 
the enemy near Fort Conception 
having been repulsed, both armies 
remained in observation. Our 
loss amounted to 235 killed, 1234 
wounded, 317 missing. The loss 
of the enemy was much greater, 
and was estimated at about 3000 
in killed and wounded. 








128 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


May 6. 


May 6. 

1600. The fort of Andre, on 
the island of Bommelwaert, in the 
Low Countries, at the confluence 
of the rivers Maese and Waal, in 
the possession of the Spaniards, 
surrendered to the Dutch and 
English forces. 

1710. During the siege of 
Do nay by the confederate army 
under the Duke of Marlborough, 
a sortie, made on the night of the 
6 tli of May, was repulsed with 
severe loss, and 100 prisoners 
were taken. 

1776. Siege of Quebec raised. 
—The arrival of the Surprise fri¬ 
gate, Capt. Douglas, and two 
sloops, in the basin of Quebec on 
the 6th of May, put an end to 
the sufferings of the garrison, and 
to the hopes of the rebels. The 
several detachments of troops and 
marines, in all about 200 men, were 
immediately landed. Gen.Carleton 
j udging rightly that the impression 
made on the Americans by the ar¬ 
rival of those ships would operate 
powerfully in favour of the be¬ 
sieged, determined upon a sortie. 
He accordingly sallied forth at 
the head of about 800 men, and 
found the enemy making busy 
preparations for a retreat. After 
exchanging a few shot, they fled 
with great precipitation, abandon¬ 
ing their artillery and military 
stores. Capt. Douglas, on learn¬ 
ing that the rebels were in re¬ 
treat, moved the Surprise with 
the Martin up the river as far as 
the rapids of Richelieu, and thus 
prevented the parties of the in¬ 
surgents on the opposite side of 
the river from forming a junction 
in retiring towards Montreal. 

1780. Skirmish on the Banks 
of the Santee. — Col. White 
having, since the disaster of the 
Americans at Monk’s Corner, 
collected a respectable body of 


cavalry, crossed the Santee on 
the 6th of May, and made pri¬ 
soners a small party of the king’s 
troops, which lie directed to be 
conveyed to Launcau’s ferry, 
where he had ordered his forces 
to assemble. Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, 
Avho was immediately detached 
by Earl Cornwallis, arrived at the 
ferry a few minutes after Col. 
White and his party had reached 
that place. He instantly attacked 
them with so much spirit that they 
were routed, with the loss of fifty 
men, killed or taken prisoners. 
At the very moment of attack, 
the British prisoners, who were 
in a boat crossing the river, on 
being called upon by their friends, 
rose on their guard, and effected 
their own release. 

1784. Repulse of the French 
at Rousalier. — The fortified 
post of Rousalier near Tournay, 
held by a strong force of Plano- 
verians and some British cavalry, 
was attacked this day by the 
French ; but they were repulsed, 
with the loss of 200 killed and 
many wounded. 

1814. Fort Oswego stormed. 
— The squadron, under Com¬ 
modore Sir James Yeo in the 
Prince Regent, having on board 
the 2nd battalion of marines, six 
companies of the regiment of De 
Watteville, one company of Glen¬ 
garry light infantry, and a small 
detachment of artillery, anchored 
off the fort of Oswego, on lake 
Ontario, at noon on 6th of May. 
The frigates took a position where 
they could cannonade the fort, 
whilst the smaller vessels covered 
the several points of debarkation, 
which, owing to the shallow 
water, was attended with some 
difficulty, and in many instances 
the troops were obliged to leap 
out and wade through the water 
up to their middle ; and the ene¬ 
my having strongly occupied the 







May 7. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


129 


favourable position near the shore, 
and the woods by which it was 
surrounded, the disembarkation 
was attended with some loss. It 
was nevertheless effected with the 
utmost promptitude, under the di¬ 
rection of Lieut.-Col. Fischer, led 
by two flank companies of De 
Watteville’s; the remaining four 
companies and the artillery be¬ 
ing held in reserve. The 2nd 
battalion of royal marines, un¬ 
der Lieut.-Colonel Malcolm, sup¬ 
ported by a detachment of sea¬ 
men under Captain Mulcaster of 
the royal navy, formed a second 
column on the right, whilst the 
Glengarry light infantry of Capt. 
M‘Millan occupied the skirts of 
the wood on the left, and sup¬ 
ported the march of the co¬ 
lumns to the fort, which was 
gained and carried in ten minutes 
from the advance of the troops after 
landing. The enemy’s garrison, 
consisting of Marcombe’s 3rd re¬ 
giment of artillery, 400 strong, 
and a numerous militia, saved 
themselves by a precipitate flight 
as the assailants entered the fort. 
The American colours, which had 
been nailed to the flag-staff, were 
struck by Lieut. John llewett of 
the marines. The total loss of 
the British amounted to 16 killed 
and 62 wounded, and among the 
former Capt. Holtaway of the ma¬ 
rines. On the part of the navy, 3 
seamen were killed ; Capts. Mul¬ 
caster and Popham, and 8 men 
wounded. 

May 7. 

1191. Usurper of Cyprus de¬ 
feated. — Richard I., on his way 
to the Holv Land, made war on 
Isaac, the Usurper of Cyprus, in 
consequence of his inhumanity to 
the crews of some of the English 
vessels of the crusaders’ fleet 
wrecked on the island. Richard, 
landing his knights and men-at- | 


arms, attacked the tyrant king, 
and drove him from the shore 
on the 7 th of May, 1191. Fol¬ 
lowing up this advantage, the 
English monarch took the city of 
Limissa, and, ultimately, he made 
an easy conquest of the whole 
island. The people were weary 
of a usurper who had oppressed 
them, whether reigning, as he then 
professed to do, in his own right, 
or ruling, ds he formerly did, as 
Governor for the Emperor of 
Constantinople. It is related 
that, on surrendering to Richard, 
Isaac made a condition that he 
was not to be put in iron fetters; 
the conqueror agreed to this, but 
kept him a close prisoner in fetters 
of silver. They therefore hailed 
our Lion-hearted king as a de- _ 
liverer rather than a conqueror; 
and the crusaders had only to con¬ 
tend with the fighting-men and 
the personal l'etainers of the tyrant. 

1778. Borden Town, North 
America, situated on the Dela¬ 
ware, was taken possession of by 
an expedition which Gen. Ilowe 
sent up that river, after he had 
taken Philadelphia. A battalion 
of light infantry, under com¬ 
mand of Major the Hon. John 
Maitland of the marines, with 
two field-pieces, was embarked in 
armed galleys, schooners, and 
gun-boats, for the purpose of de¬ 
stroying certain American men- 
of-war known to be in the river. 
The troops landed at White Hill, 
about noon on the 7th of May 
under cover of the gun-vessels, 
and immediately proceeded to- 
wards Borden Town, distant about 
two miles. The Americans kept re¬ 
treating, until they arrived at a 
creek, over which the British had 
to cross by a dam, partly con¬ 
structed of wood: here they made a 
stand,seemingly resolved to defend 
the pass; but the light infantry, 
pushing forward with their usual 


ii 














130 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May a. 


intrepidity, prevented the accom¬ 
plishment of their design. A sharp 
tiring then ensued, which termi¬ 
nated in a precipitate retreat of 
the rebels. Abandoning their only 
field-piece, they ran to a battery of 
five guns in the town, placed in a 
position to prevent ships coming 
up the river. From this post they 
were likewise driven by the light 
infantry, with the loss of fourteen 
men killed. Near the place where 
the troops disembarked, the gun¬ 
boats and galleys under Captain 
Henry of the navy burnt the 
Washington, 32, and Effingham of 
28 guns, with two smaller vessels; 
and the troops reaching Borden 
Town, the flotilla moved to that 
place, where they destroyed seve¬ 
ral large ships and privateers. 
Meanwhile the troops were em¬ 
ployed in burning four large 
store-houses, containing provi¬ 
sions and warlike stores. 

IVSay 3. 

L 793. Action near St. Am and. 
— This action was the first, and 
one of the most gallant that 
maintained the character of Bri¬ 
tish soldiers during the campaigns 
of 1793 and 1794 in the Low 
Countries, which at length ter¬ 
minated so disastrously. The 
brigade of guards, about 1800 
strong, commanded by II. R. H. 
the Duke of York, which had 
been in cantonments at Orcq, 
near Tournay, joined the Austrian 
and Prussian infantry at the 
camp of Maulde early in the 
morning of the 8 th of May. The 
Austrians had received orders 
to drive the French out of the 
town of St. Amand, and from a 
wood in which they were strongly 
posted. This operation was in 
progress, Avhen an attack was 
made by the enemy in great 
strength against the posts occu¬ 


pied by Gen. Clairfait. Although 
the Austrian troops succeeded 
in driving the French out of the 
town, they failed in dislodging 
them from the woods; and about 
noon the Duke sent the Cold¬ 
stream guards under Col. Pen¬ 
nington towards the scene of 
action. Attacking the enemy 
with great intrepidity, they drove 
them under the guns of their own 
batteries, from whose fire the 
gallant Coldstream suffered for 
their temerity. They nevertheless 
held their position at the skirts 
of the woods during the day, 
and the battle terminated by the 
entire defeat of the French, and 
their general, Dampiere, mortally 
wounded. 

1794. During the insurrection 
of the Caribs in the West Indian 
island of St. Vincent, aided by 
the French inhabitants, against 
the English, an attack by 300 
insurgents was made, about one 
o’clock on the morning of the 8th 
of May, upon a British post on 
Dorsetshire Hill, held by little 
more than one hundred men; and 
they succeeded in taking the post. 
As soon as the day dawned, a 
British force was despatched from 
the neighbouring position of 
Berkshire Hill, under command 
of Lieut.-Col. Seton of the ran¬ 
gers, to regain the lost outpost. 
Our troops were received by a 
discharge of grape ; but, though 
the French and Caribs now mus¬ 
tered 400 men, the British, with 
scarcely half that number, in 
about 25 minutes recaptured the 
field-piece and drove the in¬ 
surgents from the hill. Our loss 
amounted to six men killed, and 
twenty-seven wounded, including 
two officers. Twenty-three French 
and nineteen Caribs were left 
dead on the hill. 

1811. First Siege of Bada- 
joz. — On 5tli May, Major-Gen. 







May 9. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


1 


W. Stewart invested Badajoz on 
the left bank of the Guadiana, 
with two squadrons of horse, six 
field-pieces and three brigades of 
infantry. On the 8th Gen. Lum- 
ley invested Christoval on the 
right bank, with a brigade of the 
4th division, four guns, the 17 th 
Portuguese infantry, and two 
squadrons of horse. Sixty French 
dragoons having had the temerity 
to dispute the ground, were dis¬ 
persed after a short skirmish by 
the Portuguese infantry. 

May 9. 

1705. The garrison of Albu¬ 
querque, alarmed by the fall of 
Valencia de Alcantara, surren¬ 
dered on 9th May to the general 
of the Portuguese troops, in com¬ 
mand of the confederate army, 
of which the British force under 
the Earl of Galway formed an 
important part. 

1752. Capt. Dalton, com¬ 
manding two companies of the 1st 
Madras European regiment, al¬ 
together 150 men, with 400 se¬ 
poys, 500 Mahratta cavalry, and 
four field-pieces, attacked a convoy 
near the fort of Utatoor, which 
was there waiting to enter Serin- 
gapatam, then held by the French 
and then* allies. After a severe 
action in the attack and defence 
of a choultry in front of the fort, 
during which the English lost an 
officer and several men, Capt. 
Dalton succeeded in driving the 
enemy under the walls of Utatoor. 
At this moment a body of cavalry 
belonging to the convoy attacked 
the English in their rear; but the 
Mahrattas engaged them till a 
gun was brought to bear, when 
the whole force of the enemy took 
refuge in the fort for the night. 
Before daylight the next morn¬ 
ing they retreated towards Vol- 
condah, abandoning the fortress. 


131 


1801. Skirmish near Rah- 
manie. —The French army under 
Gen. La Grange, while retreating 
along the banks of the Nile, fol¬ 
lowed by Lieut.-Gen. Hutchinson, 
made a slight stand at the for¬ 
tified post of Rahmanie, and some 
skirmishing ensued. The British 
troops on the eastern banks of 
the river having got into the rear 
of the enemy and taken the post 
in reverse, the French retired 
during the night, and made the 
best of their way through the 
desert towards Cairo. The Egyp¬ 
tian fort of Rahmanie, with its 
garrison of 110 French soldiers, 
surrendered the next morning, 
and a detachment of 50 French 
cavalry and 3 officers were taken 
prisoners in the neighbourhood. 

May 10. 

1794. Action near Tour- 
nay. —The allied army, amount¬ 
ing to 20,000 men, under H. R. H. 
the Duke of York, encamped be¬ 
fore Tournay, was attacked at 
daybreak on 10th May by the 
French, in several columns, to 
the amount of 30,000 men, by 
an attempt to turn their right 
flank. Being driven back by the 
Austrian regiment of Kunitz, the 
enemy next directed their efforts 
against the centre, upon which 
they advanced under a heavy 
cannonade, with great resolution; 
but a favourable opportunity oc¬ 
curring for attacking them on 
their left flank, which was not 
protected, Lieut.-Gen. Harcourt, 
with sixteen squadrons of British 
cavalrv, and 200 Austrian hus- 
sars under Gen. Otto, attacked 
them with so much resolution 
and intrepidity, that they imme¬ 
diately began to retreat, and, soon 
becoming dispersed, suffered con¬ 
siderable loss. Meanwhile, the 
French made a vigorous attack 








132 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. IVXay 11. 


upon the Hanoverians on the 
right; who, after a severe con¬ 
test, bravely maintained their 
post, and repulsed the enemy 
with great loss. The whole French 
army then gave way; but they 
nevertheless made a stand at the 
village of Basieu, where they had 
a strong battery, until the British 
artillery drove them from that 
position. The brunt of this ac¬ 
tion was borne by the British 
troops ; and among those who 
were particularly distinguished 
were the bays, the Scotch greys, 
and Inniskilling dragoons. 

1811. Sortie from Badajoz 
repulsed. — A battery com¬ 
menced against St. Christoval by 
Capt. Squires on the 8th, al¬ 
though exposed to a destructive 
fire of musketry from the fort, 
and of shot and shells from the 
town, was continued until the 10th, 
notwithstanding the great loss in¬ 
curred. On that night the French, 
making a furious sally, carried 
the work; but they were imme¬ 
diately driven back by the allies, 
who, pursuing too hotly, were 
taken in front and flank with 
such a deadly fire of grape, that 
their loss amounted to four hun¬ 
dred men, in killed and wounded. 

1818. Mahrattas defeated. 
— The English and Anglo-In¬ 
dian forces commanded by Briga¬ 
dier-General Munro, the reserve 
under Brigadier-Gen. Pritzler, 
appeared before the Mahratta 
fortress of Shalapore on the 9th 
of May, and the next day at¬ 
tacked the pettah. They sur¬ 
prised the entrance, but were 
immediately subjected to a tre¬ 
mendous fire from the houses. 
The Mahratta chief, Gunput 
Row, encamped on the side of 
the fortress opposite to that at¬ 
tacked, now brought some guns 
to bear on the dragoons outside 
the pettah, but the bursting of 


one causing the explosion of a 
tumbril, the dragoons drove back 
the enemy, and captured two guns. 
In the meantime, our troops with¬ 
in the pettah having driven the 
opposing garrison into the fort, 
remained in quiet possession of 
the town. The enemy’s camp 
suddenly breaking up, they were 
pursued by Brigadier-Gen. Pritz¬ 
ler, with the British cavalry, and 
their infantry was completely 
routed with great loss ; but their 
5000 horsemen secured their re¬ 
treat. 

1818. Bajee Row’s strong hill 
fort of Ryghur, eastern frontier of 
the Concan, surrendered on terms 
this day, to Lieut.-Col. Prother. 

IVXay 11. 

1780. Surrender of Charles¬ 
town. — The army under Lieut.- 
General Sir Henry Clinton in¬ 
vested Charlestown, the capital 
of the province of South Caro¬ 
lina, situated on the Ashley river, 
on the 13th April, and the siege 
continued with great vigour, sup¬ 
ported by the squadron under 
Adm. Arbuthnot, until the 6th 
May, when the enemy proposed 
to surrender ; and on the 11th 
the articles of capitulation were 
signed. The garrison consisted 
of 7 general officers, 10 Conti¬ 
nental regiments, 3 battalions of 
artillery, and, including the militia 
and seamen, formed a total of 
6000 men in arms. 

1799. After the fall of Serin- 
gapatam, the fortress of Chitte- 
droog, situated 117 miles from 
the former, surrendered, and the 
garrison marched out with the 
honours of war on the 11th of 
May. 

1809. Action at Grijon. — 
The British army under Lieu¬ 
tenant Gen. Sir Arthur Wellesley 
moving upon Oporto, the ad- 







IVIay 12. CxYLENDAR OF VICTORY. 133 


vanced guard, which consisted of 
two divisions, besides cavalry, 
crossed the Vouga before daylight 
on the 10th May. Gen. Paget’s 
division and the cavalry halted at 
Oliveira ; Sherbrooke’s division 
passed the river later in the day, 
and remained at Albergaria. But 
at an early hour on the 11th the 
pursuit was renewed, and the 
British came up with the enemy 
at Grijon about 8 o’clock in the 
morning. The French, amount¬ 
ing to 4000 infantry and several 
squadrons of cavalry, were drawn 
up on a range of hills, and a 
wood on their right was occupied 
by infantry. The British came 
on in one column, and the 16th 
Portuguese regiment drove the 
enemy out of the wood on their 
right, w'hilst the Germans, who 
were in the rear, turned the 
other flank. The French then 
abandoned the position, and, be¬ 
ing pressed by two squadrons of 
the 16th and 26th dragoons, 
under Major Blake, they lost a 
few killed and about a hundred 
prisoners. 

1811. Skirmish with French 
Rear-guard.— After the French 
had blown up the works of 
Almeida, about 1 o'clock on the 
morning of the 11th May, they 
retreated on Villa de Ceirva. 
Learning that that town was in 
possession of the 1st dragoon 
guards, they changed their 
route ; but a detachment of the 
royal regiment fell upon their 
rear, and took some prisoners. 

1824. The British expedition 
against the Burmese Empire, com¬ 
manded by Major-General Sir 
Archibald Campbell, the squadron 
under Commodore Grant, an¬ 
chored within the bar of the Ran¬ 
goon river on the 10th of May, 
and on the 11th proceeded up 
that river, receiving a few shot 
from the guard-houses on its 


banks. As the squadron an¬ 
chored before the town of Ran¬ 
goon a feeble fire was opened 
from the batteries on the ships, 
but was soon silenced by the 
broadside of H. M. S. Liffey. 
The troops, landing, found the 
town deserted, and took posses¬ 
sion of its untenanted walls. 

IVIay 12. 

1809. Passage or the Dou- 
ro. — The French, continuing 
their retreat, crossed the Douro 
on the night of the 11th of May ; 
and before daybreak the bridge 
was destroyed. After securing 
all the craft upon the river, and 
placing guards at the most suit¬ 
able points, Soult proposed to 
remain at Oporto during the 
12 th, to afford time for the dif¬ 
ferent detachments of the army 
to concentrate at Amarante. 
His orders were, however, but 
imperfectly obeyed; and in this 
state of affairs the head of the 
British columns arrived at Villa 
Nova, and before 8 o’clock on the 
morning of the 12th they were 
concentrated, but covered from 
the observation of the enemy by 
the height on which the convent 
of Sarea stands. The Duke of 
Dalmatia, considering that all 
about the city was secure, took 
his station westward of Oporto, 
whence he could discern the 
whole course of the lower river 
to the entrance. Sir Arthur 
Wellesley’s attention was at¬ 
tracted to a large unfinished 
building, called the Seminary, 
standing alone, with easy access 
to it from the river. There were 
no French posts near the build¬ 
ing ; and the direct line of pas¬ 
sage to it across the river was 
hidden from the troops in the 
town. 

A boat having been obtained, 






134 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


May 12 


Col. Waters gallantly crossed the 
river, which is rapid and more 
than three hundred yards wide ; 
and in a short time he returned 
unperceived with three or four 
large barges. Meanwhile twenty 
pieces of artillery were got up to 
the convent of Sarea; and Major- 
Gen. Murray, with the German 
brigade, some squadrons of the 
14th dragoons, and two guns, 
reached the Barca de Avintas, 
three miles higher up the stream, 
to effect, if possible, a passage 
there also. Some troops moved 
to support this detachment, while 
others came cautiously forward 
to the brink of the river. About 
10 o’clock an officer and twenty- 
five men of the Buffs embarked in 
one of the barges; and in a 
quarter of an hour they gained 
the Seminary, without any alarm. 
A second boat followed, and then 
a third passed a little higher up 
the river; but scarcely had the 
men from the last landed, when 
a tumultuous noise of drums and 
shouts arose in the city. Upon this 
the British troops instantly crowd¬ 
ed to the bank of the river, and 
Gen. Paget, who had passed in 
the third boat, being severely 
wounded whilst mounting the 
roof of the Seminary, the com¬ 
mand devolved upon General 
Hill. The musketry was sharp, 
and increasing every moment, 
and the enemy’s artillery soon 
began to play upon the building; 
but the English guns from the 
convent of Sarea commanded 
the whole enclosure round the 
Seminary, and swept the wall in 
such a manner as to confine the 
French assault to the side of the 
iron gate. Several boats now reach¬ 
ing Villa Nova, Lieut.-Gen. Sher¬ 
brooke’s troops began to cross in 
large bodies, and just at this time 
a loud shout was heard from the 
town as the enemy abandoned the 


lower part of the city. At this 
moment the troops of General 
Murray were seen descending 
the right bank from Avintas, 
and there were now three bat¬ 
talions within the Seminary, 
whence a destructive fire was 
poured upon the French columns 
as they hastened along the Val- 
longa road. Five pieces of artil¬ 
lery coming out of the town on 
the left, were captured by part of 
Gen. Sherbrooke’s division, who, 
having forced their way through 
the streets, thus came upon the 
rear. The allies were now in con¬ 
siderable force on the city side of 
the river; and Gen. Sherbrooke, 
with the brigade of guards and the 
29 th regiment, was in the town. 
In the centre, Gen. Hill held the 
Seminary and the wall of the en¬ 
closure, with the Buffs, 48th, 66th, 
and 16th Portuguese regiments, 
and a battalion of detachments; 
his line being prolonged on the 
right by the Germans and the 14th 
dragoons, under Gen. Murray. 
The remainder of the army con¬ 
tinued passing at different points, 
whilst the artillery from the height 
of Sarea kept up a harassing fire 
upon the enemy’s retreating co¬ 
lumns. Had Gen. Murray fallen 
boldly upon them, their discom¬ 
fiture would have been complete, 
but they were suffered to pass 
unmolested by that officer, al¬ 
though Gen. Charles Stewart and 
Major Hervey, with two squadrons 
of dragoons, attacked their rear¬ 
guard as it was passing a narrow 
defile. Gen. Laborde was un¬ 
horsed, and Foy wounded; but 
these gallant horsemen receiving 
no support from Gen. Murray, 
were obliged to fight their way 
back with loss, and Major Hervey 
lost an arm. Thus the fight ter¬ 
minated, and the British remained 
on the ground they had so nobly 
gained. Their loss amounted to 










May 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 135 


twenty men killed ; a general and 
ninety-five men wounded. The 
loss of the enemy was not less than 
five hundred killed and wounded; 
and several hundred were cap¬ 
tured in the hospitals. 

Iftay 13. 

1690. Surrender of Acadia. 
— Acadia or Nova Scotia, North 
America, on the western side of 
the river St. Lawrence, was first 
held by the French; but in 1614 
they were obliged to abandon the 
little town they had built there, 
by order of the English Go¬ 
vernor of Virginia. Charles I. of 
England ceded Acadia to the 
French Crown after his marriage 
with the daughter of Henry IV. 
of France in 1625. In 1627 it was 
again taken from the French, but 
restored by the treaty of St. Ger¬ 
main, and taken from them again 
by Oliver Cromwell in 1654: yet 
Charles II., by the treaty of Breda, 
ceded it once more to France, in 
spite of the remonstrance of the 
people of New England. But, on 
war being declared between 
France and England, the New 
Englanders in 1690 levied war in 
their own behalf for its recovery; 
and Sir William Phipps, with a 
squadron and 700 troops, appeared 
before Port Royal on the 11th of 
May. The French governor held 
out till the 13th, when he sur¬ 
rendered. Sir William demolished 
the fort, sent away the French 
garrison, and obliged the inhabit¬ 
ants to take an oath of allegiance 
to William and Mary. 

1761. Enemy repulsed at 
Belleisle. —We made mention 
of the landing effected by the 
English under Major-Gen. Hodg¬ 
son at Belleisle on the 22nd of 
April. An advance was imme¬ 
diately made upon the principal 
town of Palais, which, with its 


citadel, was regularly besieged. 
The enemy on the 3rd May made 
a sally with 400 men, which did 
some mischief to the besiegers; 
but a party of marines under 
Capt. Hepburn arriving season¬ 
ably to the assistance of the 
troops engaged, the enemy were 
at length repulsed with consider¬ 
able loss. On the 13th a detach¬ 
ment of 200 men, drawn from 
Loudon’s regiment and the ma¬ 
rines employed on shore, under 
command of Capt. Carruthers of 
that corps, under cover of the 
fire from the British batteries, 
drove the enemy from a redoubt 
at the point of the bayonet. After 
this, the panic spread from redoubt 
to redoubt ; and, on the arrival 
of a reinforcement under Major 
Nesbitt of the 69th regiment, all 
their defences fell into the hands 
of our troops, the enemy retiring 
into the citadel. 

IVIay 14. 

1793. Brigadier-Gen. Ogilvie, 
with detachments of royal artil¬ 
lery, and the 4th and 65th regi¬ 
ments, in all about 310 men, 
embarked at Halifax on board 
II. M.’s ships Alligator, Dili- 
gente armed schooner, and three 
small transports, for the subju¬ 
gation of the islands of St. Pierre 
and Miquelon, Newfoundland. 
This little expedition appeared 
before St. Pierre on the morning 
of the 14th; and as a French frigate 
was reported to be in the harbour, 
the brigadier-general thought it 
prudent to land with a part of 
the troops on the western coast 
of the island, that the town might 
be attacked by sea and land 
simultaneously. The ships then 
proceeded towards the harbour; 
but although no frigate was there, 
a battery was in progress, mount¬ 
ing eight 26- and four 6-pounders, 


K 4 






136 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 15. 


which commanded the entrance. 
Before commencing hostilities, a 
summons to surrender was sent 
to the French governor, who, in 
return, demanded terms of capi¬ 
tulation, which being refused, he 
surrendered the islands, and the 
troops immediately took posses¬ 
sion. Two American schooners, 
with provisions and naval stores, 
and 18 fishing vessels were taken 
in the harbour by Capt. Affieck. 

1818. The batteries before 
Shalapore opened on the morning 
of the 14th of May, and so well 
were the guns served that before 
noon a breach was very nearly 
effected, which so terrified the 
killidar that he sent a messenger 
to Brigadier-Gen. Munroe, beg¬ 
ging that hostilities might cease, 
and offering to surrender. The 
conditions were immediately 
agreed upon, and the next morn¬ 
ing the English troops marched 
into this important fortress. Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Munroe in his de¬ 
spatch highly compliments Lieut. - 
Col. Dalrymple, under whose di¬ 
rection the fire of the batteries 
in a few hours brought the siege 
to a successful termination. 

May 15. 

1383. Flemings defeated.— 
In the reign of Richard II. the 
Bishop of Norwich embarked for 
Calais a body of crusaders, as 
they called themselves,—52,000 
men, including 2000 English 
knights and men-at-arms, — to 
wage war against Pope Clement 
in favour of Urban, who had in 
this unholy crusade declared 
Henry Spencer, Bishop of Nor¬ 
wich, his general. The belligerent 
bishop carried the war into 
Flanders for some private reasons 
of his own, alleging that it was a 
fief of France, whose king was an 
enemy of Urban, though the Earl 


of Flanders was actually an ad¬ 
herent of that pope. After taking 
several cities, the bishop near 
Dunkirk found himself opposed 
to the Flemings, 12,000 strong, 
commanded by the earl ; and de¬ 
spatched a herald to the enemy, 
who, ignorant of the courtesies of 
war, slew him. On this the bishop 
charged with all his horse ; and 
while the English archers on the 
flanks of his army poured in their 
deadly arrows, the main body of 
infantry advanced with the banner 
of the cross. The luckless Flem¬ 
ings, though they for awhile 
fought bravely, were borne down 
by the British host, and sought 
safety in flight; but being closely 
pursued, few escaped. 

1791. Action at Arikera.— 
During the advance of the British 
force under Lord Cornwallis 
against Seringapatam, the army 
of Tippoo on the 14th May was 
perceived at Arikera, distant from 
that fortress about 9 miles, in a 
strong position, its front being 
covered by a swamp. An attempt 
was made to pass round the 
enemy’s flank and cut off their 
retreat to Seringapatam, but this 
intention was frustrated by the 
sudden burst of a fearful storm. 
On the 15th Lord Cornwallis 
again offered the Sultaun battle; 
and when the action had lasted 
the greater part of the day, the 
enemy took refuge on the island 
upon which Seringapatam is situ¬ 
ated,with the loss of three thousand 
men and four guns. The English 
had 500 men killed and wounded. 

1804. Fortress of Tonkram- 
poor taken. — Lieut.-Col. Don, 
having under his command the 
2 nd battalions of the 8th and 21st 
regiments of native infantry, 
the 3rd regiment of cavalry, and 
some artillery, appeared before 
the fortress of Tonkrampoor, si¬ 
tuated to the northward of the 









May 16. CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 


137 


Ohumbul, where they encamped 
in the rear of the town. On the 
15 th of May, the colonel marched, 
with some companies of the two 
regiments and a 12-pounder, to 
attack the principal entrance be¬ 
fore daybreak. Under a smart 
fire from the ramparts he blew 
open the first gate, and, having 
dislodged the enemy, he was 
equally successful with the other 
entrances to the town. The gar¬ 
rison then fled; but numbers of 
them were cut down by the 
cavalry under Major Doveton. 

May 16. 

1811. Battle op Albuera.— 
The approach of Marshal Soult 
with a formidable army induced 
Beresford to raise the siege of 
Badajoz on the night of the 12th 
May, and by his admirable ar¬ 
rangements all the guns and stores 
were removed by the 15th; but it 
was not until the rear-guard was 
ready to draw off that the French 
were aware of the siege having 
been raised. Beresford resolved on 
receiving battle at Albuera; and 
on the morning of the 15th the 
British occupied the left of the po¬ 
sition, which was a ridge about four 
miles long, having the Aroya Val 
de Sevilla in rear and the Albuera 
river in front. The right of the 
position, which was the strongest, 
was occupied by the Spaniards un¬ 
der Blake, and the whole force now 
amounted to 30,000 infantry, 2000 
cavalry, and thirty-eight pieces 
of artillery; but of this army 10,000 
were Spaniards, whose discipline 
was so imperfect that little de¬ 
pendence could be entertained of 
their support. The French had 
but 19,000 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 
and fifty guns; but this inferiority 
of numbers was amply compen¬ 
sated by their excellent composi¬ 
tion,— being veteran troops, and of 


one nation, obedient to one dis¬ 
cipline. On the evening of the 
17th, Soult reconnoitred the posi¬ 
tion of the allies; and learning 
that the 4th division was left at 
Badajoz, and that the Spanish 
army would not arrive before the 
17th, he resolved to attack the 
next morning. During the night, 
however, Blake’s Spaniards and 
Gen. Cole with the 4th division ar¬ 
rived, with about 16,000men; but 
Soult, without making any altera¬ 
tion in his plan, moved out Godi- 
not’s division from the woods about 
nine o’clock, preceded by ten guns, 
flanked by the light cavalry, and 
followed by Werle’s division of 
reserve, and attempted to force 
the bridge. Other demonstrations 
were made as if it were intended 
to assail the British centre ; but 
Beresford saw that this was a 
feint,and directed Blake to change 
his front, so as to face the French 
menacing his right; yet Blake, 
persisted that the real attack was 
against the centre by the bridge 
of Albuera, and retained his 
position. The French columns 
were now seen closing upon his 
right flank; and then his move¬ 
ment was so slow that Beresford 
grew impatient and took the di¬ 
rection in person. The delay 
thus occasioned enabled the 
enemy to concentrate at this point, 
and two-thirds of the French 
were in compact order of battle 
in a line perpendicular to the 
right of Beresford’s army, which 
was disordered and still in the 
act of changing its front. Be¬ 
fore the Spaniards could be 
brought into line the French bore 
upon them so fiercely, that they 
were thrown into confusion, and 
compelled to give way. Soult, 
thinking the whole army was 
yielding, pushed forward his co¬ 
lumns, and placed all his batteries 
in position. At this critical mo- 








138 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. may 16. 


ment the 2nd division, under Gen. 
William Stewart, arrived at the 
foot of the heights; and on gaining 
the summit, in the act of deploy¬ 
ing, were so severely assailed by 
the Polish lancers that two-thirds 
of Colborne’s brigade were almost 
annihilated; but the 31st regi¬ 
ment being still in column, kept 
its ground. At this crisis, while 
every effort had been used by 
Bcresford to induce the Spaniards 
to advance, Colborne still main¬ 
tained the heights with the 31st 
regiment, and General William 
Stewart was again mounting the 
hill with Houghton's brigade; and 
while Col. Dickson placed his ar¬ 
tillery in line, the remaining bri¬ 
gade of the 2nd division came 
up on the left, and the Spanish 
at last moved forward. The fight 
was now renewed with greater 
violence; Stewart was twice 
wounded, Lieut.-Col. Duckworth 
fell at the head of the 48th, and 
the gallant Houghton, who had re¬ 
ceived many wounds, died in the 
act of cheering on his men. Lieut.- 
Col. Inglis of the 57th regiment, 
twenty-two other officers, and 
400 men out of 570 had fallen, 
and not one third of the army re¬ 
mained unscathed. The English 
fire having slackened for want of 
ammunition, the Polish lancers, 
again charging, captured six guns. 
At this desperate crisis, whilst Be- 
resford meditated a retreat, Col. 
Hardinge boldly ordered Cole to 
advance with the 4th division, and 
then directed Abercromby, with 
the remaining brigade of the 2nd 
division, to push forward in the 
fight. The two brigades which 
composed the 4 th division — the 
one Portuguese, under Gen. Har¬ 
vey, the other commanded by Sir 
W. Myers, composed of the 7tli 
and 23rdregiments, and called the 
fusilier brigade—were led up the 
hill by Cole, as the whole of 


Werle’s reserves were coming 
forward to reinforce the front of 
the French, and the remnant of 
Houghton’s brigade could no 
longer maintain its ground. A 
Spanish and an English regi¬ 
ment, in mutual error, were ex¬ 
changing volleys, and Hamilton’s 
Portuguese, in withdrawing from 
the heights above the bridge, ap¬ 
peared to be in retreat. Col. 
Abercromby, pushing between the 
fire of the mistaken troops, ar¬ 
rested that mischief; while Cole, 
with the fusiliers, flanked by a 
battalion of the Lusitanian legion, 
mounted the hill, dispersed the 
lancers, recaptured the six guns, 
and appeared on the right of 
Houghton’s brigade, as Aber¬ 
cromby passed it on the left. 
The enemy’s heavy masses press¬ 
ing onward as to an assured 
victory, startled as this gallant line 
issued from the confused multi¬ 
tude, they wavered, and then 
pouring in a tremendous fire that 
for a moment staggered the 
British troops, under which Myers 
was killed, Cole and the three 
colonels, Ellis, Blakeny, and Haw- 
shawe, wounded, they endeavour¬ 
ed to enlarge their front. It was 
in vain that Soult, by voice and 
gesture, continued to animate his 
veterans to oppose the daring 
phalanx, who now recovering, 
closed on their valiant enemies ; 
and in the words of the military 
historian, “ *In vain did the French 
reserves, joining with the strug¬ 
gling multitude, endeavour to 
sustain the fight; their efforts only 
increased the irremediable con¬ 
fusion, and the mighty mass 
giving way like a loosened cliff 1 , 
went headlong down the ascent; 
and fifteen hundred unwounded 
men, the remnant of six thou¬ 
sand unconquerable British sol¬ 
diers, stood triumphant on the 
* Napier. 







Elay 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 139 


fatal hill.” It was now three 
o’clock; the serious fighting had 
endured only four hours, and in 
that space of time nearly 7000 of 
the allies and above 8000 of their 
adversaries had fallen. Three 
French generals were wounded, 
two slain, and 800 soldiers so 
badly hurt as to be left on the 
field. Of the allies only 2000 
Spaniards and 600 Germans and 
Portuguese were struck down; 
whilst the British had only 1500 
left standing, out of 6000. 


m ay 17. 

1760. Siege of Quebec raised. 
—Although the garrison of Quebec 
continued to suffer great priva¬ 
tions, the troops still defended the 
place with exemplary determina¬ 
tion; and by the 9th of May they 
had one hundred and fifty pieces 
of artillery mounted on the ram¬ 
parts. On the 11th the enemy 
opened a mortar-battery and three 
of cannon, which they increased to 
such extent that they had now ten 
mortars and forty pieces of cannon 
in action against the place. But 
our fire soon compelled them to 
alter their attack; and at other 
points they were silenced. On the 
15th Commodore Swanton, in the 
Vanguard of 70 guns, and the 
Diana frigate, arrived with relief 
to the garrison, and on the follow¬ 
ing day those ships,with the Lowes- 
toffe frigate, moved up above the 
town, and so effectually attacked 
the enemy’s squadron that two fri¬ 
gates were destroyed.— the latter 
near Pointe Tremble, about ten 
leagues above the town,—and out 
of their whole fleet, only one 
sloop of war escaped. Whilst the 
frigates were employed in pur¬ 
suing and destroying the enemy’s 
vessels, the Vanguard dropped 
down the channel of Sillery and 


enfiladed the enemy's trenches 
for several hours. This fire was 
so well seconded from the ram¬ 
parts, that the besiegers were 
compelled to abandon that part 
of their works. In the night, be¬ 
tween the 16th and 17th, M. de 
Levis raised the siege, leaving 
the camp standing, with a quan¬ 
tity of stores and ammunition; 
also thirty-four pieces of battering 
cannon, ten field-pieces, and six 
mortars. Gen. Murray pushed on 
with the grenadiers and light in¬ 
fantry, in hopes of cutting off their 
retreat; but they retired so rapidly, 
that only a few prisoners fell into 
his hands. 

1801. Surrender of French 
Detachment. — The British ar¬ 
my, under Lieut.-Gen. Hutchin¬ 
son, was encamped at Alkain on 
17th May, when information was 
brought by the Arabs that a con¬ 
siderable body of French, coming 
from Alexandria, were advancing 
towards the Nile, near the spot 
where the boats of the capitan 
pacha were then lying. The ca¬ 
valry were immediately ordered 
out, with two pieces of cannon, 
under the command of Brigadier- 
Gen. Doyle, supported by his bri¬ 
gade of infantry. Col. Cavalier, 
who commanded the French con¬ 
voy, on seeing the boats of the ca¬ 
pitan pacha, suspected that our 
army must be near at hand, and 
therefore retired into the desert. 
The British troops immediately 
moved in pursuit, and the cavalry 
came up with him after a march 
of three hours. Major Wilson of 
the Homspech regiment was then 
sent forward with a flag of truce, 
requiring them to surrender, on 
condition that their private pro¬ 
perty should be respected, and 
that they should be sent to France 
by the first convenient opportunity. 
These terms were accepted, and 
600 men, infantry, cavalry, and 







CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


May 19. 




140 


artillery, laid down their arms. 

J 1 

A considerable portion of the 
dromedary corps, a 4-pounder, 
and 550 camels were also taken. 

XVIay 18. 

1775. Battle of Arras.— 

In our columns of the 28th April 

we stated the cause of the Mah- 

ratta war, and we have recorded 

the actions that occurred on the 

2nd and 8thMav. On the 18th Col. 

%/ 

Keating, commanding the En¬ 
glish troops, joined Ragoba’s 
forces, with the intention of reach¬ 
ing Poonah before the setting in 
of the rains had flooded the plains 
of Arras. While passing over these 
plains, their rear was suddenly 
fired upon by a masked battery in 
an enclosure, as two strong co¬ 
lumns of the Mahrattas advanced 
to the attack ; but they were soon 
driven back and their guns si¬ 
lenced. The grenadiers of the 
Bombay and Madras European 
regiments, with a detachment 
of sepoys, then rushed forward 
to capture the guns ; but the 
Mahrattas went off at full speed, 
throwing forward a large body 
of cavalry and some elephants 
to cover their retreat. In the 
meantime a detachment of the 
same description of forces had 
approached the English army, 
and, aided by a traitor, an officer 
of Ragoba, they pretended to be 
a body of his troops. Taking 
advantage of their position be¬ 
tween the British advance and 
the main army, they attacked the 
former in the rear, and thus sur¬ 
rounded them. A gallant re¬ 
sistance was made; but a tumbril 
blowing up in their ranks, the 
English were forced back upon 
each other, and trampled down 
by horses and elephants. In the 
confusion that ensued they lost 
a piece of artillery; but it was J 


immediately recovered. The 
main body now advanced, and 
attacked the enemy with such 
resolution that after the action 
had lasted four hours they were 
eventually routed, with a loss of 
1200 men The. British lost 86 
Europeans and about 200 sepoys. 
The first division that advanced 
against the enemy suffered very 
severely ; of fifteen officers seven 
were killed and four wounded. 
Ragoba’s troops took but little 
part in the action ; they were so 
discontented for want of pay that 
they would not even join in the 
pursuit of the flying enemy. 

1818. Sortie repulsed.— The 
detachment under Lieut.-Col. 
M‘Dowall, of which we made 
mention on the 25th April, serv¬ 
ing with two companies of the 
1st royals, in the early part of 
May commenced the siege of 
Malleygaum, on the river Moas- 
sum. The garrison, composed of 
a party of Arabs, made a sortie 
on the 18th; but they were re¬ 
pulsed with considerable loss, and 
the British opened their batteries 
on the following day. 

1794. General Clairfait, com¬ 
manding the allied army in 
Flanders, with a squadron of 
Hessian cavalry and the left wing 
of the British 8th light dragoons, 
attacked and carried the village 
of Bourbegue, near Menin. The 
place was well defended by artil¬ 
lery, and the dragoons suffered 
severely. 

May 19. 

1217. Battle of Lincoln. — 
In the reign of King John, the 
barons invited Louis, Dauphin 
of France, to the throne of Eng¬ 
land, and actually did homage 
to him in London, resolving to 
prosecute his pretentions; but 
| on Henry III. coming to the 


J 











SVfay 19. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


141 


throne, his interests began to fade. 
Louis had already forfeited the 
esteem of his adherents by his 
insolent demeanour towards all 
classes, but, in order to regain 
his former position, accepted the 
offer of a short truce, during 
which the Regent, the Marshal 
Earl of Pembroke, strengthened 
his forces. At the expiration of 
the truce in 1217, the French 
general recommenced hostilities, 
advanced to Lincoln, and invested 
the castle, though the town de¬ 
clared for the Barons. The 
Regent sent the Earl of Chester 
to besiege Mount Sorrel in Lei¬ 
cestershire, a strong place, in 
which there was a French garri¬ 
son ; but Louis having despatched 
the Earl of Perche with 20,000 
men to raise the siege, the Earl 
of Chester was compelled to 
retire. Elevated with this suc¬ 
cess, he resolved on the siege of 
Lincoln, and had commenced 
battering the castle, when Pem¬ 
broke’s army had approached so 
near as Newark to relieve it. 
The French, considering that 
their chief strength was in their 
cavalry, which could be of no 
service within the walls, resolved 
on hazarding a battle. The Earl 
Regent bringing his forces close 
to the walls, Faulk de Brent en¬ 
tered the castle at a postern gate 
opening into the fields, which 
was not known to the besiegers, 
upon whom he now sallied out, 
while the king's troops stormed 
one of the gates of the city. The 
French general, Perche, finding 
himself thus attacked on each 
flank, was soon thrown into dis¬ 
order, neither having room for 
his infantry to engage, nor being 
enabled to avail himself of his 
cavalry. On the other side, the 
royal army, encouraged by the 
presence of the Regent and ani¬ 
mated by the indulgencies li- 

I_ 


berally bestowed by the Pope’s 
legate upon all that should be 
slain in battle, continued the as¬ 
sault with such vigour that they 
entered the city on one side 
while De Brent pressed the enemy 
on the other. The Earl of Perche, 
seeing that all was lost, resolved 
not to survive a defeat, and was 
slain while upbraiding some of 
his English partisans for betray¬ 
ing him. A dreadful slaughter 
ensued; the city of Lincoln was 
given up to general plunder, and 
the soldiers found so much booty 
that they called it “ Lincoln 
fair.” 

1776. Surrender of “ The 
Cedars.” — On the siege of 
Quebec being raised, Sir Guy 
Carleton detached Capt. Forster 
against the fortified post of The 
Cedars on the river St. Lawrence. 
The fort contained 390 Ameri¬ 
cans, who surrendered without 
opposition on the 19th May. 

1812. Fort Napoleon taken. 
—The brigade under Major-Gen. 
Howard, with the 6th regiment 
of Portuguese infantry, was de¬ 
tached from Lieut.-Gen. Hill’s 
division on the evening of 18th 
May for the assault of fort Na¬ 
poleon, one of the principal out¬ 
works of Almaraz. From the 
difficulties of the road the attack 
did not take place until day¬ 
break on the 19th. The storming 
party, consisting of the 1st bat¬ 
talion of the 50th and one wing 
of the 71st regiment, was di¬ 
vided into three bodies, led re¬ 
spectively by Lieut.-Col. Stewart 
and Major Harrison of the 50th, 
and the third by Major Cother, 
of the 71st. The assault was so 
well conducted that the divisions 
escalading the fort at the same 
moment, although exposed to a 
tremendous fire, soon drove the 
French, and closely followed them 
until they reached the tete de pont 












142 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 21. 


across the Tagus, wherein many 
perished. The alarm spreading 
to the right bank of the river, 
fort Ragusa was abandoned. 
Capt. Candler, of the 50th, who 
was among the first to mount 
the ladders, was the only officer 
killed. 

May 20. 

1760. Attack on Cuddalore 
repulsed. —On the 20th, at night, 
700 French infantry, 150 hus¬ 
sars, and 500 sepoys made a third 
assault on Cuddalore. The gar¬ 
rison, reinforced by a detachment 
of the 1st Madras European re¬ 
giment, made a vigorous defence, 
and the enemy were beaten off 
with the loss of 80 men in killed 
and wounded; among the former 
were two officers. 

1789. COLLUNGOODT TAKEN.— 
The pettah and fort of Collun- 
goody was besieged by a force 
of European and native troops 
under command of Col. Stuart. 
Not waiting the arrival of his 
artillery, which, detained by the 
difficulties of the road, was con¬ 
siderably in the rear, the colonel 
proceeded to the attack of the 
place. After some obstinate fight¬ 
ing the pettah was carried. An 
attempt was then made to storm 
the fort, which proved unsuc¬ 
cessful; but a second assault gave 
the British possession of the for¬ 
tress of Collungoody. 

1818. Capture of Ciiunda. 
— A force of native cavalry 
and artillery, under Lieut.-Col. 
Adams, commanding Nagpore 
subsidiary force, having been 
despatched against the fortified 
city of Chunda during the Mah- 
ratta campaigns, siege operations 
had so far advanced on the night 
of the 17th of May that the bat¬ 
teries opened on the 18th. The 
place was then completely in¬ 


vested, and a breach declared 
practicable on the 20th, orders 
were given for the assault. De¬ 
tachments of Bengal grenadiers, 
with pioneers carrying ladders, 
and the 1st battalion 19th Ben¬ 
gal N. I., formed the right co¬ 
lumn of attack; and the left was 
composed of detachments of Ma¬ 
dras flank battalion and 1st bat¬ 
talion of 1st regiment Madras 
N. I. Both columns entered the 
breach together, led by Col. Pop- 
ham and Capt. Brook; and as the 
troops filed off to the right and 
left, Lieut.-Col. Stewart, with the 
1st battalion 23rd regiment of 
Bengal, and the 11th Madras 
N. I., rushed into the works. 
Lieut. Fell, Bengal pioneers, who 
planted the British colours on the 
breach, was severely wounded, as 
were also Capt. Charlesworth, and 
Lieuts. Watson and Casement, 
Madras N. I. Although the loss 
of the British was comparatively 
trifling, no less than 500 of the 
garrison were either killed or 
wounded. 

1840. The fort of Aden, at 
the entrance of the Red Sea, held 
by a British force, was this day 
surprised by a body of 500 Arabs; 
but the garrison succeeded in 
beating off the assailants. Capt. 
Crispin, 16th regiment N. I., was 
in command at the time, with 
detachments of the 1st Bombay 
European regiment, and 10th 
N. I., and artillery, under Lieut. 
Bailley. 

May 21. 

1745. Defence of Island of 
Anguilla. — The Chevalier de 
Caylus, with a French squadron 
in the West Indian seas, then 
forming a settlement of that na¬ 
tion on the island of Hispaniola 
(St. Domingo), ordered Capt. La 
Touche, with twomen-ofwar and 









May 22. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 143 


some smaller vessels, against the 
English island of Anguilla, where 
the French landed 650 men on 
the 21st of May. Mr. Hodge, the 
governor, with a small force, not 
more than 112 men in number, 
posted behind a breastwork in a 
narrow pass, awaiting the enemy, 
thus addressed his little band : 
“ Gentlemen, I am ignorant of 
military discipline; all I can re¬ 
commend to you is to load and fire 
as fast as you can, and stand true 
to your country to the last man.” 
So ably did the English obey the 
governor’s injunction, that they 
compelled the French to abandon 
the island, leaving 32 killed, and 
about 50 prisoners, of whom 25 
were wounded. 

1824. Ashantees defeated. 
— After the death of Sir Charles 
M‘Carthy, in the action of January 
the 21st, at Cape Coast Castle, 
Major Chisholm still kept the 
field, where he was reinforced with 
troops sent by the neAv governor, 
Col. Sutherwood, who had arrived 
to take'command of the colony. 
Having now the whole disposable 
strength of the settlement, and 
also a body of Fantee allies, the 
Major cut his way through the 
bush to the position of the Ashan¬ 
tees, and encountered them at one 
o’clock on the afternoon of the 
21st of May. An action ensued, 
which continued upwards of four 
hours, in which the black troops 
and the militia of the settlement 
behaved with much gallantry; but 
the Fantees would not stand their 
ground. The enemy were at 
length totally defeated and driven 
from the field, having suffered 
great loss in killed and wounded. 
The regulars and militia of the 
British force had 4 killed in 
the action, 75 wounded, and 88 
were returned missing. Of the 
Fantees’ forces, 84 were killed 
and 603 wounded. 


1842. —Capt. J. Halket Craigie, 
commanding a force composed of 
the 43rd regiment N. I. and Shah 
Shoojah’s troops, at Ivelat-i-Ghil- 
zie, under Major-General Nott, 
early in the morning of the 21st 
of May, repulsed about 4000 
Ghilzies, who in two columns at¬ 
tempted to carry by escalade an 
important outwork, and a post in 
the main works. After an hour’s 
severe action, the enemy were re¬ 
pulsed with great loss, and driven 
down the hill they had ascended, 
leaving 104 slain, and bearing off 
many dead and wounded. The ca¬ 
sualties of the little garrison con¬ 
sisted only of six sepoys wounded. 

May 22. 

1546. Actions near Boulogne. 
— The Marshal De Diez was en¬ 
camped near Boulogne with a 
large army, while the Earl of Hert¬ 
ford held that town with a strong 
English garrison; but it would ap¬ 
pear that other bodies of French 
and English troops were spread 
along the coast. History gives 
England two victories over the 
French on the 22 nd of May: one 
near HaATe, Avhere the French had 
400 slain and some prisoners 
taken ; the other betAveen Calais 
and Boulogne, A\ r here the victory 
Avas as certain, but the slaughter 
not so great. 

1598. The English troops of 
Elizabeth and the Scotch of 
James VI. of Scotland Avere at 
this time engaged in the Loav 
Countries, under command of 
Prince Maurice of Nassau. The 
English Avere commanded by Col. 
Horace Vere, aftenvards Lord 
Vere, Baron of Tilbury; the 
Scotch by Col. Murray. Philip 
II., King of Spain, having sent 
Don Francis Mendoza, Admiral 
of Arragon, against the United 
provinces, Prince Maurice ex- 












1 


144 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. BZay 23. 


tended his line of intrenchments 
along the Waal and the Maese. 
The Spaniards, nevertheless, suc¬ 
ceeded in landing on the island 
of Bommelwaert, and laid siege 
to the town situated there. The 
Prince of Nassau had some French 
regiments in his army, though 
Henry IV. of France had just 
made peace with Spain. These 
troops, with the English, attacked 
the Spanish intrenchments on the 
island of Bommelwaert, from 
which they drove the enemy, 
whose loss in killed and wound¬ 
ed was not less than 600 men. 

1781. The first attempt of the 
American army under Gen. Green 
to invest the fort of Ninety-six, in 
which Lieut-Col. Cruger was shut 
up with a small garrison, signally 
failed. On the 21st May the be¬ 
siegers broke ground within can¬ 
non-shot of the fort. But on the 
22nd, covered by a heavy cannon¬ 
ade, thirty of the brave defenders of 
the fort, led by Lieut. Roney, sal¬ 
lied forth and bayoneted every 
man they found in the enemy’s 
works. The gallant officer who 
commanded the sortie was the 
only person killed on our side. 

1794. Espierres stormed.— 
The combined army under the 
command of the Emperor of 
Austria, and the British com¬ 
manded by H. R. H. the Duke 
of York, at 5 o’clock in the 
morning on the 22nd May were 
attacked by the French army, 
100,000 strong. The right wing 
of the combined army being sorely 
pressed, a brigade of English, 
under command of Major-Gen. 
Fox, sent to its relief, gallantly 
stormed the village of Espierres, 
at the point of the bayonet. 
About this time, nearly 9 o’clock, 
the French began to give way, 
having lost 12,000 men in killed 
and wounded; and leaving 500 
prisoners, and seven pieces of artil¬ 


lery in the hands of the allies. The 
loss of the victors fell principally 
upon the Hanoverians, who bore 
the brunt of the attack. Brigade- 
Major Cochrane, 14th regiment; 
Capt. Spread, Lieuts. Mitchell and 
M‘Lean, 37th regiment ; Lieuts. 
Rogers and Robertson, and En¬ 
sign Pearce, 53rd foot, and many 
other English, were wounded ; 
but we had only 2 sergeants and 
11 rank and file killed. 

3VTay 23. 

1706. Battle of Ramilies. 
— On the 22nd May, the Duke of 
Marlborough encamped with his 
right at Borchloen and his left 
at Corswaren, his force consist¬ 
ing of seventy-three battalions 
and twenty-three squadrons, 
making a total of about 60,000 
men. In the meantime, the 
French army under Marshal 
Villeroi, somewhat superior in 
numbers, had crossed the Great 
Gheet, and were moving to Ju- 
doigne ; and here Marlborough 
resolved to attack them. On the 
morning of the 23rd the confe¬ 
derate army was in motion, but 
a heavy rain having fallen in the 
night, so retarded their march 
that the enemy took up the very 
ground the duke intended to 
occupy. As the weather cleared, 
the French were seen making 
dispositions to receive the attack 
in the strong position of Mont 
St. Andre, the ground that was 
rendered memorable by the battle 
which decided the fate of the 
Netherlands. When the allied 
columns cleared the village of 
Meerdorp, they diverged into the 
open plain of Sandrinoeuil. The 
first and second marched along the 
Chaussee de Brunehault,the third 
and fourth toward the heights of 
Ottomond, thefifthand sixth upon 
the steeple of Offuz, while the 







i XVIay 23. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


145 


seventh and eighth kept those of 
Fouly and Autreglise in a direct 
line. They then formed in order 
of battle in two lines, between Bo- 
nesse and Fouly ; the cavalry 
being posted on the wings,— ex¬ 
cept twenty squadrons, who were 
in rear of the left centre. The 
French were also formed in two 
lines : the left stretched nearly 
from Autreglise to Offuz ; their 
centre being in rear of Ramilies, 
and the right, comprising almost 
the whole cavalry, in number one 
hundred squadrons, in two lines, 
occupied the open space between 
Ramilies and the Mehaigne. 
That village was occupied by 
twenty battalions ; and, to protect 
their right, a brigade of infantry 
was posted at the bridge of Ta¬ 
vieres about a quarter of a mile in 
front. Marlborough, having well 
reconnoitred the enemy’s posi¬ 
tion, directed the British, Dutch, 
and German infantry, composing 
the right, to move down from 
the heights of Fouly, in two lines, 
supported by cavalry, and make 
a demonstration of attack against 
the villages of Autreglise and 
Offuz. Villeroi, seeing his left 
thus menaced, drew a consider¬ 
able corps of infantry from the 
centre to reinforce his detached 
troops about Autreglise. The 
hostile lines being somewhat dis¬ 
ordered by this movement, Maid- 
borough directed his own right 
to face about and reascend the 
elevation, whence his first line 
would be visible to the enemy ; 
and as the second passed the 
crest of the ground unseen, he 
marched most of the battalions 
to the left hand to form in rear 
of the centre ; whilst the twenty 
squadrons of Danes were placed 
in a third line behind the cavalry 
of the left wing. Four battalions 
of Dutch, with two pieces of 
cannon, were detached from the 


left, to march parallel to the ca¬ 
valry, and dislodge the enemy 
from Franquinay and Tavieres; 
whilst twelve battalions, also from 
the left, under Gen. Schultz, at¬ 
tacked Ramilies. At half-past 
one the artillery opened on both 
sides ; but the vigour of the as¬ 
sault upon Tavieres convinced 
Villeroi that the object of the 
allies was to gain his right flank. 
He therefore ordered fourteen 
squadrons of dragoons to leave 
their horses, and hasten to the 
support of the troops in the vil¬ 
lage ; but, before they could ar¬ 
rive, the confederates had carried 
Tavieres, and the Danish horse 
falling upon the intended rein¬ 
forcement, cut them in pieces. 
In the midst of this masterly 
movement, Overkirk charged their 
cavalry, and overbore the first 
line ; but, being vigorously as¬ 
sailed by the second, his horse¬ 
men were thrown into confusion. 
The duke, observing this, came 
up with seventeen squadrons from 
the right, and the Danes return¬ 
ing from the defeat of the enemy 
at Tavieres, soon removed all 
apprehensions of danger. In the 
height of this conflict, the twelve 
battalions under Gen. Schultz, 
supported by the contiguous lines 
of infantry, commenced the at¬ 
tack on Ramilies. Marlborough, 
perceiving some confusion in the 
horse, ordered up reinforcements 
from the right wing, and person¬ 
ally led the troops to check the 
advance of the enemy. At this 
crisis, twenty squadrons arrived 
at full speed from the right, and 
formed a fourth line in rear 
of the right wing. Before this 
reinforcement could come into 
action, the Danish squadrons, as 
well as the Dutch guards, had 
attacked the French with such 
vigour that they were driven 
round Ramilies, towards Geest-a- 


L 














146 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 24. 


Gerompont, in spite of every ef¬ 
fort on the part of Villeroi, to 
rally the fugitives. The battle had 
now lasted more than three hours, 
when a last effort was made by 
the French marshal to check the 
victorious progress of the allied 
troops ; but Marlborough struck 
the final blow by ordering Gen. 
Wood forward with the British 
horse in support of the troops 
that sustained the attack on Ra- 
milies. The French, however, 
gave way ; the retreat became 
general, and in a short time they 
burst from all control. The 
allies continued the pursuit until 
two in the morning of the 24th. 
The enemy’s loss in killed, 
wounded, and prisoners, amount¬ 
ed to 13,000. The spoils of this 
memorable day consisted of eighty 
colours and standards, almost all 
their artillery, and the baggage. 
The allies acknowledged 1066 
killed, and 2567 wounded. Of 
these, 82 officers were killed, and 
283 wounded. The fruits of the 
victory of Ramilies were the surren¬ 
der of Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, and 
all the principal towns of Brabant. 

1793. Battle of Famars.— 
On the 23rd May, the combined 
army under the command of 
H. R. H. the Duke of York, de¬ 
feated the French forces on the 
banks of the river Ronelle, com¬ 
pelling them to relinquish that 
position, and also their post on the 
heights of Anzain, and withdraw 
into Valenciennes. 

May 24. 

1760. Nabob of Poornia de¬ 
feated. — Capt. Knox, with 200 
English infantry, having arrived to 
the assistance of the British ally 
Meer Jaffier, besieged by the Na¬ 
bob of Poornia, in Patria, and 
being supported by a battalion 
of sepoys, three hundred native 


cavalry, and five field-pieces, after 
a conflict of six hours, obtained 
a complete victory over the Na¬ 
bob’s army, consisting of 12,000 
men, with thirty pieces of artillery. 

1796. Successful Operations 
at St. Lucie. —In the expedi¬ 
tion under Lieut.-Gen. Sir Ralph 
Abercromby against the island 
of St. Lucie during the siege of 
Morne Fortunee, a success was 
gained this day, which led to the 
surrender of the island. The first 
besieging batteries had opened on 
the 16th, and the approaches con¬ 
tinued, until on the 24th it was 
necessary to storm a work within 
500 yards of the fort. This was 
gallantly effected by the 27th, 
supported by the 52nd and 57th 
regiments, Brigadier-Gen. Moore 
leading the assault of these forti¬ 
fied posts. On the same day, the 
27th regiment repulsed two at¬ 
tempts to regain the nearest of 
these important positions, the 
enemy suffering considerable loss. 

1841. Attack of Canton.— 
Active operations were resumed 
in the early part of May. On the 
21st, the 74-gun ship Blenheim 
took up a position in the Macao 
passage, within six miles of Can¬ 
ton ; but it was not until the 23rd 
that the whole force had there 
assembled. On that day the de¬ 
barkation was effected, and the 
troops moved to the attack as 
follows : right column to attack 
the factories, Major Pratt, 26th 
regiment, 17 officers, 344 men ; 
left brigade, Lieut.-Col. Morris, 
49th regiment, 40 officers, 606 
men ; artillery, Capt. Knowles, 
16 officers, 401 men ; naval bri¬ 
gade under Capt. Bourehier, 27 
officers, 403 men ; reserve under 
Brigadier-Gen. Burrell, royal ma¬ 
rines, Capt. Ellis, with 9 officers, 
372 men ; and 18th Royal Irish, 
Lieut.-Col. Adams, 25 officers, 
and 494 men ; making a total of 






XVIay 2 5. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 147 


3800 men. The factories were 
taken possession of at 5 p. m., and 
at an early hour on the morning 
of the 24th the whole of the force 
had reached the shore. The bri¬ 
gade then moved forward until 
within reach of the four strong 
forts on the heights and the 
northern face of the city walls. 
The artillery arriving at 8 a.m., 
kept up a smart fire on the two 
western forts, as the troops ad¬ 
vanced en echelon of columns from 
the left:—the 49 th regiment, sup¬ 
ported by the 37th Madras native 
infantry and Bengal volunteers, 
to carry a hill on the left of the 
nearest eastern fort; the 18th 
regiment, supported by the ma¬ 
rine battalion, to carry a hill in 
their front; and then, as the 49th 
made their rush, the l'eserve was 
to carry the principal square 
fort. Simultaneous with these 
attacks, the brigade of seamen 
was to carry the two western 
forts. During the advance, a 
large body of the enemy having 
assembled on the right, the bat¬ 
talion of marines was detached to 
support the brigade of seamen, 
and to cover the right and the 
columns of attack. In little more 
than two hours the two forts were 
captured, and the British army 
looked down upon Canton, within 
a hundred paces of the city. 
Meanwhile, the naval brigade 
had carried the two western forts, 
and the British flag waved 
proudly on their walls. 

May 25. 

1430. Sortie from Compiegne 
repulsed.— The Earls of Arundel 
and Suffolk and John of Luitzen- 
bourgh having besieged the town 
of Compiegne, a sortie was made 
by the French garrison on the night 
of Holy Thursday, 25th May; 
and at the same time six hundred 


men-at-arms, under command of 
Poiton de Lointreiles, but led by 
Joan of Arc, made an attempt 
to compel the besiegers to raise 
the siege ; but the English and 
Burgundians fought manfully, 
and repulsed both the sortie and 
the onslaught from without, with 
great loss to the enemy. Among 
their prisoners was the luckless 
Joan of Arc, who was sent by 
John of Luitzenbourg to Bedford, 
the Regent of France, and the 
cruel policy of the day condemned 
her to death as a sorceress. 

1778. Attack on the Rebels 
at Warren.— Information reach¬ 
ing Major-Gen. Sir Hugh Pigot, 
commanding the troops at Rhode 
Island, that Gen. Sullivan was 
assembling a large rebel force at 
Providence, and that the enemy 
had there collected a number of 
boats, which were under repair 
with the intention of invading the 
island, he determined on an im¬ 
mediate attempt to destroy this 
flotilla. Lieut.-Col. Campbell was 
accordingly detached with eight 
battalion companies of the 22nd 
regiment, the flank companies of 
the 54th regiment, and a com¬ 
pany of Hessian chasseurs ; in 
all about 500 men, who marched 
on the evening of 24th May to 
Arnold’s Point, and, having em¬ 
barked, proceeded up the river. 
Before daylight on the 25 th, 
they effected a landing unper¬ 
ceived by the enemy, three miles 
below Warren, and a mile above 
Bristol. Whilst a detachment of 
the 22nd destroyed a battery at 
Papasquash Point, the main body 
marched to the town of Warren, 
and having secured all the neigh¬ 
bouring passes, Col. Campbell 
proceeded to the Iiickamuct ri¬ 
ver, where he destroyed 125 
boats, many of them fifty feet in 
length ; also a galley of six 12- 
pounders, and two sloops, laden 







148 CALENDAR 


with stores and provisions. The 
lieut.-colonel then returned to 
Warren, at which place and at 
Bristol several pieces of cannon 
and a quantity of stores were 
likewise destroyed. By this time, 
the insurgents, who had collected 
in considerable force, kept up an 
incessant fire on the king’s troops, 
until they gained the height above 
Bristol ferry. Here they spiked 
two 18-pounders ; and having 
made the signal for the boats 
to cross from Papasquash Point, 
the whole detachment re-em¬ 
barked, and, under cover of a fort 
on the opposite shore and the 
Flora frigate, reached the island 
in good order, with the very tri¬ 
fling loss of five wounded ; and 
having taken prisoners 3 field 
officers, 2 captains, and 59 soldiers 
of the rebel militia. 

1796. After the successes of 
the preceding day, the island of 
St. Lucie was surrendered by the 
agent-general and the com¬ 
mander-in-chief for the French 
Republic to the British forces 
under command of Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Ralph Abercromby. 

IVSay 26. 

1706. The town and citadel 
of Antwerp surrendered to the 
Duke of Marlborough without 
attempting defence, so reduced 
was the power of the French after 
the battle of Ramifies. 

1776. Americans defeated. 
— We have already chronicled 
the capture of the fort of the 
Cedars on the 19th of May. On 
the 26th, Capt. Forster, with liis 
detachment, being at Yaudreuil, 
about six miles to the northward 
of the Cedars, whither he had re¬ 
tired on hearing that the Ameri¬ 
cans were in great strength, Gen. 
Arnold, with eight hundred men, 
came up the river in order to rescue 


OF VICTORY. IVIay 26. 


the rebel troops taken in the 
fort of the Cedars. Capt. Forster, 
having formed his force in three 
divisions, the British occupying 
a central part of the river oil 
the left bank, their Indian allies 
being on the right; and on an 
opposite island were posted the 
Canadian troops. The Ameri- 
ricans successively attacked each 
point; but, being everywhere re¬ 
pulsed, relinquished the enter¬ 
prise and retired to St. Anne’s, 
on the island of Montreal. 

1813. Skirmish near Sala¬ 
manca. — In the middle of May 
Gen. Graham had under his 
orders, near Braganza, an army 
amounting to 40,000 men, and 
on the 22nd Wellington quitted 
his head-quarters at Frenada, 
with five divisions of Anglo-Por- 
tuguese and Spanish infantry and 
five brigades of cavalry, the ivliole 
forming, with the artillery, not less 
than twenty-eight thousand men. 
The right, under Gen. Hill, moved 
from Bejar upon Alba de Tonnes; 
the left, under Wellington in 
person, upon Salamanca. On the 
26th the heads of the allied co¬ 
lumns appeared on all the routes 
leading to the Tonnes. Gen. 
Villatte, who had withdrawn his 
detachment from Ledesma on 
the 24th, barricadoed the bridges 
and the streets, and on the 
heights above Santa Marta await¬ 
ed the approach of the hostile 
army. The ground on the left 
side of the river had, however, 
enabled Wellington to conceal 
his movements so effectually that 
Fane’s horsemen, with six guns, 
were already passing the ford at 
Santa Marta in Villatte’s rear, 
while Victor Alten’s cavalry re¬ 
moved the barricades on the 
bridge, and pushed through the 
town to attack him in front. 
Being thus suddenly pressed 
against, the FTench general, 








May 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 149 


marching towards Babila Fuente, 
gained the heights of Cabierizos 
before Fane had crossed the river; 
but having still to pass the defiles 
of Alda Lengua, he was overtaken 
by both columns of cavalry. The 
guns, opening upon the French 
squares, killed above 30 men ; but 
although the horsemen charged 
boldly, they could make no im¬ 
pression upon infantry of such 
courage and discipline ; and not¬ 
withstanding a hundred had died 
in the ranks without a wound, 
from the intolerable heat, yet these 
veterans were proof against the 
most vigorous attacks of cavalry ; 
and in the face of 30,000 enemies 
they made their way to Babila 
Fuente, where they were joined 
by Gen. Lefol with the troops 
from Alba. Nevertheless 200 
had sunk dead in their ranks; 
a like number, unable to keep 
up, were made prisoners; and six 
guns, being retarded by an acci¬ 
dent, also fell into the hands of 
the allies, together with their 
tumbrils. The line of the Tonnes 
being thus gained, the allied 
troops were pushed forward, their 
left towards Miranda and Zamora, 
whilst their right approached 
Toro, and so placed, that the latter 
covered the communications with 
Ciudad Rodrigo, 

May 27. 

1841. Reduction of Canton. 
— During the greater part of the 
24th May, after the British were 
in possession of the captured 
forts, as we have already related, 
the enemy kept up a smart fire 
upon the different columns occu¬ 
pying the fortified heights; and 
frequent attacks were made upon 
the left by parties from a consi¬ 
derable encampment on a rising 
ground to the north-east of the 
city; but they were as frequently 


repulsed by the 49th regiment. 
At about 3 p.m. as preparations 
were making for a fresh attack, 
Brigadier-Gen. Burrell, with the 
18th regiment and a company of 
marines, reinforced the 49th, and, 
having crossed a narrow causeway, 
the only means of approach, they 
gallantly advanced, under a heavy 
fire from the guns and gingals on 
the north-east face of the city 
Avail, and drove the enemy at all 
points. After setting fire to the 
encampment and destroying the 
magazines and buildings, the 
troops returned to the heights. On 
the 26 th arrangements were 
made for an immediate assault of 
the city; but on the 27th, when 
the troops Avere about to move 
fonvard to the assault, an officer 
arrived Avith a letter from Her 
Majesty’s plenipotentiary, ad¬ 
dressed to Lieut.-Gen. Sir Hugh 
Gough and Commodore Sir 
Fleming Senhouse, to the folloAv- 
ing effect:—“The imperial com¬ 
missioner and all the troops, 
other than those of the province, 
to quit the city within six days, 
and remove to a distance of sixty 
miles. Six millions of dollars to 
be paid in one Aveek for the use 
of the crown of England. One 
million before to-morroAV at sun¬ 
set. The British troops to re¬ 
main in their actual positions 
until the Avhole sum be paid; but 
all the troops and the ships of 
Avar to return without the Bocca 
Tigris as soon as the Avhole be 
paid. Wantong also to be evacu¬ 
ated, but not to be armed by the 
Chinese until the difficulties are 
adjusted betAveen the tAvo govern¬ 
ments.” 

May 28. 

1752. Action near Volcon- 
dah.— Chundah Saib, being de¬ 
serted by a great portion of his 








150 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 28. 


army, on the 18th May withdrew 
within the pagoda of Seringham, 
with no more than 2000 horse and 
3000 foot, amongst whom 1000 
Rajpoots undertook to defend the 
inner temples. The French oc¬ 
cupied Jumba Kistnah pagoda, 
the wall of which was stronger 
and more defensible; and although 
the garrison was more numerous 
than his own force, the place was 
invested by Major Lawrence on 
the same day. In the meantime 
it was of the utmost importance 
that the convoy driven from 
Utatoor by Capt. Dalton should 
be destroyed. It had taken 
shelter at Volcondah, from which 
it was again advancing, when 
Capt. Clive, with 100 Europeans, 
1000 sepoys, 1000 horse, with 
six field-pieces, marched on the 
evening of 27th May to inter¬ 
cept it, and on the morning of 
the 28th he arrived at Utatoor. 
The French had reached within 
three miles of that place, when, 
suspecting Clive’s advance, they 
suddenly fell back. A small body 
of Mahrattas being sent in pur¬ 
suit, had the effect of merely 
amusing the enemy, who, thus 
retarded, were overtaken by the 
rest of the horse and the sepoys 
that had outmarched the Euro¬ 
peans. The enemy now hastily re¬ 
treated, harassed by the cavalry, 
and took up a position under the 
walls of Volcondah. The greater 
number of the sepoys had been 
in the service of the enemy at the 
siege of Arcot, but, enlisted by 
Clive, after the action of Arnee, 
had been repeatedly in action 
under that officer, and had ac¬ 
quired great confidence in them¬ 
selves. These men, advancing 
with great rapidity, but in little 
order, were not checked by a fire 
under which several fell ; but, 
rushing forward with the bayonet, 
drove all before them through the 


barrier, while the cavalry charged 
upon both flanks, until the enemy, 
having gained the wall of the 
pettah, opened fire and checked 
their further advance. The Eu¬ 
ropeans now arriving up, forced 
the barrier, and drove the enemy 
into the fort. The English were 
preparing to blow in the gate, 
-when M. D’Anteuil hung out the 
white flag, and terms were soon 
settled. The garrison, consisting 
of 100 Europeans, 400 sepoys, and 
340 horse, surrendered; and, be¬ 
sides a quantity of military stores, 
booty to the amount of 10,000/. 
was secured. 

1824. Stockades carried.— 
On the 10th May the expedition 
against Rangoon anchored within 
the bar of the river, and having 
silenced the fire of a feeble bat¬ 
tery, the troops were landed. 
They found the country entirely 
deserted, the inhabitants having 
retired, with all they possessed, 
far up the Irrawaddy. As their 
force increased, the enemy be¬ 
came more daring, and com¬ 
menced stockading themselves in 
the jungle within hearing of our 
advanced posts. On the morning 
of the 28th they had approached 
so near with their stockades 
that Major-Gen. Sir Archibald 
Campbell thought it was time 
to punish their temerity. With 
four companies of Europeans, two 
field-pieces, and 400 sepoys, he 
moved against the foremost 
stockade, which being incom¬ 
plete, the Burmese quitted it, and 
retired into the wood. The troops 
continued to move through the 
wood by a winding pathway, at 
eveiy turn of which there was 
some breastwork or stockade 
that had been hastily aban¬ 
doned. After an advance of five 
miles, they suddenly entered a 
wide open field intersected by a 
rivulet, over which was a long 









IVIay 29. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


151 


narrow bridge. Here the enemy 
made a stand; but the fire of the 
field-pieces soon induced them to 
continue their retreat. At this 
juncture, a storm came on, and 
the rain fell in such torrents that 
the guns could be dragged no 
further. Sir Archibald, however, 
determined - to proceed, leaving 
the 400 sepoys to guard the field- 
pieces. Arriving at the plain of 
Joamoang, he approached two 
villages, closely flanked by jungle 
on either hand; and both were 
defended by a stockade in front, 
filled with men, whilst large bo¬ 
dies of the enemy were forming 
around. Leaving one company 
to keep this force in check, Sir 
Archibald with the other three 
made a dash at the stockades, 
which the troops entered after a 
short, opposition; and, rushing 
with the bayonet upon a confused 
living mass, the conflict was short, 
but very sanguinary. During the 
attack, the enemy in the plain, es¬ 
timated at 4000 men, made no 
hostile movement; but as soon as 
they saw our troops in possession 
of the stockades, they set up a hor¬ 
rid yell, and advanced towards 
them. The British now moved 
rapidly out of the works, and 
having formed, the Burmese 
wavered and fell back. As the 
day was drawing to a close, our 
troops marched slowly back to 
their quarters unmolested. The 
enemy left 300 dead in the stock¬ 
ades and adjacent fields, and 
many more were wounded. Our 
loss amounted to Lieut. H. How¬ 
ard, and two men, killed ; Lieuts. 
Mitchell and O’Halloran, and 
twenty men, wounded. 

IVIay 29. 

1780. Action at Walsaw.— 
Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, after a 
march of 105 miles in fifty-four 


hours, with 300 cavalry (the in¬ 
fantry of the legion mounted on 
horses), with a 3-pounder, came up 
with the rebel force, under Col. 
Burton, at Walsaw, near the line 
which divides North from South 
Carolina. It consisted of the 11th 
Virginia regiment and detach¬ 
ments of other corps, with ar¬ 
tillery and some cavalry. After 
a summons, terms similar to those 
accepted by Charlestown having 
been offered and positively re¬ 
jected, the action commenced in 
a wood. The enemy was at¬ 
tacked on both flanks; the front 
and reserve, by 270 cavalry and 
infantry blended. Both attacks 
were simultaneous, and equally 
victorious; few of the enemy es¬ 
caping, excepting the command¬ 
ing officer by a precipitate flight. 
The Americans had 113 killed 
and 150 wounded: on the part 
of the English 2 officers and 3 
men killed, 1 officer and 14 men 
wounded. 

1804. Submission of IIolkae. 
—During the pursuit of Holkar, 
after the Mahratta war had decided 
against him, Capt. Gordon, com¬ 
manding some native irregular 
troops, finding that the chief was 
encamped about five miles off, with 
three battalions of infantry, 3000 
horse, and eleven guns, formed a 
junction with a detachment under 
Lieut. Lucan, of H.M.’s 74th 
regiment. The enemy having 
retired to a rocky pass, about five 
miles from Coterah, Capt. Gordon, 
although unable to make much 
impression with his limited force, 
was so fortunate as to induce 
Holkar to accede to terms, 
pledging himself and his troops 
not to serve again, against the 
English Government. 

1841. Defeat of Ghilzie 
Rebels. — A detachment under 
Lieut.-Col. Wymer, consisting of 
four companies of the 38th N.I., a 







152 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 31, 


wing of the Shah’s 1st cavalry, 
with two guns, having taken a 
position at Ascea Krunee on the 
evening of the 29th May, was 
attacked by a large force of Ghilzie 
rebels, on both flanks, with great 
impetuosity. But, somewhat 
checked by the well directed fire 
of the English artillery, and over¬ 
whelmed by the deadly volleys of 
musketry, the enemy again united, 
and, diverging to the left, lined 
the banks of the Turnuch river; 
the British taking a corresponding 
position. The rebels made se¬ 
veral attacks without any success, 
until 10 o’clock at night; when 
the chief, finding himself foiled in 
many attempts, ordered his fol¬ 
lowers to disperse, leaving 64 
slain on the field. The English 
sustained but trifling loss. 

May 30. 

1589. Surrender of Cas- 
CAis. — The surrender of the 
castle of Cascais was the last 
success of the Earl of Essex, Sir 
Francis Drake, Gen. Sir Roger 
Williams, Norris, Sidney, and 
other valiant captains Avho had 
for the time overrun that part 
of Portugal, from Peniche to the 
capital, and thence to the mouth 
of the Tagus. The expedition 
under Drake left England the 
18th of April, and returned the 
1st of July. “ The Portugal Voy¬ 
age,” black letter, gives a very 
particular account of the whole 
invasion on behalf of Don An¬ 
tonio, the pretender to the throne 
of Portugal. Drake and Norris 
were the original commanders 
chosen by Queen Elizabeth, but 
the Earl of Essex, falling in with 
their squadron at sea, joined 
company, and together they seem 
to have proceeded to Peniche. 
The main body of their troops 
was there landed, and marched 


across the country to Lisbon, in 
which city they overcame all re¬ 
sistance, with the loss of but few 
men, though the castle still held 
out. The ships went round to 
Cascais, at the entrance of the 
Tagus, seized upon the town, and 
invested the fort. The cause es¬ 
poused by Drake and Essex not 
being popular, and as there was 
little chance of plunder in the 
capital, the invaders collected 
their spoil, and marched from 
Lisbon to Cascais, meaning 
thence to embark. Before, how¬ 
ever, that this could be earned 
into execution, it was necessary 
that the fort should be gained. 
A few guns having been brought 
to bear against it, the garrison 
surrendered, on being allowed to 
march out with the honours of 
war. The fortifications were then 
destroyed, and the troops em¬ 
barked. 

May 31. 

1740. Fort Moosa was aban¬ 
doned on the approach of Gen. 
Oglethorpe, who, with a small 
army of Carolina and Georgian 
forces, was on his march to the 
attack of St. Augustine, the ca¬ 
pital of Spanish Florida. 

1779. Attack of Stoney 
Point.— Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, 
in command of the British forces 
at New York, having detennined 
upon the reduction of the two 
strong posts of Stoney Point and 
fort La Fayette, held by the 
Americans on the Hudson, had 
embarked a detachment of troops 
for that service, when he received 
a fresh reinforcement from Vir¬ 
ginia, and the whole proceeded 
up the North River. Commodore 
Sir George Collier accompanied 
Sir Henry Clinton, who ordered 
the troops recently returned to 
proceed in their transports up the 













May 31. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 153 


North River, and to form a junc¬ 
tion with those he had embarked. 
On the 30th of May, the whole 
sailed up the river, the commo¬ 
dore in the Raisonable leading 
the way, having with him the 
Camilla frigate, Vulture sloop, 
Cornwallis, Grant, and Philadel¬ 
phia galleys, and two gun-boats. 
About eight miles above Dobb’s 
ferry, the commodore, hoisting 
his pendant on board the Ca¬ 
milla, proceeded forward with 
the transports, and anchored that 
evening just out of cannon-shot 
of fort La Fayette, which the 
rebels had erected on Verplank’s 
Point. Next morning Major- 
Gen. Vaughan landed on the 
east side of the river, seven miles 
below fort La Fayette, whilst the 
commander-in-chief, with the 
17th, 63rd, and 64th regiments, 
proceeded within three miles of 
Stoney Point, the important 
works of which were abandoned 
by the enemy, who fled to the 
neighbouring hills on his ap¬ 
proach, after setting their block¬ 
house on fire. Some shot were 
exchanged between the ships 
and fort La Fayette, while the 
troops were taking possession of 
Stoney Point which commanded 
it. In the night the artillery 
deemed necessary for the siege 
was landed, and with great la¬ 
bour the soldiers and sailors 
dragged them up the cliff and 
put them in position so as to 
command the strong works at 
fort La Fayette, Avhich, though 
small, was a complete work, fur¬ 
nished with a block-house, double 
ditch, chevaux-de-frise, and aba¬ 
tis. Early in the morning a 
cannonade was opened from 
Stoney Point, and also from the 
vessels in the river. Major-Gen. 
Vaughan had by this time in¬ 
vested the fort in its rear ; and 
the garrison, unable either to 


hold out or escape, surren¬ 
dered at discretion. Thus two 
strong posts fell into the hands 
of the British troops. The works 
of Stoney Point were completed, 
and both efficiently garrisoned. 

June 1. 

1794. Assault of Fort Biz- 
zoton. — Brigadier-Gen. com¬ 
manding the British troops at St. 
Nicolas Mole, St. Domingo, hav¬ 
ing determined to make an im¬ 
mediate attack upon Port au 
Prince, after leaving a sufficient 
garrison for the security of the 
mole, proceeded with the 22nd, 
23rd, and 41st regiments (except 
their flank companies, which had 
been left at Martinique), with 
a detachment from some of the 
remaining regiments, in all 1465 
rank and file, on board their 
transports, escorted by a ship of 
74, two of 64 guns, three frigates, 
and three sloops, and arrived in 

the bav of Port au Prince on 
*/ 

31st May. Finding the situ¬ 
ation favourable to the plan of 
attack, the militia cavalry of Leo- 
gane was ordered to move on 
the Bizzoton road, where the 
right attack was to be made, and 
the Arcahaye cavalry by the left 
to the Salines, where the enemy 
were posted and intrenched with 
cannon. Two ships of the line 
and a frigate were then ordered 
against fort Bizzoton, and hav¬ 
ing taken their stations on the 
morning of 1st June, after a can¬ 
nonade of four hours, the fort was 
silenced. Three hundred men 
under Major Spencer then pro¬ 
ceeded towards the shore, and 
having effected a landing, had 
arrived within a small distance of 
the fort, when a violent thunder¬ 
storm occurred. Taking advan¬ 
tage of that circumstance, the 
British rushed forward and car- 







154 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


June 2. 


ried the post by assault, with the 
loss of Capt. Wallis, of the 22nd 
regiment, and six men, killed; 
Captain Daniell and three men 
wounded. 

1760. The Cherokee Indians 
having made frequent inroads on 
the North American settlers on 
the southern frontier, attended 
with many acts of the most bar¬ 
barous cruelty, a detachment 
under Lieut.-Col. Montgomery 
surprised a party of savages at 
Keowee, which they destroyed on 
31st May; and on the following 
day, Estaloe, the principal station 
of the Lower Cherokees, as well 
as the village of Sugartown, met 
the same fate. 

June 2. 

1782. French defeated.— 
On the approach of the army 
under Sir Eyre Coote, consisting 
of H. M.’s 73rd and 78th regi¬ 
ments, two battalions of Madras, 
one of Bengal Europeans, and ten 
battalions of sepoys, with artil¬ 
lery, the enemy, after several days 
spent in vain attempts to reduce 
Wan dewash, fell back towards 
Pondicherry, while the British 
general for the third time brought 
relief to the garrison defending the 
beleaguered fortress. The en¬ 
emy, remaining in a strong position 
covering Pondicherry, were too 
advantageously situated to be at¬ 
tacked by an inferior force. Arnee 
being the place from which the 
enemy drew most of their sup¬ 
plies, the general made a rapid 
advance towards it, and on the 
1st of June had arrived within 
four miles of that fort. On the 
morning of the 2nd, at dawn, 
whilst continuing its march, a 
heavy fire was opened upon the 
English rear-guard. Hyder’s 
whole force suddenly appeared, 
having made a forced march of 


forty-three miles; and whilst the 
two armies were preparing for 
battle, Hyder detached a strong 
corps under Tippoo, which, besides 
reinforcing the garrison, carried 
away all the treasure from the 
place. After a succession of ma¬ 
noeuvres by both armies, the gre¬ 
nadiers of the 73rd regiment and 
Madras Europeans, in a charge 
by the Hon. Capt. Lindsay of the 
73rd and Capt. Brown of the 
Madras corps, one gun and eleven 
tumbrils were captured, and Lal- 
ly’s troops entirely dispersed. The 
want of sufficient cavalry alone 
prevented a disastrous rout to the 
enemy, and the capture of several 
guns. The loss on our part w r as but 
trifling, whilst that of the French 
was very considerable; but the 
78th highlanders, having lately 
landed from a long voyage, were 
so unseasoned to the climate, that 
seventeen men died of fatigue, 
independent of those -who fell in 
action. 

1783. Daraporam taken.— 
This strong fort was taken by 
assault on the 2nd June, during 
the march of the British under Col. 
Fullarton into Coimbetore, in their 
first campaign against Tippoo 
Saib, after the death of his fa¬ 
ther Hyder. 

1813. Action at Morales. 
— The line of the Tormes gained, 
the allied forces on the 27th and 
28th of May pushed forward with 
their left towards Miranda and 
Zamora, and their right towards 
Toro. At daybreak on the 31st, 
some squadrons of hussars, with 
infantry holding by their stirrups, 
entered the stream at the ford of 
Almendra, and at the same time 
Gen. Graham approached the 
right bank with all his forces. 
The pontoons being laid, the co¬ 
lumns commenced passing, but 
several men, even of the cavalry, 
had been drowned at the ford's. 












June 3 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


155 


On the 1st of June, whilst the 
rear was still on the Esla, the ad¬ 
vance of the allies entered Za¬ 
mora, which the French eva¬ 
cuated after destroying the bridge, 
and retired upon Toi'o ; where, 
after also effecting the destruc¬ 
tion of the bridge, on the 2nd 
they again fell back, but their 
rear-guard was overtaken near 
the village of Morales by the hus¬ 
sar brigade under Col. Grant. 
Their cavalry speedily passed 
a bridge and swamp, under a 
sharp cannonade, and then facing 
about in two lines, gave battle. 
Major Roberts, with the 10th re¬ 
giment, supported by the 15th, 
immediately attacked them, and 
at the first charge broke both 
their lines, and then pursued them 
for two miles. Their loss exceeded 
200men; nevertheless they rallied 
on the infantry reserves. The 
junction of the allies’ wings on 
the Duero, was now secure, for 
that river was fordable, and Wel¬ 
lington, in case of failure, had 
made arrangements for forming 
a boat-bridge below the confluence 
of the Esla, whilst pontoons could 
be thrown without difficulty at 
Toro. 

June 3. 

1752. Surrender of French 
Troops. —After the successes at 
Volcondah, Capt. Clive returned, 
on 30th May, to his camp, with 
his European prisoners and booty. 
On the following day, Chundah 
Saib, on the sacred promise of 
not being detained a prisoner 
and being properly used, was in¬ 
duced to deliver himself up to the 
Tangore general, who likewise 
gave him an assurance of safe 
passport to Carical. But Mo- 
naackjee broke his oath, seized 
and put in chains the captive 
prince. The possession of Chun¬ 


dah Saib created much jealousy 
and ill-feeling among all the na¬ 
tive allies, and was carried to 
such an extent that the existence 
of the confederacy was seriously 
endangered. In order to rid 
himself of so much anxiety and 
danger, Monaackjee came to the 
determination of taking the fallen 
prince’s life. The murderer was a 
Patan, who found the unfortunate 
man lying on the ground, unable 
from sickness to raise himself. 
The entrance of the assassin 
into his apartment immediately 
suggested to his victim the object 
of his intrusion. Having requested 
to see Monaackjee, to make a com¬ 
munication of importance, he 
was stabbed to the heart, and his 
head, severed from the body, was 
sent to the Nabob Mohamed Ally 
at Trichinopoly, who then for 
the first time saw the face of his 
rival. By the ignominious and 
cruel death of this unhappy 
prince, the war in the south of 
India was brought to a close. 
On the 3rd of June, the French 
force under Law, amounting to 
800 Europeans and 2000 sepoys, 
with all their materiel and bag¬ 
gage, surrendered prisoners of war. 
Four mortars and thirty-one pieces 
of cannon, with large quantities 
of ammunition and stores, also 
fell into the hands of the British. 

1813. Major George Taylor, 
commanding at Chambly, Isle 
aux Noix, observing two Ameri¬ 
can armed vessels proceeding up 
the river, despatched three gun¬ 
boats in pursuit; at the same time 
directed two row-boats with two 
bateaux, having on board soldiers 
of the 100th regiment. After 
sharp firing, the two vessels, car¬ 
rying ten guns each, struck their 
colours, having one man killed 
and eight wounded. 






156 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 5. 


June 4. 

1794. Reduction of Port au 
Prince. —Brigadier-Gen. Whyte, 
following up his successes, as re¬ 
lated in our columns of 1st June, 
with the force under his com¬ 
mand, consisting of French pro¬ 
vincial royalists, the battalion 
companies of the 22nd, 23rd, and 
41st regiments, and other troops, 
this day completed the object of 
the expedition under Rear-Adm. 
Ford from Jeremie and Cape St. 
Nicolas Mole, by the capture 
of Port au Prince. On the 2nd, 
200 men, under the command of 
Col. Handheld, landed at Point 
Salines at nightfall, and imme¬ 
diately carried the post without 
loss. Early on the morning of the 
3rd the Hermione and Iphigenia 
frigates got under Aveigh, and 
opened fire upon the battery and 
advanced post of Bernadon, to di¬ 
vert the enemy’s attention, whilst 
Col. Handheld effected a junction 
Avith a body of colonial cavalry 
under Col. La Pointe, and at the 
same time seized upon the bat¬ 
tery defending the landing-place 
on the left of Port au Prince. 
Preparations Avere noAv made for 
the landing of the main body of 
the troops; but in consequence 
of bad Aveather coming on, the 
debarcation Avas deferred till the 
morroAv. Meamvhile Col. Spencer, 
from fort Bizzoton, had marched 
with his detachment and a co¬ 
lonial force to unite Avith Col. 
Handheld in cutting off the es¬ 
cape of the garrison; but during 
the night, advices were received 
on board the squadron that the 
commissaries, Avith the greater 
part of the French troops, had 
abandoned the toAvn, escaping to 
Aux Cayes before the British 
could surround them. As soon 
as the sea-breeze had set in on 
the 4th, the men-of-war got under 


sail, and the sea batteries, already 
in the possession of the detach¬ 
ments on shore, hoisted British 
colours, Avhilst the brigadier- 
general, with the main body of 
the troops, landed on the north 
side of the toAvn. Lieut.-Col. 
Spencer at the same moment 
marched in on the south, and, 
meeting but little opposition, 
took possession of the principal 
posts. A royal salute was then 
fired by the batteries, and on board 
squadron, in honour of the day 
and the important advantage 
gained OA r er the enemy in the 
surrender of Port au Prince. A 
numerous fleet of merchant ships 
Avere taken in the harbour, laden 
Avith sugar and coffee. The loss 
sustained by the British and 
French loyalists Avas but trifling. 
The army returns gave a total of 
one captain and eight rank and 
file killed, one captain, tAVo rank 
and file wounded. The navy, 
five seamen killed, sixteen sea¬ 
men and marines Avounded. 

June 5. 

1563. Action near Havre. 
— At 7 o’clock in the evening 
the Reinsgrave, keeping a large 
body of horse and foot in re¬ 
serve, sent in advance one thou¬ 
sand infantry, Avith the intention 
of drawing the English garrison 
of Hratc into action. Approach¬ 
ing near the neAv Avorks raised by 
the English outside the toAvn, they 
quickly found their antagonists, 
and a smart skirmish ensued. 
The French troops Avere con¬ 
stantly reinforced from their re¬ 
serve, while simultaneous attacks 
were at the same time made on 
several of the outworks ; so that 
the garrison having to appear 
at all points, the English fire was 
much divided. Still, as Hollings- 
hed remarks, “our countrymen 






June 6. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 157 


verelie in this service, shewed 
that they were nothing degenerat 
from the valiant race of their 
noble progenitors.” At length 
the enemy were obliged to give 
way in every quarter, losing 500 
men, Frenchmen, Gascons, and 
Spaniards, out of about 1000 en¬ 
gaged. The English loss was 
comparatively small, which may 
be attributed to the boldness with 
which they maintained their po¬ 
sition. 

1758. Landing at St. Malo. 
— An expedition against the 
town of St. Malo, in Brittany, the 
naval part consisting of a ship 
of the line, four of 50 guns, ten 
frigates, and several smaller ves¬ 
sels, under the command of Com¬ 
modore Hon. Richard Howe, and 
the army, amounting to 14,000 
men, in five brigades, commanded 
by Lieut.-Gen. the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough, embarked in transports, 
sailed from Spithead on the 1st 
of June. At the same time a 
fleet of twenty sail of the line, 
under Lord Anson, put to sea, 
with the object of cruising off 
Brest and to prevent the enemy 
sending a fleet to disturb the 
operations -under Commodore 
Howe. After repeated delay, oc¬ 
casioned by the state of the wea¬ 
ther, the former fleet, on the 5th 
June, stood into Cancale Bay, 
two leagues to the eastward of 
St. Malo; and about 2 o’clock, the 
whole came to an anchor. Pre¬ 
parations w r ere then made for the 
disembarkation; and the frigates 
having moved in shore and si¬ 
lenced a battery, the troops under 
Lieut.-Gen. Lord George Sack- 
ville and Major-Gens. Moyston 
and Drury, in the flat-bottomed 
boats, pushed for the shore. 
Under cover of the fire of the 
frigates, the landing was effected 
in perfect order, and a second 
debarkation, with ten field-pieces, 


was made before dark ; the troops 
then moved to a neighbouring 
hill, where they remained for the 
night. 

1811. Siege of Badajos. — 
Fifteen pieces of cannon still 
played against the castle. During 
the night a fresh battery was 
traced out at only five hundred 
and twenty yards from the breach; 
and on the Christoval side some 
new ones were opened. The gar¬ 
rison now began to intrench them¬ 
selves behind the castle breach; 
before morning, their workmen 
were well covered, and two addi¬ 
tional pieces were made to plunge 
into the trenches with great effect. 
On the other hand, the fire of the 
besiegers had broken the clay bank, 
and the stray shells and shot set 
fire to the houses near the castle. 

June 6. 

1761. Capture of Dominica. 
— A squadron of four ships of 
the line, under Commodore Sir 
James Douglas, with a body of 
troops, under the command of 
Lord Rollo, sailed from Basse 
Terre, Guadaloupe, on the 4th of 
June, and on the 6th anchored in 
the road of Roseau, the capital of 
the island of Dominica. Of¬ 
ficers were sent on shore, sum¬ 
moning the inhabitants to sur¬ 
render, and two of the principal 
inhabitants immediately came off 
to treat for terms of capitulation. 
This proceeding was probably a 
feint to gain time, for when they 
were set on shore in the after¬ 
noon, the inhabitants appeared in 
arms at all their fortified posts, 
both in the town and on the 
heights above it, and expressed 
their determination to defend 
themselves to the last. Upon 
this, the commodore made the 
signal for the troops to prepare 
to land; and the ships moving 






158 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 6. 


close to the shore, anchored with 
springs, and opened so warm a 
cannonade that the batteries 
were soon silenced. Under cover 
of their tire the troops landed 
in excellent order, and while 
part of them marched and took 
possession of the town, Lieut.- 
Col. Melville, leading the grena¬ 
diers, seized a battery and part 
of an adjoining intrenchment, 
which the enemy had aban¬ 
doned on his approach. Night 
fast approaching, Lord Rollo, 
apprehending the troops might 
suffer from the commanding posi¬ 
tion of the enemy, and conjec¬ 
turing that they would be consi¬ 
derably reinforced before morn¬ 
ing, resolved on an immediate 
attack. The grenadiers again 
taking the lead, Col. Melville 
drove the enemy from all their 
batteries and intrenchments in 
great confusion, and took post at 
their head-quarters. M. Long- 
prie, the governor, and several 
of the principal inhabitants were 
taken prisoners. The British loss 
was no more than two men killed 
and four wounded. On the follow- 
day the whole island submitted. 

1780. Action at Elizabeth¬ 
town. — General Ivnyphausen 
having determined on making an 
irruption into the Jerseys, in or¬ 
der to beat up the enemy’s quar¬ 
ters, and at the same time obtain 
a supply of cattle, sent a consi¬ 
derable detachment of troops 
from New York to Staten island ; 
from which place on the night of 
6th June he passed over about 
5000 men under Gens. Robertson, 
Tryon, and Stirling, to Elizabeth¬ 
town Point, and, after some op¬ 
position from the militia, reached 
the town early on the morning 
of the 7th, On their march to 
Springfield, they set fire to the 
Connecticut farms ; but, finding 
that large bodies of troops were 


assembling, the detachment fell 
back to Elizabethtown. 

1813. Action at Burling¬ 
ton Heights. — Brigadier-Gen. 
Vincent, commanding at Burling¬ 
ton Heights, having received an 
intimation that the Americans 
had advanced from Forty-Mile 
Creek, Lake Ontario, with 3500 
men, including cavalry, with eight 
field-pieces, sent forward the 
light companies of the 8th and 
49th regiments, under Lieut.-Col. 
Harvey, to reconnoitre. The 
enemy had then passed the 
swamp, after driving in the En¬ 
glish posts, and had encamped 
in fancied security. Brigadier- 
Gen. Vincent, determined on an 
immediate attack, again moved 
forward with five companies of 
the 8th and 49th regiments, in all 
704 men. The Americans were 
taken by surprise, and driven 
from their camp. They, how¬ 
ever, rallied; and re-forming in 
detached bodies, returned to the 
attack, but were as frequently 
repulsed. The action continued 
through the night; but before 
dawn the enemy gave up the con¬ 
test, leaving Brigadier-Generals 
Chandler and Winder, their first 
and second in command, and 
upwards of 100 officers and non¬ 
commissioned officers, in the 
hands of the British; three guns, 
a brass howitzer, and some tum¬ 
brils were also taken. Having 
spiked the guns, the British re¬ 
tired with their prisoners at day¬ 
break, and regained their canton¬ 
ments. The enemy having re¬ 
turned to their camp, destroyed 
all the materials of war which 
they could not carry off, and 
then commenced a precipitate 
retreat towards the Forty-Mile 
Creek, where they met a rein¬ 
forcement of 2000 men from 
Niagara. Brigadier-Gen. Vin¬ 
cent gives the highest praise to 







June 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 159 


Lieut.-Col. Harvey, the deputy- 
adjt.-gen. in the field, Major Plen- 
derleath, who commanded the 
49th regiment and led some bril¬ 
liant charges of the bayonet 
against the enemy, and also 
Major Ogilvie, in command of the 
companies of the 8th regiment. 

June 7. 

1598. St. Juan be Puerto 
Rico. — An expedition, under 
Lord George Clifford, Earl of 
Cumberland, having landed from 
a British squadi'on on the 6th of 
June on the island of St. Juan 
de Puerto Rico, a fatiguing march 
brought the earl and 1000 men 
close to an arm of the sea, the 
causeway across which was brave¬ 
ly defended by the Spaniards. 
The English suffered much, and 
were beaten back; but the next 
day a ship of the expedition, run¬ 
ning close up to the causeway 
and the fore which defended it, 
so battered the enemy’s works 
that they were abandoned by 
their defenders, and the landing 
was effected. 

1761. Surrender of Belle- 
isle. — The expedition under 
Commodore Iveppel and Major- 
Gen. Hodgson, which effected a 
landing on the island of Belleisle 
on the 22nd of April, has already 
been mentioned in its proper 
place. After the redoubts of the 
town of Palais, the capital, w r ere 
carried, as shown on the 13th 
of May, the firing continued 
against the citadel, and ap¬ 
proaches were made against the 
town. The batteries being esta¬ 
blished, and some days of un¬ 
remitting fire having effected a 
breach, preparations were made 
to carry the place by storm, when 
General De Ste. Croix, the go¬ 
vernor, capitulated upon honour¬ 
able terms, on the 7th of June; 


and the following day the British 
troops marched into the fortress. 

1762. Landing at the Ha- 
vannah. —The Earl of Albemarle, 
with a strong force, this day 
landed on the island of Cuba 
from the British squadron under 
Commodore Iveppel, detached 
from the fleet of Admiral Sir 
George Pocock. The landing 
took place about six miles to the 
eastward of the Moro point and 
fortress, the Mercury and Bonetta 
sloops scouring the shore with 
their fire. The enemy appearing 
afterwards in greater force, as 
if about to interrupt the passage 
of the troops across the Coxi- 
mar, Capt. Hon. A. Ilervey, in the 
Dragon, 74, ran in and battered 
the castle, which in a short time 
he silenced, and the whole army 
passed without opposition to take 
up its position for the siege of 
the Havannah. 

1813. Fort San Felipe sur¬ 
renders. — Lieut.-Col. Prevost, 
with a brigade, consisting of the 
2nd battalion of the 67th and 
Dillon’s regiment, with royal ar¬ 
tillery and two field-pieces, hav¬ 
ing been detached from the army 
under Lieut.-Gen. Murray, em¬ 
barked in a squadron which be¬ 
came under the orders of Capt. 
Adam in H. M. S. Invincible. 
On the 3rd June the brigade 
landed about a mile to the east¬ 
ward of the entrance to the pass 
from Tarragona. Here, joined 
by some Spanish troops, Lieut.- 
Col. Prevost advanced and pre¬ 
pared to invest the fort of San 
Felipe. By great exertions, the 
sailors and soldiers got the guns 
into position, and the fire upon 
the fort was very effective. On 
the 4th, terms were offered to 
the garrison, but rejected. The 
fire continued, other batteries 
were raised, and a tremendous 
cannonade kept up till some of 






160 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 8. 


the powder magazines of the fort 
exploded. On the 7th the gar¬ 
rison surrendered, on the condi¬ 
tion that they were to march 
out, ground their arms, and de¬ 
part with their baggage. 

June 8. 

1758. LandingatLouisbourg. 
—A fleet of twenty-one ships of 
the line, tw r o of 50 guns, and se¬ 
veral frigates, with transports con¬ 
veying an army of 11,936 men, 
commanded by Major-General 
Amherst, sailed from Spithead 
on 19th February, and arrived 
at Halifax on 9th May. The 
destination of this armament being 
for the reduction of Cape Breton, 
the fleet, amounting to 157 sail, 
again put to sea on the 28th; 
but, owing to the tempestuous 
state of the weather, did not 
reach Gabarus Bay, seven miles 
west of Louisbourg, until the 2nd 
June. The French were fully 
prepared to receive them, having 
a chain of posts from Cape Noir 
to the Flat-Point, and redoubts 
from thence to the bottom of the 
bay. The landing was to take 
place in three divisions ; those of 
the right and centre were to be 
only feints, while that on the left 
was meant as the real attack. 
The violence of the surf, how¬ 
ever, prevented any operations 
until the 8th, and this interval 
enabled the enemy to strengthen 
their works and keep up a fire 
upon the ships within reach of 
their guns. Early in the morning 
the troops were in the boats ; and 
as soon as the covering ships had 
made some impression by their 
fire, the division under Brigadier- 
Gen. Wolfe, consisting of four 
companies of grenadiers, followed 
by 550 light infantry and com¬ 
panies of rangers, supported by 
the highlanders, and then by the 


remaining companies of grena¬ 
diers, moved towards the shore. 
Not a shot was fired by the ene¬ 
my until the boats had neared 
the shore on the left of Kenning- 
ton Cove, when they opened a 
destructive discharge of grape 
and musketry. The surf aided 
their efforts, many boats being 
destroyed ; but the intrepidity of 
Gen. Wolfe overcame every ob¬ 
stacle. The troops, jumping into 
the water, readily formed on the 
beach, and then rushed upon the 
enemy with such impetuosity 
that they were driven from their 
posts in confusion, leaving along 
the shore three 24-pounders, seven 
9-pounders, seven 6-pounders, 
two mortars, and 14 swivels. 
Meanwhile the centre division, 
under Brigadier-Gen. Lawrence, 
composed of the 15th, 22nd, 35th, 
45th regiments, and 2nd bat¬ 
talion of Americans, landed at 
the Fresh-Water Cove, and the 
right, under Brigadier-General 
Whitmore, consisting of 2nd bat¬ 
talion royal regiment, 17th, 47th, 
48th, 58th regiments, and 3rd 
battalion royal Americans, fol¬ 
lowed the centre. The boats re¬ 
turned to the transports with 
great despatch, and before night 
the whole army had disembarked. 
Scarcely had this been effected 
when a violent storm arose which 
prevented any communication 
with the fleet for several days. 

1776. Americans repulsed. 
—While the transports which had 
brought the reinforcement under 
Gen. Burgoyne from England 
were lying about three miles 
above Trois Rivieres, under the 
protection of the Martin sloop, 
the rebels embarked at Sorell up¬ 
wards of 2000 men under com¬ 
mand of Major-Gen. Thompson, 
in fifty large boats, and. crossing 
the St. Lawrence, landed at the 
Pointe du Lai before daylight 






June 9. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 161 


on the 8th June, and immediately 
marched to surprise the British 
force at Trois Rivieres. Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Fraser was, however, 
on the alert, and as soon as the 
outposts of the 62nd regiment 
were attacked, putting himself 
at the head of the troops, he 
moved towards the approaching 
enemy, already assailed by the 
62nd under Lieut -Col. Anstru- 
thcr. Brigadier-General Nesbit, 
commanding the ships in the 
river, immediately made the sig¬ 
nal for the troops on board the 
transports to disembark, and, on 
reaching the shore, moved to in¬ 
tercept the enemy, who by this 
time were retreating before Gen. 
Fraser; but the rebels, on find¬ 
ing themselves thus attacked, 
fled precipitately through the 
wood towards Montreal, pursued 
by the British, who succeeded in 
cutting off a great number, whilst 
the remainder, regaining their 
boats, escaped. The second in 
command, several other officers, 
and above 200 men, were made 
prisoners. 

1796. The fort as well as the 
parish of Bombarde, in the 
island of San Domingo, in pos¬ 
session of the French republican 
troops, this day surrendered to a 
British force under Brigadier- 
Gen. Whyte. 

June 9. 

1781. In our columns for the 
22nd of May we related the 
failure of Gen. Greene’s attempt 
to break ground before the fort 
of Ninety-six. The siege con¬ 
tinued, and by the 3rd of June 
their second parallel was complete. 
The adjt.-general of the American 
army was then sent to summon 
the garrison. In reply, Lieut.-Col. 
Cruger, commanding the fort, 
sent a message that he intended 


to defend himself to the last ex¬ 
tremity. The enemy’s batteries 
reopened, the approaches ad¬ 
vanced, and other batteries were 
raised. The Americans now tried 
to set fire to the houses in the 
fort, but they were foiled in this 
attempt by the commandant un¬ 
roofing the barracks; and cheer¬ 
fully did both officers and men re¬ 
main exposed to the weather dur¬ 
ing the remainder of the siege. Col. 
Lee, with a reinforcement, now 
co-operated with Gen. Greene, 
by making approaches against a 
stockade fort on the left of the 
village, while the original besieg¬ 
ing party continued their attacks 
against the star fort. On the 
night of the 9th of June two 
gallant and successful sorties were 
made from the garrison to the 
right and left; the right pene¬ 
trated the enemy’s territory, and 
destroyed a mine that was to 
have been carried under a curtain 
of the star fort; the commanding 
officer of engineers, who was in¬ 
specting the works, being wounded 
before he could make his escape. 
The left sallying party fell in with 
a small body of the Americans 
covering the siege operations: this 
detachment they defeated, bayo¬ 
neting several of the enemy, and 
making the commanding officer 
prisoner. 

1818. The town, fort, and dis¬ 
trict of Ajmeer surrendered to 
Brigadier Knox; an important 
acquisition, removing the Mah- 
rattas and their influence from 
Rajpootana, and giving this 
country an opportunity of re¬ 
covering itself under British 
guidance. 

June 10. 

1761. Four companies of the 
2nd battalion of the 1st or 
royals, under Major Hamilton 


M 







162 CALENDAR 


two companies of the 17th, three 
companies of the 22nd, besides 
provincial troops, proceeded from 
fort Prince George, and routed a 
large body of Indians on the 10th 
of June, in the heart of the Che¬ 
rokee country, making these war¬ 
riors sue for peace. 

1796. The French island of 
Grenada surrendered by capitula¬ 
tion to the British force under 
command of Major-Gen. Nicholls. 

1796. Surrender of the New 
Vigie. —A British force, under 
Lieut.-Gen. Abercromby, landed 
on the island of St. Vincent on 
the evening of the 8th June, and 
on the following day marched in 
one column as far as Stubbs, 
about eight miles from Kingstown, 
each division halting opposite 
their respective points of attack. 
On the morning of the 10th the 
enemy’s flank was turned, and 
with some difficulty, two 12- 
pounders, two 6-pounders, and, 
two howitzers were advanced 
within 600 yards of their works ; 
but, notwithstanding a well di¬ 
rected fire, they maintained them¬ 
selves in their post in the Old Vi¬ 
gie until the afternoon. A part of 
Lowenstein’s corps and two com¬ 
panies of the 42nd regiment, with 
some island rangers, lodged them¬ 
selves within a short distance of 
the fort, and at two o’clock being 
reinforced by the two remaining 
companies of the 42nd and the 3rd 
regiment, and the York rangers, 
moved forward and drove the 
enemy from the first, second, and 
third redoubts; but they rallied 
round their principal post, the 
New Vigie. Meanwhile Brigadier- 
Gen. Knox had cut off their com¬ 
munication with the Caribs; and 
Lieut.-Col. Dickins, of the 34th, 
having previously, with part of his 
own and the 2nd West India regi¬ 
ments, forced the Caribs to retire 
and taken their post, the enemy 


OF VICTORY. June 10. 


in the New Vigie were compelled 
to capitulate on terms, and seven 
hundred men were made priso¬ 
ners. 

1824. In the advance on Kem- 
mendine, during the Burmese war, 
a small stockade, desperately de¬ 
fended, was carried by assault 
by the force under Major-Gen. 
Sir Archibald Campbell. The 
storming party consisted of de¬ 
tachments from H. M.’s 38th and 
41st, and the Madras European 
regiments. The enemy had 300 
killed, and the loss of the English 
was also severe. 

1841. Badamee, a strong fort 
in the Belgaum Zillah, in the pos¬ 
session of some insurgent Arabs, 
was besieged by a force con¬ 
sisting of detachments under 
command of Major A. Johnson, 
26th regiment N.I. The breach 
of the pettah being practicable, 
the storming parties moved for¬ 
ward. Upon this the Arabs 
abandoned their defences, and 
the British troops, under a heavy 
fire from two upper forts, oc¬ 
cupied the pettah on the 9 th of 
June. On the 10th, a mortar 
battery having been established 
against the upper forts, the Arab 
garrison surrendered. 

1842. During an insurrection 
in Bundlecund, on the morning 
of the 10th of June a detachment 
of the 8th light cavalry, under 
Capts. Moore and Studdy and 
Cornet Swinton, fell in with a 
company of the 13th regiment 
N. I., commanded by Captain 
Mitchell, engaged with a body of 
the insurgents nearly 5000 strong. 
Capt. Moore instantly charged 
the dense mass of the enemy, and 
routed the whole force. The 13th 
regiment lost 6 killed and 17 
wounded. Captain Moore was 
wounded in the charge by a 
matchlock-ball. 







June 11. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


June 11. 

1420. Surrender of Sens.— 
Henry V. of England, affianced 
to the daughter of Charles VI., 
King of France, being made Re¬ 
gent of that kingdom by his in¬ 
tended father-in-law, took part 
with him against the Dauphin. 
In company with that monarch, 
he besieged and took the town 
of Sens in Burgundy, held by the 
Dauphin’s party; which place sur¬ 
rendered, after four days’ siege, 
on the 11 th of June. 

1762. Reduction op the IIa- 
v annah.— At the siege of the Ha- 
vannah, Col. Carleton, command¬ 
ing the advance-guard, was sent 
forward on the 8 th of June to 
the village of Gunnamacoa, close 
to which he discovered and at¬ 
tacked a large force of the enemy, 
which he dispersed before the 
Earl of Albemarle came up to 
his aid. On the 10th, the Moro 
hill, as well as the Moro fort, 
were invested by the grenadiers 
and light infantry ; and on the 
11 th, at one o’clock in the after¬ 
noon, they carried the redoubt by 
assault, meeting with but slight 
resistance. 

1775. After the battle of Arras, 
recorded in our columns for the 
18th of May, the army of Mut- 
seddies might have been destroyed 
had the English followed up 
their enemy; but Ragoba’s troops 
refusing to push forward, the pur¬ 
suit was discontinued. On the 
11th of June, the British again 
came up with the Mutseddies at 
Bowapoor, on the banks of the 
Nerbuddah, and the result showed 
how much might have been ef¬ 
fected had the pursuit been earlier 
undertaken. Immediately that our 
troops appeared in sight, the Mut¬ 
seddies struck their tents, and, 
throwing their guns into the river, 
commenced a retreat. The light 


troops attacked the rear of the 
enemy, many of whom were slain 
and some baggage taken. Here 
again Ragoba’s troops refused to 
advance across the Nerbuddah 
until they received their arrears 
of pay, which not forthcoming, 
the Mutseddies continued their re¬ 
treat unmolested, and they aban¬ 
doned the province of Guzerat. 

1824. The advance of the army 
continued after the taking of the 
stockade recorded in a preceding 
column, which soon had the fami¬ 
liar cognomen of “ stay and tiff; ” 
but it was not till nightfall that 
the British reached the walls of 
Kemmendine. Athough the rain 
fell in torrents, nothing checked 
the ardour of the troops, and bat¬ 
teries were at once thrown up. 
At daybreak a fire was opened 
upon the bamboo stockades, but 
it was found impossible to make 
a breach in such material. The 
order for assault was then given, 
but on the storming parties arriv¬ 
ing close upon the enemy’s works, 
they were found to be abandoned. 

June 12. 

1791. The fortress of Gun- 
gestoh, held by the troops of 
Tippoo Saib, surrendered this day 
to the forces of the Nizam, co¬ 
operating with an English detach¬ 
ment; at the same time a valuable 
and extensive territory fell under 
the dominion of the British ally. 

1813. French beaten at IIor- 
millas.— The Allies crossed the 
Carion on the 7th of June, and 
the French under Joseph Bona¬ 
parte had retired by the highroad 
to Burgos, while Reille, forming 
the right wing, moved by Castro 
Xerez. Wellington meanwhile 
pushed his left wing and the Gal- 
licians along by bye-roads, and 
passed the upper Pisuerga on the 
8th, 9th, and 10th. Having thus 


M 2 













164 CALENDAR 


outflanked Reille, he halted on 
the 12th, but nevertheless pushed 
his right wing, under General 
Hill, along the main road to Bur¬ 
gos, to gain the castle; while Ju¬ 
lian Sanchez, acting beyond the 
Arlanzan, cut off* all straggling 
detachments. Reille having re¬ 
gained the great road to Burgos, 
was strongly posted behind the 
Hormaza river, barring the road 
to that city, while the other two 
armies were in reserve in rear of 
Estepar. But Wellington’s co¬ 
lumns arriving on the 12th, the 
light division, preceded by Grant’s 
hussars and Ponsonby’s dragoons, 
immediately turned the French 
right, whilst the remainder of the 
army attacked the whole range of 
heights from Hormillas to Estepar. 
Reille, on seeing the allied horse¬ 
men in rear of his right, made 
for the bridge of Baniel on the 
Arlanzan. He then became ex¬ 
posed to a raking fire from Gar¬ 
diner’s horse artillery, and being 
sharply charged by the 14th dra¬ 
goons under Captain Milles, some 
prisoners were taken, and a gun 
was also captured. The Allies 
pressed forward towards the 
bridge of Baniel to cut off* the 
enemy’s retreat, but the French, 
notwithstanding the heavy can¬ 
nonade to which they were ex¬ 
posed, observed a rapid, yet or¬ 
derly movement; and finally 
crossed the river with trifling 
loss. The three French armies 
being now covered by the Urbel 
and Arlanzan rivers, could not 
be easily attacked ; and the stores 
of Burgos were removed; but in 
the night King Joseph again re¬ 
treated along the high road by 
Briviesca to Pancorbo. 

June 13. 

1758. During the opei*ations at 
the reduction of Louisbourg, the 


OF VICTORY. June 13. 


/ 

French garrison made frequent 
sorties to obstruct the progress of 
the siege. On the 13th June, 
while our men were employed in 
making a communication from 
right to left in front of the camp, 
and in erecting three redoubts, 
the enemy made a vigorous sally 
from the garrison, but were driven 
back with the loss of five killed 
and forty wounded. 

1783. Battle of Cuddalore. 
—On the 21st April, the army 
of Arcot, consisting of 1660 Euro¬ 
peans, 8000 sepoys, and 1000 
Nabob’s cavalry, moved forward 
to attempt the reduction of Cud¬ 
dalore ; but it was not until the 
4th June that this force under 
Gen. Stewart reached the banks 
of the Panar, about five miles 
west of the boundary hedge Avith- 
in Avhich the French were in¬ 
trenched. The north and Avest 
faces having been much strength¬ 
ened, General SteAvart moved 
the army across the Panar on 
the 5th, and on the 7th encamped 
Avithin tAvo miles from the south 
face of Cuddalore, in a strong 
position— the right flank resting on 
the sea, its left on the Banda- 
polam hills, and the ground in 
front covered with brushwood 
and Palmyra trees. On the 
same day, the Marquis de Bussey 
withdrew his army, consisting of 
3000 European infantry, 3500 
Cadres and sepoys, and 3000 
infantry, with 2000 cavalry of Tip- 
poo’s from the north side, and 
took up a poition on the south, 
facing the British ; and both 
armies continued strengthening 
their Avorks until the 13th. Early 
on that morning, Lieut.-Colonel 
Kelly attacked and carried a 
battery on the enemy’s right, 
which flanked Tippoo’s sepoys ; 
and turned the guns upon the 
enemy. The centre division, un¬ 
der Cols. Elphinstone and Wan- 






June 14. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 165 


genheim, attacked a large redoubt 
in front, whilst the division on the 
right, under General Bruce, also 
made a forward movement. The 
centre attack did not succeed, but 
the right division, led by Colonels 
Stewart and Cathcart, supported 
by Kelly’s brigade, rapidly ad¬ 
vancing, soon occupied it, and 
compelled the enemy to retire in 
confusion. The British, notwith¬ 
standing the heavy lire of the 
several batteries, continued to 
advance along the line of in- 
trcnchments, driving the enemy 
before them, and eventually took 
possession of the large redoubt 
situated on a rising ground with¬ 
in range of the guns on the ram¬ 
parts of Cuddalore, and com¬ 
manding the whole of the works. 
This sanguinary conflict did not 
terminate until 5 r. m., when the 
firing ceased on both sides. The 
loss on the part of the British 
amounted to 1030 killed and 
wounded. The enemy acknow¬ 
ledged a loss of 900. 

1794. At the reduction of Gua- 
daloupc, the French having cross¬ 
ed the harbour from the town of 
Pointe-a-Petre, and encamped at 
St. Jean, the opposite point, were 
attacked on the night of the 13th 
by Brigadier-Gen. Dundas, and 
completely routed ; with loss of 
many killed and wounded, their 
colours, baggage, and a field- 
piece. Major Ross of the 31st re¬ 
giment had an opportunity of par¬ 
ticularly distinguishing himself. 

1811. The advanced guard of 
the French appearing at Los 
Santos, a detachment from the 
division of Major-Gen. Erskine, 
composed of 2nd hussars and 3rd 
dragoons, under Lieut. Streno- 
witz, sent forward to reconnoitre, 
attacked a superior force of the 
enemy, whom he defeated, and 
made some prisoners. 

1812. On the anniversary of 


the gallant exploit we have just 
recorded, Lieut. Strenowitz again 
distinguished himself. On the 
13th June that officer marched, 
Avith fifty men of the 3rd dra¬ 
goons, to fetch off some of the En¬ 
glish prisoners left by the French 
in the village of Maquilla. He 
was met by eighty French horse¬ 
men, whom he attacked and over¬ 
threw, with the loss of only one 
man, whilst the enemy had many 
killed, and an officer and twenty 
men taken prisoners. 

June 14. 

1560. On this day was fought 
one of the last skirmishes be¬ 
tween the French and English 
near Leith. Two detachments of 
the contending parties meeting 
near Mount Pelham, the French 
were defeated with the loss of 70 
killed and 16 taken prisoners. 

1658. Battle of Dunkirk.— 
The United Provinces having 
concluded a peace with Spain in 
1653, the King of France courted 
an alliance with the English ; and 
on 3rd Dec. 1655, entered into a 
treaty of alliance with them. The 
Dunkirkers were so successful in 
their armaments against the En¬ 
glish and French merchant ships, 
that in 1656 measures were taken 
for laying siege to that town. 
Cromwell sent 6000 troops, with 
pay for six months, to join the 
French army under Viscomte de 
Turenne, who, after several con¬ 
quests in Flanders in 1657, having 
besieged and taken the fort of 
Mardyck, put that fortress into 
the hands of the English. In 
1658 the French laid siege to 
Dunkirk, whilst an English naval 
force blockaded the port. On the 
6th of June the trenches were 
opened for two attacks, one in¬ 
tended against the front of Nieu- 
port by the French, the other by 
the English, against the front on 


m 3 








166 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 15. 


which the citadel has since been 
constructed. The trenches were 
pushed forward with all possible 
expedition, and by the 10th 
were so far advanced that the 
besiegers were ready to attempt a 
lodgment on the covered way. 
Meanwhile, the Spanish army as¬ 
sembled in great force at Ypres, 
and on the 13th appeared before 
Dunkirk, but without their artil¬ 
lery, and without even the pre¬ 
caution of intrenching them¬ 
selves. Turenne becoming ac¬ 
quainted with this circumstance, 
determined on giving them battle 
before their cannon could arrive 
up. At daybreak on the 14th 
the allies moved to the attack, 
with 9000 infantry and 6000 
horse, formed in two lines, with 
cavalry on the wings and in re¬ 
serve. The Spanish army, under 
Don Juan of Austria and the 
Prince de Conde, consisting of 
6000 foot and 8000 horse, was 
formed in two lines extending 
from the strand to the fields. 
The English, commanded by 
Major-Gen. Morgan, commenced 
the attack about 8 o’clock with 
an intrepidity that excited the 
admiration of both armies, and 
drove the Spaniards from their 
position on one of the downs, 
where they planted the English 
colours. Meanwhile the Marquis 
de Crequi charged the left wing, 
and the Marquis de Castelneau, 
leading his division along the 
shore, assailed their right. The 
French infantry having joined 
the English on the other side of 
the down, attacked the Spanish 
reinforcement advancing to sup¬ 
port the troops driven from that 
position ; and, after a short con¬ 
test put them to flight. The 
Marquis de Crequi having boldly 
advanced, was nearly overpower¬ 
ed by the enemy’s cavalry ; but 
Turenne, seeing his critical situ¬ 


ation, put himself at the head of 
the cavalry of the right wing, 
with several battalions of foot, 
and moved rapidly to his sup¬ 
port. In a short time the Spa¬ 
niards were compelled to give 
way, and, although rallied several 
times by the Prince de Conde, 
they fled in disorder and confu¬ 
sion, pursued by the victorious 
troops to Furnes. The garrison 
of Dunkirk, amounting to 600 
horse and 1200 foot, though cut 
off from all hope of relief, still 
held out with the same vigour as 
before ; nor did it capitulate 
until the 24th, which was the 
eighteenth day after opening the 
trenches. The King of France 
having taken possession of Dun¬ 
kirk, immediately put the place 
in possession of the English, who 
retained it until 1662, Avhen 
Charles II. sold it for 218,750/., to 
Louis X1Y. 

1645. Battle of Naseby.—■ 
In the battle fought on 14th June 
near this place the main body of 
the royal army was commanded 
by Lord Astley ; Prince Rupert 
led the right wing, Sir Marma- 
duke Langdale the left, and 
King Charles I. in person headed 
the reserve. The Parliamentary 
forces under Fairfax obtained a 
complete victory, which was de¬ 
cisive of the fate of the unfortu¬ 
nate monarch, who was obliged 
to abandon the field, with the loss 
of all his cannon and baggage, 
and 5000 men made prisoners. 

June 15. 

1745. Reduction of Louis- 
bourg.— The expedition fitted 
out at Boston in this year against 
Louisbourgh, the army under the 
orders of Col. Pepperell and 
the navy under Commodore War¬ 
ren, has been already noticed in 
a preceding column. The land¬ 
ing having been effected, the 








June 16. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


167 


town was regularly placed under 
siege by sea and land. Although 
the British efforts were unsuccess¬ 
ful in an attempt to carry the island 
battery on the 27th May, yet, un¬ 
dismayed by this reverse, the be¬ 
siegers continued their works with 
great activity. Their batteries 
played so fiercely on the town, 
that the French were sorely dis¬ 
tressed by their unremitting fire. 
They now learnt that the fleet, 
which they had hoped would have 
arrived to their assistance, was 
blocked up at Brest by a British 
squadron; and by the 14th June 
they felt that the climax of their 
fate had arrived, for everything 
intimated an immediate attack by 
sea and land. On the 15th the 
besieged sent out a flag of truce, 
proposing to surrender the place. 
Upon this, the British batteries 
ceased firing, and terms were 
agreed upon, as proposed by Gen. 
Chambon, the governor, stipula¬ 
ting that the French should be 
conveyed to France. On the 
morning of the 17th the British 
colours were hoisted on the island 
battery; in the afternoon the 
squadron entered the harbour, 
and before sunset the whole of 
the fortifications were delivered 
up. 

1768. At the onset of the in¬ 
vasion of the Mysore, by the 
British army under Gen. Smith, 
an advanced guard was pushed 
forward into the country under 
the command of Col. Dugald 
Campbell. The force under that 
officer’s command consisted of a 
detachment from the Madras Eu¬ 
ropean regiment, a small body of 
cavalry, some artillery, and three 
battalions of sepoys. After ascend¬ 
ing the pass of Boodicottah, the 
first blow was struck against the 
Mysore territory by the capture 
of the fort of Vencatigherry on 
15th June, 1768. 


June 16. 

1743. Battle of Dettingen. 
—The allied forces, consisting of 
British, Hanoverians, and Hes¬ 
sians, amounting to 52,000 men, 
commanded by King George II. of 
England in person, having under 
him the Earl of Stair, defeated 
the French army of 60,000 under 
Marshal Norilles, near the village 
of Dettingen, on the river Maine. 
The French passed a defile, 
which they should have been con¬ 
tent to guard; and the Duke de 
Grammont, heading the cavalry, 
charged the British foot with great 
fury, but was received with such 
intrepidity that he was obliged to 
give way, and to repass the 
Maine. The French army was 
then totally defeated, with the loss 
of 5000 men. 

1815. Battle of Quatre 
Bras. —Napoleon Bonaparte hav¬ 
ing assembled an army of about 
125,000 men, composed in a great 
measure of veteran troops, of 
whom 25,000 were cavalry, and 
350 pieces of artillery, advanced 
to the Belgian frontier on the 
14th June. At that time the 
Duke of Wellington’s head-quar¬ 
ters were at Brussels: his force 
in the field amounted to about 
76,000 men; and on his left lay 
the Prussian army of 80,000 men, 
under Marshal Blucher, whose 
head-quarters were at Namur. 
During the night of the 14th, 
Bonaparte, crossing the Sambre, 
moved upon Charleroi, and the 
French advanced columns fell 
upon the Prussian outpost just as 
day was dawning. Information 
of the enemy’s approach reached 
Wellington at three o’clock the 
same afternoon, and orders were 
immediately conveyed to the va¬ 
rious corps to move towards the 
scene of action. The Duke and 
many officers of regiments quar- 


M 4 






168 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


tered in Brussels were present 
that night at a ball given by the 
Duchess of Richmond; and about 
midnight the general officers, 
being warned, quietly disappeared, 
their subordinates also' repairing 
to their respective posts. By this 
time the troops were mustering, 
and before sunrise on the 16th 
June all were marching to battle. 
On the 15th, whilst Napoleon’s 
head-quarters were established at 
Charleroi, Blucher had concen¬ 
trated his army upon Sombref, oc¬ 
cupying the villages of St. Amand 
and Ligny; and in the evening 
Marshal Ney attacked a brigade 
of the army of the Netherlands, 
under the Prince of Weimar, and 
forced it back to a farm-house on 
the road, called “ Quatre Bras ” 
from the local circumstance that 
the roads from Nivelles to Namur 
intersect each other at this point, 
and form, as it were, four arms. 
Early on the morning of the 16th, 
the Prince of Orange, who had re¬ 
inforced Weimar’s brigade, push¬ 
ed back Ney’s advanced guard, 
and recovered some of the ground 
that had been lost on the pre¬ 
ceding evening. Skirmishing con¬ 
tinued until nearly midday, and 
about half-past two, Gen. Picton 
arrived up with the 5th division, 
soon followed by the corps of 
Brunswick and Nassau. The 
French now massing their co¬ 
lumns, Bonaparte directed Ins 
attack upon Blucher, whilst Ney 
gathered his strength near Qua¬ 
tre Bras. The Prussians, after 
making a desperate resistance in 
the villages of St. Amand and 
Ligny, retired in the night to 
Wavre, where Grouchy, with 
32,000 men, followed them on the 
17th. Meanwhile Ney, having con¬ 
centrated 40,000, about 3 o’clock 
on the 16th commenced his attack, 
with two heavy columns of in¬ 
fantry, a large body of cavalry, 


June 16. 


and 50 guns. Although the Allies 
at that moment were not more 
than 19,000, and of those only 
4500 were British infantry, they 
repelled every effort of the enemy. 
The 3rd division under Gen. 
Alten now reinforced Picton’s 
fifth, just as Ney made another 
determined attack upon the left. 
Being defeated in his attempt to 
break the unflinching squares of 
infantry, he tried the right of the 
position of Quatre Bras, and, ad¬ 
vancing under cover of a wood, 
attacked Avith such impetuosity 
that the Belgian infantry were 
giving way, when Gen. Cooke, 
coming up with a part of the 
English guards, the enemy were 
again repulsed, and driven out of 
the wood in great confusion. 
Availing themselves of their great 
superiority of cavalry, the French 
made some daring and destructive 
charges. Falling rapidly upon 
the 42nd highlanders in a field of 
rye, the cuirassiers cut off two 
companies before they could gain 
the square, and killed their gal¬ 
lant colonel. Whilst the 44th 
was engaged in front with infan¬ 
try, they were suddenly attacked 
by lancers in the rear. There 
was no time for forming square; 
the rear-rank therefore faced 
about, and, in line, they beat off 
the horsemen with very severe 
loss. The conflict was altogether 
very severe, with heavy loss on 
both sides; but the British com¬ 
mander had succeeded in his pre¬ 
sent great object, which was to 
prevent Ney turning Blucher’s 
right, and thus throw himself 
between the Prussians and the 
British. The two great battles 
fought on this day were only 
preludes to the greater massacre 
at Waterloo; yet at Ligny 
Blucher had lost in killed and 
wounded about 11,000 men, and 
Wellington at Quatre Bras had 












June 17. CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 169 


350 killed and 2380 wounded. 
On the part of the French there 
fell above 4000, and among the 
slain were many distinguished 
officers. 

June 17. 

1748. Assault of Cuddaloue 
repulsed.— M. Dupleix, in com¬ 
mand of the French force at Pondi¬ 
cherry, after several unsuccessful 
attempts to surprise Cuddalore, 
despatched 800 Europeans and 
1000 sepoys, to make a detour, 
which brought them into the 
neighbourhood of the English 
settlement on the morning of the 
17th of June. Major Lawrence, 
in command of the British at St. 
David’s, being apprised of the 
enemy’s approach, towards even¬ 
ing made a pretence of removing 
the garrison and guns of Cudda¬ 
lore to St. David’s, as though he 
considered the former not tena¬ 
ble. At nightfall he with great 
caution returned to the fortress, 
with a garrison much augmented 
from St.David’s; and having re¬ 
established himself in his old 
quarters without being perceived 
by the enemy, awaited the result. 
At midnight the French, having 
silently approached and placed 
the scaling-ladders, ascended the 
walls, when a shower of grape- 
shot and a deadly discharge of 
musketry swept them to the 
earth. The survivors, without 
waiting for a further demonstra¬ 
tion that the English were de¬ 
termined to hold their own, 
hastily retired to their camp, in 
the hills of Bandapolam, and 
rested not till they were under 
the guns of Pondicherry. 

1755. Lieut.-Col. Monckton, 
with the British force which had 
already been successful in taking 
the fort of Beausejour, this day 
received the submission of fort 


Gaspereau, on the river of that 
name, in Nova Scotia. 

1775. Battle of Bunker’s 
Hill. — On the 8th June the 
American Congress resolved 
“ That the compact between the 
crown and the people of Massa¬ 
chusetts’ bay is dissolved.” The 
rebels in Charlestown, anticipat¬ 
ing a movement of the king’s ' 
troops, on 16th June erected 
works on Bunker’s Hill, and dur¬ 
ing the night raised intrench- 
ments and constructed a formid¬ 
able redoubt. On the morning 
of the 17th, a fire from the guns 
of the Lively frigate was directed 
at the working party upon the 
hill, but the Americans perse¬ 
vered in their labours with so much 
firmness that Gen. Gage resolved 
on an immediate attack on a po¬ 
sition of such importance, where 
the Americans had assembled in 
considerable force. In the houses 
of Charlestown they had also 
posted a large body of troops, 
while their centre and left flanks 
were protected by a breastwork 
partly cannon-proof; and these 
works reached from the left of 
the redoubt to the Mystic river. 
Ten companies of grenadiers and 
ten of light infantry, with the 5th, 
38th, 43rd, and 52nd regiments, 
under Major-Gen. Howe, were 
landed about noon on Charles¬ 
town Point, under cover of the 
fire of the squadron. The troops 
formed in perfect order,—the light 
infantry,under Brigadier-General 
Pigot, posted on the right; the gre¬ 
nadiers on the left; in rear of these 
the 5th and 38th regiments; and 
the 43rd and 52nd in a third line. 
Shortly afterwards it was deemed 
necessary to land a reinforcement, 
consisting of some companies of 
grenadiers and light infantry, the 
47th regiment, and the battalions 
of marines. The whole were 
then formed into two lines, and 






170 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


June 13, 


immediately advanced towards the 
enemy’s works, firing occasionally 
from the field-pieces and how¬ 
itzers. Not a shot was discharged 
by the enemy until onr troops 
were close upon them, when they 
opened such a destructive fire that 
it somewhat staggered the as¬ 
sailants, who, after suffering se¬ 
vere loss, fell back in some disor¬ 
der, until the animating presence 
of Gen. Howe restored confidence; 
and then they rallied, and again 
moved forward upon the enemy. 
At this time the left wing sus¬ 
tained much loss from the fire 
directed upon them from the 
houses in Charlestown ; but these 
were speedily destroyed by red- 
hot shot from the ships. The at¬ 
tack was now renewed, and the 
British, rushing into the intrench- 
ments with the bayonet, drove 
the gallant enemy from every 
part of the works across the pen¬ 
insula, leaving five pieces of 
cannon in our possession. Of the 
rebel force of 5000 men only 30 
of the killed remained in the re¬ 
doubt. In this hardly-earned 
victory the British loss amounted 
to 226 killed, 828 wounded ; 
making a total of 1054 killed and 
wounded. 

June 18. 

1781. Successful Sortie.— 
The Americans, under General 
Green, aware of the approach of 
a force under Lord Rawdon for 
the relief of Ninety-six, resolved 
on making another assault. On 
the 18th June, at noon, under a 
heavy fire, they effected a lodg¬ 
ment in the ditch of the fort; but 
two parties, of 30 men each, un¬ 
der Capts. Campbell and French, 
rushing from the sallyport, at¬ 
tacked them with such determina¬ 
tion that the whole were either 
killed or wounded. The next 


day the American army was in 
full retreat. 

1813. Action near San Mil- 
lan. —Gen. Maucune, in order to 
form a junction with Reille at 
Osma, marched over the Aracena 
ridge instead of moving by the 
Puente Lara, and his leading bri¬ 
gade had halted near the village 
of San Millan, in the valley of 
Boveda. Suddenly the light di¬ 
vision, moving parallel with Gra¬ 
ham’s corps, appeared on some 
rising ground in their front. The 
British riflemen instantly dashed 
down the hill with loud cries, 
followed by the 52nd in support, 
and the French retreated. At 
this moment the second French 
brigade, followed by the baggage, 
came hastily out of a cleft on the 
right. A confused fight now 
commenced; and, as the enemy 
moved up a hill, the 52nd met 
them on the summit, and, after 
some resistance, the French fled 
towards Miranda, while the first 
brigade, retreating towards Es- 
pejo, were pursued by the rifle¬ 
men. 

1815. Battle of Waterloo. 
— The night of 17th June was 
one of heavy and incessant rain, 
accompanied by thunder and 
lightning. Amid such a storm 
the troops of two mighty armies 
laid down within cannon-shot of 
each other. The allied forces 
under Wellington were posted on 
the field of Waterloo, about twelve 
miles from Brussels, with the 
forest of Soignies, eight miles in 
width, intervening. Their posi¬ 
tion extended a little more than 
two miles, from a ridge on the 
road to Wavre, to a series of 
heights in the rear of the Chateau 
of Hougoumont. From the sum¬ 
mit of the ridge the ground sloped 
backwards, so as to hide the re¬ 
serves, and to keep the front 
itself concealed, till the moment 
















June IS. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 171 


for action had arrived. In front 
of the left stood the farm of La 
Have Sainte, abutting upon the 
road from Charleroi to Genappc, 
and on the right the Chateau of 
Hougomnont,—both places being 
formidable posts in advance. The 
army of Napoleon was formed in 
two lines, with a reserve. The 
first consisted of infantry flanked 
by cavalry, with five batteries, 
comprising eight guns in each, 
ranged along the front of this 
line, with a sixth, consisting of 
12-pounders, in support; while six 
. guns of horse artillery were posted 
on the right of Jacqueminot’s ca¬ 
valry. The second line consisted 
entirely of cavalry, with the ex¬ 
ception of the two infantry divi¬ 


Napoleon, having detached 
Grouchy, confronted the Allies 
with — 

Infantry - 48,950 
Cavalry - 15,765 
Artillery - 7,232 


Total - 71,947 men, 
with 246 guns. 

The numerical strength was 
not so very disproportionate; but, 
when the composition of the corps 
is taken into account, the pre¬ 
ponderance in favour of the 
French was beyond all compari¬ 
son. The soldiers of Napoleon 
were all of one nation—devotedly 
attached to their leader, had one 
system of tactics, and knew their 
chief. Wellington’s army was 


sions of the 6th corps, under 
Count Lobau, on the Charleroi 
road, well supported by artillery. 
In reserve, the imperial guard 
drew up, infantry, cavalry, and ar¬ 
tillery, right and left of the l'oad. 
These dispositions of Napoleon 
were as judicious as circumstances 
would admit of, and he was free 
to move his columns of attack 
against any part of the English 
which might seem the weakest, 
while his own position was such 
as to render a direct attack by 
a force not superior to his own 
dangerous in the extreme. 

The force brought into the 
field by Wellington was as fol¬ 
lows : — 


made up of raw levies, gathered 
from five or six sources, and were 
mostly in a state of discipline 
that rendered it perilous to ma¬ 
noeuvre with them under fire. 
Whilst preparation was making 
for the coming strife, the Duke 
had the satisfaction of knowing 
that he could rely on the co-ope¬ 
ration of the Prussians; and long 
before a shot was fired a Prussian 
officer arrived to say that Bulow's 
corps was already at St. Lambert. 
It was about this time, that Na-. 
poleon despatched a letter to 
Grouchy, apprising him of the 
intended attack of the English, 
and directing him to move upon 
Wavre, so that he might approach, 
and keep up communication with, 


Nation. 

Infantry. 

Cavalry. 

Artillery 

Guns. 

British - - - 

15,181 

5,843 

2,967 

78 

King’s German Legion 

3,301 

1,997 

526 

18 

Hanoverians 

10,258 

497 

465 

12 

Brunswickers 

4,586 

866 

510 

16 

Nassauers - 

2,880 

— 

— 

— 

Dutch Belgians - 

13,402 

3,205 

1,177 

32 

Total ... 

49,608 

12,408 

5,645 

156 


Grand Total, 67,661 men, with 156 guns. 























1 


172 CALENDAR 


head-quarters. It was about ten 
o’clock on the morning of Sunday 
the 18th that a great stir was ob¬ 
served along the French line; 
and presently a furious attack 
was made upon the chateau of 
Hougoumont, occupied by a de¬ 
tachment of the brigade of guards 
under Cols. Hepburn and Lord 
Saltoun, who maintained the post 
throughout the day, despite the 
repeated and desperate assaults 
by large bodies of the enemy. 
While the enclosures of Hougou¬ 
mont thus continued to be furi¬ 
ously assailed, the artillery on 
both sides thundered along the 
whole extent of each'line. Under 
cover of the cannonade, Ney 
formed his columns of attack 
against the left and centre of the 
British position. This dense mass, 
consisting of at least 16,000 
men, supported by 70 pieces of 
cannon ranged along the brow of 
the height, led by D’Erlon, at 
about two o’clock moved forward 
to attack the left centre of the 
British under a murderous fire 
from the Allied artillery. The 
divisions of Alix and Marcognet 
pressing onwards, had opened 
fire on the Dutch-Belgian line, 
when the latter suddenly lost all 
order and fled. Picton’s division, 
consisting of the brigades of Kempt 
and Pack, numbering altogether 
little more than 3000 men, de¬ 
ployed into line, to receive not 
fewer than 13,000 infantry, besides 
cavalry ; but Picton, nothing 
daunted, as soon as the enemy 
halted and began to take ground 
to the right, shouted “ a volley, and 
then charge.” The order was so 
rigidly obeyed, that the enemy, 
taken in the act of deploying, were 
borne back in the utmost con¬ 
fusion. The success was, how¬ 
ever, dearly purchased:— Picton 
was mortally wounded by a mus¬ 
ket-ball in the temple; but Kempt 


OF VICTORY. June IS. 


gallantly supplied his place, and 
the line moved on, driving before 
it all resistance. A body of 
cuirassiers bearing hard upon the 
Hanoverian infantry, the House¬ 
hold brigade, led by Lord Edward 
Somerset, came thundering for¬ 
ward, and the elite horsemen of 
the rival nations met in close and 
desperate strife. The British 
prowess at length prevailed, and 
the enemy, overpowered, fled in 
wild confusion; but as the French 
far outnumbered the allies in ca¬ 
valry, their reserve coming up in 
excellent order, once more turned 
the tide of battle. Our dispersed 
horsemen fell back, experiencing 
considerable loss. Covered by 
the horse artillery and supported 
by Vivian’s hussars, they how¬ 
ever succeeded in reaching the 
crest of the position, where they 
re-formed under protection of the 
infantry. But the ground was 
covered with the dead and dying; 
and among the former was Major- 
Gen. Ponsonby. While great 
efforts continued to be made by 
the French to gain possession of 
Hougoumont, and the right of 
the line was threatened by a body 
of lancers, Donzelat’s division 
pushed upon La Haye Sainte. 
The interval between became 
filled by such a display of horse¬ 
men as had never been looked 
upon by the most experienced 
soldier in the Allied army. Forty 
squadrons, of which 21 consisted 
entirely of cuirassiers, descending 
from the French heights in three 
lines, began to mount towards the 
English position : and despite the 
murderous discharge of the Allied 
artillery, these resolute horsemen 
continued to advance at a steady 
trot, their cannon thundering 
over them. Arriving within 40 
yards of the English guns, with a 
loud shout, they put their strong 
horses to their speed, and in a 





June 18. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 173 


moment all the advanced batteries 
were in their possession. At this 
period all the Allied regiments 
were in squares along the crest 
of the glacis, with their front 
ranks kneeling. Nevertheless, the 
cuirassiers would not shrink from 
the trial. Once again the cry 
arose, “ Vive l’Empereur !” and, 
with the noise of thunder, they 
rushed on. But their pace 
slackened as they approached; 
and no sooner received a lire, 
than they broke off from the 
centre by troops and squadrons. 
Thus passed the whole line of 
cuirassiers, while the second and 
third lines, the former consisting 
of lancers, the latter of chasseurs, 
plunged headlong in the same 
course; and the British infantry 
became enveloped by the enemy. 
But they Avere not left long to main¬ 
tain the combat single-handed. 
Lord Uxbridge, gathering as many 
squadrons as were available, 
launched them against the as¬ 
sailants, and drove them back 
OA*er the declivity in confusion. 
They, hoAvever, soon rallied under 
their own guns, and, driving back 
the English beyond their squares, 
the game of the previous half 
hour was played over and over 
again. Round and round these 
impenetrable masses the French 
horsemen rode, individuals here 
and there closing upon the bay¬ 
onets and cutting at the men; 
but not a square Avas broken. 
The repulse of Ney’s cavalry and 
the failure of the attempts upon 
Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte 
determined Napoleon to make 
another effort upon the main po¬ 
sition of the Allies. Kellermann 
Avas ordered to move forward 
Avitli his corps, whilst Ney add¬ 
ing the cavalry of the guard, 
no less than 37 squadrons 
formed in rear of the broken 
force which had begun to rally; 


and in a short time the whole 
extent of the lield betAveen 
Charleroi road and Hougoumont 
Avas covered Avith these splendid 
corps of horsemen. Again were 
the squares assailed without suc¬ 
cess, and again did Lord Uxbridge 
come to the rescue. Having 
failed to make an impression on 
the first line, composed entirely of 
British and German troops, a 
large body of French cavalry 
passed over the ridge, and threa¬ 
tened the Dutch-Belgians in the 
second line. Great Avas the com¬ 
motion in that part of the field, 
from which Avhole masses of men 
began to move off without firing 
a shot. Lord Uxbridge again led 
the remains of his cavalry for- 
Avard, and the enemy Avere driven 
hack, pursued by Somerset’s bri¬ 
gade; but the Dutch-Belgian car¬ 
biniers disregarded the exhorta¬ 
tion of Lord Uxbridge to folloAV 
him in the same course. Instead 
of advancing to the attack, they 
Avent to the right-about, and, gal¬ 
loping through the 3rd hussars of 
the German Legion, fairly fled the 
field! Never did a battle-field 
present such an anomalous spec¬ 
tacle. To all appearance the 
French were masters of the posi¬ 
tion of the Allies. Their cavalry 
rode round the English infantry, 
and their strength of numbers 
overaAved the Allied horse. Scarce¬ 
ly an English gun gave fire, and 
most of those in front Avere ac¬ 
tually in possession of the enemy, 
the gunners having sought shelter 
within the squares. Yet the guns 
were safe, for the artillerymen 
had left neither, harness nor 
limber, and thus the cavalry Avere 
deprived of the means of carry¬ 
ing them off. Meamvhile, the 
right of the English line had been 
sharply assailed, but Adams’ bri¬ 
gade, consisting of 52nd, 71st, and 
2nd battalion of 95th regiments, 











174 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 18. 


under the immediate direction 
of Wellington, drove the enemy 
back over the hill. Napoleon, 
finding that all his attempts upon 
Hougoumont had failed, in order 
to make a lodgment in front of 
the main position, pushed forward 
Donzelat’s division against La 
Haye Sainte, which, after a sharp 
opposition by Major Baring, was 
carried. It was now about half¬ 
past four o’clock, when the British 
regiments, although reduced to 
skeletons, still held their ground; 
and the Duke rode along the line, 
encouraging his diminished batta¬ 
lions that the welcome sound of 
Blucher’s approach was heard, as 
the 15th and 16th Prussian bri¬ 
gades debouched from the wood 
of Paris, moving upon the right 
flank of the French army. Lobau, 
with the 6th corps, had been de¬ 
tached to resist this movement; 
but the Prussians continued to 
receive reinforcements, and at six 
o’clock they had brought thirty 
battalions, twenty-seven squa¬ 
drons, and sixty-four guns into 
action. It was in vain that Lobau, 
with half that force, could main¬ 
tain his ground; and abandoning 
Planchenoit, he drew off towards 
the Charleroi road. It was at 
this critical moment, when Na¬ 
poleon, observing the masses of 
Prussians pouring into the field, 
determined to attack the right 
centre of the English position with 
a column of the imperial guard; 
whilst a second, in support, moved 
nearer towards Hougoumont. The 
cavalry were at the same time to 
advance en masse; and this move¬ 
ment was to be made under cover 
of the whole of their powerful 
artillery. The interval between 
these masses was to be filled up 
with cavalry, and Donzclat’s di¬ 
vision, now gathered around La 
Haye Sainte, was to dash forward. 
These preparations were met by 


Wellington filling up the gaps 
already made in his line; and 
these arrangements were yet in 
progress, when forth from the en¬ 
closures of La Haye Sainte Don¬ 
zelat’s corps came pouring. They 
advanced in dense skirmishing- 
order, and brought several pieces 
of artillery to bear within a hun¬ 
dred yards of the Allied line, — 
doing such dreadful execution on 
the German Legion, that Kreuse’s 
Brunswickers wavered until sus¬ 
tained by Du Plat’s Brunswickers 
and the Nassau regiments, gal¬ 
lantly led by the Prince of Orange, 
on which occasion he was severely 
wounded. The Duke’s presence 
restored order, and the battle was 
renewed. The imperial guard, led 
by Ney, Friant, and Michel, after 
filing past the Emperor, now 
passed down the descent from La 
Belle Alliance. There was a 
cessation in the firing of the 
French artillery, and, simultane¬ 
ous with tliis advance, the corps 
of D’Erlon, en echelon of cohimns, 
moved partly upon Lambert’s 
brigade, while their right was en¬ 
gaged with the Prussians ; and 
Rcille, with some of his batta¬ 
lions penetrating the wood of 
Hougoumont, advanced boldly 
with another portion upon the 
centre of the English line. It was 
now seven o’clock — the third 
corps of Prussians had arrived; 
and their whole force, close at 
hand, was little less than 50,000 
men, with 100 pieces of cannon. 
The French batteries, which had 
remained silent until the rear of 
the advancing column had cleared 
their muzzles, opened with ra¬ 
pidity and precision, doing fearful 
execution upon the regiments that 
came within their range. As the 
leading column of the guard ap¬ 
proached, the English batteries 
played upon them: yet they never 
paused a moment, but continued 






June IS. CALENDAR 


boldly to advance, despite the 
havoc occasioned by their mur¬ 
derous fire. Michel nobly fell, 
Friant was severely wounded, 
and Ney, who rode at the head 
of these veterans, had his horse 
shot under him; but, nothing dis¬ 
mayed, he led them on foot, and, 
driving in the light troops, they 
reached the summit. It was then 
that Wellington directed the bri¬ 
gade of guards, under Major-Gen. 
Maitland, to attack this imposing 
force. Pouring in a destructive 
volley, they moved upon the ene¬ 
my with the bayonet, and spite 
of every effort of the officers to 
rally, this elite of the French army 
ran down the slope, closely pursued 
by the British guards. Meanwhile 
there was close fighting every¬ 
where else, and Donzelat’s troops 
where borne back by Halkett, on 
whom the command of Alten’s 
division had devolved. The 
second column of the imperial 
guard, although much cut up by 
the fire of our artillery, still 
pushed forward somewhat to¬ 
wards the flank of Maitland’s 
troops; and that officer, observing 
the direction of this fresh attack, 
withdrew his men to the ridge 
whence they had descended. 
Adams’ brigade now' bearing on 
the enemy’s flank, poured a deadly 
fire into the mass; and Maitland 
once more descending the slope, 
the two brigades, enveloping the 
column, swept it from the field. 
D’Erlon’s corps was also repulsed, 
that of Reille dispersed, and it 
only wanted the general ad¬ 
vance of the British line to com¬ 
plete the victory; but it should 
be borne in mind that, on the ex¬ 
treme right, Lobau’s corps, though 
overmatched, was unbroken, and 
faced Bulow stoutly. Napoleon, 
seeing his guards falling back in 
confusion, his broken squadrons 
fleeing, his guns abandoned, and 


OF VICTORY. 175 


having no reserve to fall back 
upon, shortly after eight o’clock 
galloped from the field. A cheer 
w r as now heard on the right, which 
flew swiftly along the entire posi¬ 
tion of the Allies, and the whole 
line rushed forward. Darkness 
soon set in, and such confusion 
prevailed that the advanced ca¬ 
valry got so completely inter¬ 
mingled among crow'ds of fugi¬ 
tives that they could with diffi¬ 
culty extricate themselves ; and 
more than one awkward rencontre 
took place. Guns, tumbrils, the 
whole materiel in short, of the 
routed army, remained in posses¬ 
sion of the British. Then as the 
Prussians came furiously advanc¬ 
ing upon the routed enemy, the 
Duke, feeling that the day was 
won, caused the order for a ge¬ 
neral halt to be passed; and the 
weary but victorious English lay 
down upon the position they had 
so gloriously gained. Almost 
every individual of Wellington’s 
personal staff was either killed or 
wounded. Colonel De Lancey, 
quartcr-master-general, was mor¬ 
tally wounded, as were two of his 
grace’s aides-de-camp — Col. the 
Hon. Alexander Gordon and 
Lieut.-Col. Canning; Major-Gen. 
Barnes, adjt.-general, and Lieut.- 
Col. Fitzroy Somerset, military 
secretary, were wounded; and 
Lord Uxbridge, who was struck 
by one of the last shots fired, lost 
his right leg. The Duke, after 
following the flying army far be¬ 
yond the Belle Alliance, was on 
his way back, when he met 
Blucher. Many congratulations 
passed between the two generals; 
and the latter readily undertook 
to follow up the pursuit. Thus 
was fought, and thus ended, one 
of the greatest battles in modern 
times, and, if its results be taken 
into account, perhaps the most 
important recorded in history. 







176 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 19. 


Loss of the Allies in the Battle of Waterloo. 


Nation. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Missing. 

Total. 


Off. 

Men. 

Off. 

Men. 

Off. 

Men. j 


British - - - 

83 

1,334 

363 

4,560 

10 

582 

6,932 

German Legion - - - 

27 

335 

77 

932 

1 

217 

1,589 

Hanoverians (on the 16th, 








17th, and 18th) - 

20 

308 

77 

1,244 

6 

352 

2,007 

Brunswickers - 

7 

147 

26 

450 

— 

50 

660 

Nassauers - - - 

5 

249 

19 

370 

_ 

— 

643 

Dotch-Belgians - 

20 

446 

118 

1,936 

15 

1,612 

4,147 

Prussians - 

22 

1,203 

162 

4,225 

39 

1,347 

6,998 

Total - 

181 

4,022 

OO 

13,697 

71 

4,160 

22,976 


June 19. 

1781. Siege of Ninety-six 
raised.— The important fortress 
of Ninety-six, in the back country 
of South Carolina, at this time 
held by about 350 regular troops 
and some militia, under the com¬ 
mand of Lieut.-Col. Cruger, was 
invested by the American army 
under Gen. Green. Lord Rawdon, 
being reinforced by the arrival 
of three regiments from Ireland, 
proceeded to the relief of this 
fortress with 2000 men. The 
American general, learning that 
this relief was approaching, de¬ 
termined to attempt storming the 
place; and on the morning of the 
19th they moved to the assault. 
Their principal attack was di¬ 
rected on the two flanks of the 
town, defended on the right by 
a stockaded fort with block¬ 
houses attached, and on the left 
by the star fort, which was the 
principal work. Under cover of 
a furious cannonade, the storming 
parties advanced, one of which, 
suffering some loss, got temporary 
possession of the stockade and 
blockhouses; but the party on 
the left having entered the ditch 
of the star fort, and failing in 
their endeavour to pull down 
the sand-bags which formed the 
breastwork of the parapet, they 
met with most effectual resist¬ 


ance, and the determined gal¬ 
lantry of the British repulsed 
them at every point. On the fol¬ 
lowing day the siege was raised, 
the enemv retiring to Saluda, a 
strong post about sixteen miles 
from Ninety-six. The enemy 
acknowledge a loss of 75 killed 
and 150 wounded. 

1796. After the capitulation 
of the French regular forces and 
the inhabitants of the island of 
Grenada, on the 10th of June, 
Major-Gen. Nicholls had still to 
take possession of certain posts 
occupied by insurgent Caribbees 
and mulattoes who still held out. 
Brigadier-Gen. Campbell, with 
the French loyalists, forced the 
several posts of the enemy with 
great success during the day and 
night of the 18th of June. Lieut.- 
Col. Gledstanes, in command of 
the 7 th regiment, at the head 
of the Grand Roi valley, parti¬ 
cularly distinguished himself, 
whilst the grenadiers of the 38th 
regiment attacked and carried 
a post in the valley of Beause- 
jour ; and nearly at the same 
hour in the morning of the 19th 
the British were in possession of 
every established post in the 
island. 

1813. Skirmish at Bayas.— 
On the morning of the 19th June 
the retreating corps of the French 
army under D’Erlon and Gazan 































June 20. CALENDAR 


passed the defile of Puebla just 
as Wellington was forcing back 
Reille upon the Zadora. The 
Allies reached Bayas about noon, 
and found the French strongly 
posted,—the front covered by the 
river, the right by the village of 
Subijana de Morillas, which was 
occupied as a bridge-head, while 
the left was secured by rugged 
heights opposite Pobes. This 
position was turned by the light 
division, while the 4th attacked 
it in front, and after a contest 
in which the French lost 80 
men, Reille was forced over the 
Zadora; but the army of the 
centre had then passed the defile 
of Puebla, and was in position 
behind that river. The firing 
now ceased, and the Allies en¬ 
camped on the Bayas, whilst the 
French formed three lines behind 
the Zadora. 

June 20. 

1347. Sir Thomas Dagworth, 
with 300 English men-at-arms 
and 400 archers, arriving to the 
assistance of the Countess de 
Montfort, besieged in the castle 
of La Roche Darien, in Brittany, 
by Charles de Blois, calling him¬ 
self duke of that province, the 
whole force was worsted, and 
Charles taken prisoner before 
dawn on the 20th June. 

1779. Americans defeated. 
—A British force of five hundred 
men under Lieut.-Col. Maitland, 
stationed at St. John’s island and 
Stoney Point, North America, 
were about to be withdrawn from 
these posts, when they were at¬ 
tacked by the American army of 
5000 men and eight pieces of 
cannon, under Gen. Lincoln. On 
the outposts being driven in, two 
companies of the 71st regiment, 
under Capt. Campbell, were sent 
to reconnoitre the enemy. This 


OF VICTORY. 177 


detachment, with imprudent gal¬ 
lantry, at once dashed at the 
left wing of the provincials ; but, 
being overpowered by numbers, 
was nearly destroyed. At the 
moment when the main body of 
the Americans was approaching, 
a regiment of Hessians fell back 
without offering opposition, and 
the enemy had arrived close to 
the abatis of the works, when the 
remainder of the 71st regiment, 
by a rapid movement from the 
right, enabled the Hessians to 
rally. The Americans were now 
hotly engaged, and before a re¬ 
inforcement sent by Gen. Prevost 
could arrive, were compelled to 
retire, carrying off their killed and 
wounded, which amounted to 
about 300 men. On the part of 
the British, 3 officers and 21 men 
were killed, 10 officers and 93 
men wounded. 

1812. Djojocarta stormed. 
—The Sultan of Djojocarta, 
in Java, refusing to entertain 
friendly relations with England, 
Colonel Gillespie, with a force of 
about 1000 men, was detached 
against the refractory chief. On 
the 18th a fire was opened upon 
the fortress, which, though 
strongly fortified, having bastions, 
curtains, and a wet ditch, was 
carried by assault on the 20th, 
and the sultan taken prisoner. 

June 21. 

1690. Surrender of St. 
Christopher’s. — On the 21st of 
June a force of 550 men effected 
a landing on the island of St. 
Christopher’s without opposition, 
and, having gained the summit 
of a hill, became exposed to a 
fire of musketry ; but, being 
speedily reinforced by the marine 
and the Duke of Bolton’s regi¬ 
ments, the enemy were driven 
from their position. On the same 


N 






178 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 21. 


day the town of Basse Terre sur¬ 
rendered to the squadron. 

1704. Battle of Donawert. 
—In this battle, fought by the 
confederate army under the Duke 
of Marlborough against the 
French and Bavarians under 
Count dArco, the valour of the 
English foot-guards was most 
conspicuous. The loss on both 
sides was very great; but the 
enemy were completely routed, 
and pursued even to the Danube, 
where many escaped by swim¬ 
ming across the river. Sixteen 
pieces of cannon and thirteen 
stands of colours were taken. 

1803. An expedition under 
Commodore Hood, conveying 
troops under Licut.-Gen. Green¬ 
field, having arrived at the island 
of St. Lucie, effected a landing 
on 21st June, and took posses¬ 
sion of the town of Castries. 

1813. Battle of Vittoria.— 
On the 19th June the French 
army, amounting to about 70,000 
men, commanded by Joseph Bo¬ 
naparte in person, having Marshal 
Jour dan as his major-general, 
had taken up a strong position 
in front of Vittoria, occupying 
a space eight miles in extent, 
their left resting upon the heights 
which terminate La Puebla de 
Arganzon, and extending thence 
across the valley of the Zadora. 
By this disposition the French 
covered the three great roads 
from Madrid, Bilbao, and Lo- 
grono. By the 20th the whole 
of the allied army under Wel¬ 
lington — not less than 80,000 
men—was concentrated near Vit¬ 
toria, and on the morning of the 
21st the division of Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir R. Hill obtained possession 
of the heights of La Puebla, on 
which the enemy’s left rested, 
and retained the position in spite 
of repeated and desperate efforts 
to recover them. Under cover 


of those heights Hill’s division 
passed the Zadora, and gained 
the village of Subijana de Alava, 
which stood on an eminence. 
Here, too, the enemy made an 
attempt to recover the ground 
they had lost; but, being re¬ 
pulsed, Jourdan directed the left 
to fall back for the defence of 
Vittoria. Meanwhile the fourth 
and light divisions, under Gen. 
Cole, crossed the Zadora, and 
the column under the Earl of Dal- 
housie arrived at Medina. The 
third division, under Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Thomas Picton, crossed at a 
bridge higher up, being followed 
by the seventh, led by Dalhousie 
in person. As Jourdan con¬ 
tinued to fall back upon Vittoria, 
the Allies continued to advance 
in admirable order. In the mean¬ 
time Lieut.-Genei*al Sir Thomas 
Graham attacked the French 
right, dislodged it from the heights 
beyond the Zadora, and then, 
ascending the right bank of that 
river, carried the village of Ga- 
marra Mayor, while the Spaniards 
under Longa carried Gamarra 
Menor, on the opposite bank. 
Both the villages of Gamarra 
Mayor and Abechuco were strong¬ 
ly occupied as tetes de pont, but, 
though obstinately defended, were 
gallantly carried. Forced from 
all their positions, and their main 
body driven through the town of 
Vittoria, the French were pursued 
by the allied forces until it was 
dark. The troops under Sir 
Thomas Graham intercepting the 
enemy’s retreat upon Bayonne, 
they were obliged to take the 
road leading to Pamplona ; and, 
not being able to hold any posi¬ 
tion beyond Vittoria sufficient 
time to allow their artillery and 
baggage to be drawn off, the 
whole of the materiel , as well as 
treasure and equipages, fell into 
the hands of the victors. The 







June 22. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 179 


French acknowledge a loss of 
8000 men in killed and wounded. 
On the part of the Allies the Por¬ 
tuguese lost 1049, Spaniards 553, 
British 3574, making a total of 
5176 killed and wounded. 

June 2Z. 

1803. Morne Fortunee car¬ 
ried. — After the success of the 
previous day, the British on the 
22nd of June attacked the for¬ 
tress of Morne Fortunee, which 
was stormed before daylight by 
the 2nd battalion of the 1st or 
royal regiment, which led the as¬ 
sault, and the 69th regiment. The 
principal redoubt being speedily 
carried, the enemy surrendered. 
The reduction of the island of 
St. Lucie was the result of this 
successful enterprise, which cir¬ 
cumstance was announced in ge¬ 
neral orders the same day by 
Lieut.-General Grinfield. The 
British suffered a loss of 20 
killed, and 110 wounded; among 
the latter, Lieut.-Col. Macdonald 
and Capt. Chaloner of the royals. 

1812. During the siege of 
Salamanca, the French army un¬ 
der Marmont and the Allies un¬ 
der Wellington were frequently 
engaged without either obtaining 
any decisive result. On the night 
of the 20th of June, the English 
general slept amongst the troops 
in their position near the village of 
Christoval, and at the first streak 
of light the armies were again 
under arms. Towards evening 
the 68th regiment was detached 
to drive the French from the vil¬ 
lage of Monesco. The attack sue- 
ceeded, but the troops being re¬ 
called just as daylight failed, a 
body of the enemy, coming un¬ 
perceived through the standing 
corn, broke into the village as 
the British were collecting their 
posts from the different avenues, 


and did considerable execution. 
Lieut. Mackay of the 68tli, re¬ 
fusing to surrender, received more 
wounds than the human frame 
was thought capable of sustain¬ 
ing. On the 22nd, three divisions 
and a brigade of cavalry joined 
Marmont, who, having now nearly 
40,000 men in hand, extended his 
left, and seized a part of the height 
in advance of the Allies’ left wing, 
w hence he could discern the vdiole 
of the order of battle, and attack 
their right on even terms. How¬ 
ever, General Graham, advancing 
with the 7th division, under Ma¬ 
jor-General Hope, dislodged this 
French detachment with a sharp 
skirmish, before it could be for¬ 
midably reinforced, and that night 
Marmont withdrew from his dan¬ 
gerous position to some heights 
about six miles in his rear. 

1813. On the 22nd of June 
the Allies followed the retreating 
enemy from Vittoria, whilst Giron 
and Longa entered Guipuscoa by 
the royal road, in pursuit of the 
convoy, which had moved under 
Maucune on the morning of the 
battle; the heavy cavalry and 
D’Urban’s Portuguese remained 
at Vittoria, and Gen. Pakenham, 
with the sixth division, came up 
from Medina Pomar. The re¬ 
mainder of the army pursued 
Joseph towards Pampeluna, for 
he continued his retreat up the 
Borundia and Araquil valleys all 
the night. The weather was rainy, 
the roads heavy, and the French 
rear-guard having neither time 
nor materials to destroy the 
bridges, set fire to the villages 
behind them to delay the pursuit. 
At five o’clock* in the morning of 
the 22nd, Reille had rallied his 
two divisions and all his cavalry 
in front of Salvatierra, where he 
halted until he was assured that 
all the French had passed, and 
then continued his march to 






180 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 23. 


Huerta, in the valley of Araquil, 
thirty miles from the field of 
battle. Joseph was that day at 
Yrarsun, a town situated behind 
one of the sources of the Arga, 
from which roads branched ofif 
to Pampeluna on one side, and to 
Tolosa and St. Estevan on the 
other. After sending orders to 
different points of the French 
frontier to prepare provisions and 
succours for his suffering army, 
he directed Reille to proceed ra¬ 
pidly by St. Estevan to the Bidas- 
soa, with the infantry, six hundred 
select cavalry, and the artillery¬ 
men and horses of the army of 
Portugal; meanwhile Gazan’s and 
D’Erlon’s corps marched upon 
Pampeluna, intending to cross 
the frontier at St. Jean Pied de 
Port. 

June 23. 

1420. Henry V. of England, 
having married the daughter of 
Charles VI. of France, took com¬ 
mon part with the afflicted mo¬ 
narch against the Dauphin, and 
carried by assault the town of 
Montereau, where the Duke of 
Burgundy was basely murdered 
in the presence of, and by the 
followers of the Dauphin, the 
previous year. The English and 
French troops, faithful to King 
Charles, acted together in this 
short siege. 

1757. Battle of Plassey.— 
As the sun rose on 22nd June, 
the army of Col. Clive passed the 
river Cossimbuzar, and before four 
in the afternoon was established 
on the opposite bank; and having, 
by dint of extraordinary exertions, 
dragged the boats fifteen miles, 
reached the grove of Plassey at 
one p. m. on the 23rd, which was 
within a mile of the Nabob of 
Bengal’s intrenched camp, pro¬ 
tected by a redoubt. As the day 


dawned, the enemy’s columns be¬ 
gan to emerge from the plain, 
consisting of 50,000 infantry, 
armed with matchlocks, spears, 
rockets, and bows ; 18,000 ca¬ 
valry, well mounted and ac¬ 
coutred, and fifty pieces of can¬ 
non, for the most part 24- and 
32-pounders, which being mount¬ 
ed on large wooden stages, sup¬ 
porting gunners and ammuni¬ 
tion, were each dragged by an 
elephant and 40 or 50 horses. 
To oppose this formidable array, 
Clive had no more than three 
thousand men of all arms, con¬ 
sisting of detachments of II. M.’s 
39th regiment, Madras, Bengal, 
Bombay, and Aldercorn’s regi¬ 
ments, including 900 English, 100 
artillery, and fifty seamen, with 
eight 6-pounders and two how¬ 
itzers ; the whole formed in one 
line, with the Europeans in the 
centre, just beyond the skirt of a 
wood. About 8 a. m. the enemy 
opened a fire from all his guns, 
which was promptly returned ; 
and being kept up for some time, 
produced considerable havoc in 
the Nabob’s ranks. Clive con¬ 
tinued on the defensive until 
about 2 p. m., when the Nabob, 
intimidated by the fall of a fa¬ 
vourite chief, ordered a retreat ; 
but while the army fell back, the 
artillery, under Sinfray, kept up 
a galling fire, until Clive, putting 
himself at the head of a detach¬ 
ment, gained possession of Sin- 
fray’s embankment without the 
loss of a man ; and the capture of 
the redoubt followed. The guns 
were now moved forward,-and a 
destructive fire opened upon the 
camp, where a scene of the ut¬ 
most confusion prevailed as the 
English entered it. Guns aban¬ 
doned, horses and bullocks spread 
over the plain, whilst the discom¬ 
fited host fled in dismay, with¬ 
out an attempt at resistance. 












Tune 24. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 181 


After a brief halt, the British 
pursued their march as far as 
Daudpoor. Their loss was no 
more than sixteen sepoys and 
eight Europeans killed ; and the 
total number of wounded amount¬ 
ed to forty-eight. 

1709. Fort Warneton aban¬ 
doned. — Prince Eugene and the 
Duke of Marlborough, command¬ 
ing the confederate army, having 
issued orders to form a camp at 
Oudenarde, their whole force, 
amounting to 110,000 men, as¬ 
sembled between Courtray and 
Menin on 21st June, and on the 
following day they encamped 
between Lincelles and Roubaix. 
On the 23rd the two generals 
divided their forces in two great 
bodies. The right, consisting of 
the Imperialists and Germans, 
under Eugene, crossed the Lower 
Dyle below Lille ; while the left, 
comprising the British, Dutch, 
and auxiliaries, traversed the 
Marque; and the respective camps 
were formed on both sides of the 
Upper Dyle. Meanwhile Mar¬ 
shal Villars, on being informed 
of the advance of the Allies, took 
up a position between Douay and 
the Lys, having along the whole 
line fortified villages, redoubts, 
and inundations. The French 
attempted to seize upon the posts 
of fort Rouze ; but the garrison 
being l'einforced by Marlborough, 
the enemy made a precipitate re¬ 
treat, and also abandoned the 
neighbouring fort of Warneton. 

Tune 24. 

1762. Battle of Graven- 
stein.— The English, under the 
Marquis of Granby, much distin¬ 
guished themselves in this victory, 
won over the French by the allied 
forces of England, Prussia, and 
the lesser German states, the 
whole under the command of 


Prince Ferdinand of Prussia. 
Early in the morning, the army 
crossed the Dymel between Sie- 
benan and Sielen, to attack the 
corps of Marshal de Castries, 
posted on the right of the grand 
army of France, under Marshals 
D’Estreesand Soubise, encamped 
at Graven stein. De Castries 
being taken by surprise, and his 
flank turned, formed to repel 
the attack ; but the Prussian and 
English cavalry having broken 
through the infantry, and cap¬ 
tured two guns, the French re¬ 
tired in great disorder, closely 
followed by Prince Ferdinand, 
who now attacked the main body 
in front, while Granby, with a 
strong British division, was ap¬ 
proaching by Ersen and Fursten- 
walde. Abandoning their camp 
and much of their materiel of 
war, the French now retired to 
the heights of Wilhelmstal ; but 
Granby was in a position to in¬ 
tercept them. At this moment 
some of the finest corps of French 
infantry, including the royal gre¬ 
nadiers and the regiment of 
Aquitaine occupied the wood 
Meijenbrachsen, to cover the re¬ 
treat of their army. Here Granby 
attacked them, and of the whole 
force but two battalions escaped; 
the rest, after a gallant resistance, 
being either dispersed or made 
prisoners. The loss of the French 
was estimated at 5000 men ; 
whilst that of the confederates 
was comparatively small. 

1813. Lieut.-Gen. Graham be¬ 
ing ordered by Wellington to 
march by the Puerto San Adrian 
on Villa Franca, late on the 24th 
June moved from Segura with 
Major-General Anson’s brigade; 
whilst the brigade of Major-Gen. 
Bradford advanced by the Orio ri¬ 
ver, the remainder ofthe division 
by the Chaussee. In this movement 
the Allies fell in with the rear of 







182 CALENDAR 


the French corp sunder Gen. Foy, 
just as its columns were about to 
enter Villa Franca from Villa 
Real. The enemy having imme¬ 
diately taken up a position, Ma¬ 
jor-Gen. Bradford attacked the 
Italians forming the right, and 
killed or wounded 80 men ; 
whilst the Portuguese and Ger¬ 
mans dislodged the troops from 
the village of Veusaya, on the 
right bank of the Orio river. 
Gen. Graham finding the enemy 
strongly posted, had recourse to 
flank operations, whereupon Foy 
retired to Tolosa. Giron and 
Longa now came up by the great 
road, and Mendizabel having 
quitted the blockade of Santona, 
arrived at Aspeytiaon the Deba. 

1812. At break of day on 24th 
June, as the fog cleared away, the 
German cavalry were seen in 
close and beautiful order, retiring 
before twelve thousand French in¬ 
fantry, which crossed the Tormes 
near Salamanca. At intervals, 
twenty guns ranged in front 
would send their bullets whist¬ 
ling round the Germans, while 
scattered parties of light cavalry 
capped all the hills in succession. 
Wellington immediately sent 
Graham across the river by the 
fords of Sta. Martha, with the first 
and seventh divisions, and Le 
Marchant’s brigade of English ca¬ 
valry ; then, concentrating the 
rest of the army between Cabre- 
rizos and Monesco, he awaited 
the progress of Marmont’s ope¬ 
ration. As soon as the enemy 
got sight of Graham with his 
twelve thousand men, aware that 
the heavy columns of Wellington 
were not far off, the French 
general became sensible of his 
error, and, repassing the Tormes, 
resumed his former ground. 

1815. On the advance of the 
Allied forces after the battle of 
Waterloo, Wellington despatched 


OF VICTORY. June 25 . 


Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles Colville, 
with the 4th division of the Bri¬ 
tish army, together with the bri¬ 
gade of Sir Colquhoun Grant, 
against Cambray. The town was 
carried by escalade on the even¬ 
ing of the 24th, the two attacks 
on different points proving suc¬ 
cessful. The English loss was 
no more than 8 killed and 29 
wounded. 

June 25. 

1706. Reduction of Ostend. 

— Ostend having been invested 
by the confederate army under 
the Duke of Marlborough, and 
bombarded for four days by the 
squadron commanded by Vice- 
Adm. Sir Stafford Fairborne, its 
defences ruined, both to seaward 
and inland, and the counter¬ 
scarp of the principal work car¬ 
ried by storm, beat parley and sur¬ 
rendered on the 25th June. The 
loss of the confederates during 
this short siege amounted to 500 
men in killed and wounded. 

1783. During the siege of Cud- 
dalore by Gen. Stuart, a deter¬ 
mined sortie was made by the 
French upon the British trenches 
in three columns of attack. The 
most conspicuous of the troops 
who gallantly repulsed the enemy 
were the sepoys of the 24th Ben¬ 
gal N. I., commanded by Capt. 
Williamson, who crossed bayonets 
with the regiment of Aquitaine, 
and drove the enemy back on all 
sides. The English lost 4 of¬ 
ficers, and 70 rank and file killed 
and wounded; the enemy 450, 
besides 150 made prisoners, — 
among whom was the Chevalier 
de Dumas, who commanded in 
this sortie, and Bernadotte, then a 
sergeant, who rose to be a Mar¬ 
shal of France and King of 
Sweden. 

1813. Attack on Hampton. 

— The Americans being assem- 








June 26. CALENDAR 


bled in force at Hampton, it was 
resolved to attack them. The 
force consisted of two companies 
of the 102nd regiment under 
Lieut.-Col. Napier, two com¬ 
panies of Canadian chasseurs, two 
battalions of marines, underLieut.- 
Col. Williams and Major Mal¬ 
colm, with a proportionate force 
of artillery; the whole command¬ 
ed by Sir Sidney Beckwith, quar¬ 
ter-master-general. The marines 
dashed into the town, driving the 
enemy from their camp, and cap¬ 
tured a field-piece and two stands 
of colours, which the Americans 
abandoned in their hasty retreat. 
The American loss was very con¬ 
siderable ; that of the British, 5 
killed, 33 wounded, and ten 
missing. 

1813. Action near Tolosa. 
— The French still retiring after 
their defeat at Villoria on 21st 
June, were closely pursued by the 
Allies under Wellington. Gen. 
Foy, who had moved to Villa 
Real de Guipuscoa on the 23rd, 
retired to Tolosa on the 24th, 
and on the following day offered 
battle in front of that place ; but 
Graham turned his left with 
Longa’s division, and his right 
was turned by Mendizabel from 
Aspeytia; and while these were 
in march, Col. Williams, with the 
grenadiers of the first regiment 
and three companies of Pack’s 
Portuguese, dislodged him from 
an advantageous hill in front. 
The fight was then purposely pro¬ 
longed by skirmishing until six 
o’clock in the evening, when the 
Spaniards having reached their 
destination on the flanks, a gene¬ 
ral attack was made on all sides. 
The French, being cannonaded on 
the causeway and strongly as¬ 
sailed by the infantry in front, 
while Longa, with equal vigour, 
drove their left from the heights, 
were soon forced beyond Tolosa 


OF VICTORY. 183 


on the flanks; but that town being 
strongly intrenched, they main¬ 
tained it until Graham, having 
brought up his guns, burst one of 
the gates, and opened a passage for 
his troops. Nevertheless Foy, pro¬ 
fiting by the darkness, made good 
his retreat, with a loss of only 400 
men killed and wounded, and 
some prisoners. The loss on the 
part of the Allies during the two 
days’ operations ivas about the 
same number, and Gen. Graham 
was among the wounded. 

1815. The citadel of Cambray 
surrendered to the English force 
commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Sir 
Charles Colville, forming part of 
the army under Wellington ; who 
on the following day placed the 
King of France, his court, and 
troops in possession. 

June 26. 

1658. Dunkirk taken.— 
After the battle before Dunkirk 
on the 14th June, the town con¬ 
tinued to be defended until all 
the outworks were carried, and 
the governor mortally wounded. 
It then surrendered to the French 
and English allied forces. The 
French held possession of the 
town some days after the arrival 
of their monarch, when, accord¬ 
ing to treaty, it was placed in 
the hands of Cromwell’s troops, 
commanded by Lord Lockhart, 
the protector’s nephew by mar¬ 
riage with his niece, and remain¬ 
ing a dependancy of the British 
nation until it was sold by 
Charles II. to the King of France 
for 218,750/. 

1777. The Americans having 
encamped on the mountain above 
Quibble Town, near Staten island, 
the British army, under Lord 
Cornwallis, moved from Bruns¬ 
wick on the 14th in two columns, 
one directing its march to Hills- 










184 CALENDAR 


borough; the second, under 
Lieut.-Gen. Heister, to Middle 
Bush. Finding, however, that 
the enemy had not the intention 
of removing towards the Dela¬ 
ware, the army returned to the 
camp at Brunswick on the 19th, 
and marched thence to Amhoy 
on the 22nd, on their way to 
cross to Staten island. Upon 
quitting the camp, the enemy en¬ 
deavoured to harass the march of 
the British, but they were dis¬ 
persed with the loss of 40 killed 
and wounded. The necessary 
preparations had been made for 
crossing to the island, when in¬ 
telligence was brought that the 
Americans had quitted the moun¬ 
tain and taken post at Quibble 
Town, with the intention of at¬ 
tacking the rear of the army, 
and that a corps of 3000 men, and 
eight pieces of cannon, and an¬ 
other of 700 men and one gun, 
under command of Lord Stirling, 
had also advanced on their left. 
Under these circumstances it was 
deemed advisable to induce the 
enemy to commence the attack. 
On the morning of the 26th the 
army moved in two columns ; the 
right, under Lord Cornwallis, 
took the route by Woodbridge 
towards Scott’s Plains, whilst Lord 
Howe, with the left column, 
marched to join the rear of 
the right on the road from the 
Meeting-House, and both ad¬ 
vanced to the same point. The 
right column having fallen in 
with the corps of 700 men, drove 
them to the mountain, where the 
main army retreated from Quib¬ 
ble Town, on hearing the firing. 
Lord Cornwallis had previously 
fallen in with the corps under 
Lord Stirling, which he found 
advantageously posted, protected 
by a wood ; but the Brit ish pressed 
forward with such precipitation 
that the enemy were totally rout¬ 


OF VICTORY. June 27. 


ed, leaving three brass guns, and 
sustaining a loss of three captains 
and 60 men killed, and upwards 
of 200 wounded. On the 30th 
the army crossed to Staten island 
without the least appearance of 
an enemy. 

1781. Lord Cornwallis having 
passed James river, in the pro¬ 
vince of Virginia, North America, 
with the British army, sent two 
detachments, under Lieut.-Cols. 
Tarleton and Simcoe, to overrun 
the country, in which operation 
these officers were very success¬ 
ful. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe, return¬ 
ing from Chickahominy, where 
he had destroyed some boats and 
stores, was attacked on 26th June 
by a force superior to the de¬ 
tachment under his command ; 
but the enemy was repulsed with 
severe loss, and three officers and 
twenty-eight privates made pri¬ 
soners. 

June 27. 

1760 Col. Archibald Mont¬ 
gomery, commanding a detach¬ 
ment of the royal regiment of 
foot, the highland regiment, and 
a party of the Soutli Carolina 
provincials, being on the march 
between fort Prince George and 
the native towns of Etchoey, in 
the heart of the Cherokee In¬ 
dians’ settlement, was attacked 
by a strong horde of those sa¬ 
vages, who were repulsed and 
routed with great slaughter, and 
the town of Etchoey totally de¬ 
stroyed. The loss on the part of 
the English amounted to 20 killed 
and 77 wounded. 

1794. At the attack of Gua¬ 
deloupe, the enemy having gained 
possession of a chain of high and 
Avoody grounds, with difficult 
passes between the British and 
Morne Mascot, part of the grena¬ 
diers and light infantry, Avith 







June 23. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


185 


Capt. Robertson’s battalion of 
seamen, were pushed forward, 
and on the 27 th of June the 
enemy were attacked on all sides 
by this detachment under Briga¬ 
dier-Gen. Symes, and completely 
routed. Being driven into fort 
Morne Mascot, they again made 
an effort of resistance; but when 
attacked with the bayonet, they 
fled into fort Fleur d’Epee. Re¬ 
ceiving a reinforcement from the 
garrison of Pointe-a-Petre and a 
number of armed negroes, they 
advanced on the same afternoon 
in great numbers, covered by 
the guns of fort Fleur d’Epee, 
until they reached the top of the 
hill, where they were met by the 
grenadiers under Lieut.-Colonel 
Fisher, who, after an obstinate 
engagement, forced them down 
the hill with great slaughter. The 
British loss was inconsiderable, 
and Lieut.-Col. Fisher, who was 
struck with a grape-shot, remained 
in possession of the post on Morne 
Mascot. 

1801. Grand Cairo, the mo¬ 
dern capital of Egypt, which was 
taken by the French under Na¬ 
poleon Bonaparte, 23rd of July, 
1798, was retaken by the British 
and Turks on 27th June, 1801, 
when six thousand French capi¬ 
tulated. 

1812. Surrender of Fort 

St. Vincente _The formidable 

works constructed by the French 
in their defence of Salamanca, 
with so much labour and expense, 
admirably supported each other, 
and for some time foiled the at¬ 
tempts of Wellington to reduce 
them. By the time the trenches 
were opened upon the convent of 
fort San Vincente, which was 
strongly fortified, ammunition 
had failed the besiegers; but on 
the 26th a supply arrived, and a 
breach was soon effected in San 
Cajetana. On the morning of the i 


27th, the convent of San Vincente 
being on fire, and the breach of 
Cajetana improved, a fresh storm¬ 
ing party had assembled, when 
the white flag waved from the 
fort. A negotiation ensued, but 
Lord Wellington judging it to be 
an artifice to get the fire under 
at San Vincente, gave orders for 
the assault. The attack was com¬ 
manded by Lieut.-Colonel Davis, 
36th regiment, under direction of 
Major-General Clinton. Ensign 
Newton, who had distinguished 
himself on the 23rd inst., led the 
advance party; the troops forcing 
their way into the fort of San 
Cajetana by the gorge, whilst the 
fort of La Merced was carried 
by escalade, — and the whole of 
the operation was conducted with 
precision and gallantry. After 
these two works were gained, and 
the 9th regiment of cayadores had 
actually stormed one of the out¬ 
works of San Vincente, the go¬ 
vernor of that post sent a flag of 
truce, offering instant surrender 
on being allowed the honours of 
war. This proposal being readily 
acceded to, seven hundred pri¬ 
soners, thirty pieces of artillery, 
pi'ovisions, and stores, and a se¬ 
cure passage over the Tormes, 
were the immediate fruits of this 
capture, which was not the less 
prized that the breaches were 
found to be more formidable than 
those of Ciudad Rodrigo. The 
Allies had ninety killed; and their 
whole loss since the passage of 
the Tormes was nearly five hun¬ 
dred men. Lord Wellington then 
ordered the forts of Salamanca to 
be demolished. 

June 2,8. 

1778. On the 28th June, Gen. 
Clinton, when i-etiring the British 
army upon Sandy Hook, to em- 
| bark for New York, on being as- 











186 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 29 . 


sailed on his flanks by two co¬ 
lumns of Americans, endeavoured 
to bring on a general action ; but 
the enemy withdrew to an ele¬ 
vated position which they had 
previously held. The British now 
took up a strong ground, with 
their left resting on the village 
of Freehold ; and the guards, on 
the right, commencing the attack 
on the American position, soon 
put them to flight. A second line 
of provincials, equally strongly 
posted, was also completely rout¬ 
ed ; and the timely arrival of 
Washington, to cover their dis¬ 
comfiture, saved the whole from 
destruction. The English army 
continued its march, and em¬ 
barked at New York. 

1801. The towns of Cairo and 
Gazeli, being invested by the 
Turkish and British armies, sur¬ 
rendered this day to the Grand 
Vizier and Major-Gen. J. H. 
Hutchinson. In pursuance of this 
surrender, the gates of Gazel; 
were delivered up on 28th June ; 
and by the conventions entered 
into by Gen. Belliard, the French 
forces and their allies were to 
evacuate all parts of Egypt which 
they then occupied. 

1813. Lieut.-Col. Watson of 
the 14th regiment of foot, in 
command of an expedition against 
the fortress of Sambas, isle of Bor¬ 
neo, embarked on board a squa¬ 
dron under Capt. Sayer, R. N., 
which, having entered the river 
Sambas, sent a despatch to the 
sultaun, requiring him to sur¬ 
render his defences, and his pi¬ 
ratical allies, who had drawn 
upon him the vengeance of the 
English. A detachment, consist¬ 
ing of a party of the 14th regi¬ 
ment under Lieut. Bolton, the 
marines of the squadron, and 100 
sepoys of the 3rd royal battalion 
under Capt Brookes of that corps 
with seamen in front carrying 


ladders, the remainder of the 
force under Lieut.-Col. Watson, 
anchored on the 27th, out of gun¬ 
shot of the batteries. Early on 
the morning of the 28th, another 
party of the 14th regiment and 
3rd Bengal volunteer artillery 
and seamen, were landed under 
command of Capt. Wilson. At 
about half-past nine o’clock, the 
two principal works, and three 
redoubts in the rear, were carried 
with much gallantry. A battery 
on the opposite side of the river 
being abandoned by the enemy, 
the troops with the commanding 
officer pushed forward in the 
boats, while Capt. Wilson attack¬ 
ed their rear. About 150 of the 
defenders of the forts were slain, 
including some chiefs. As the 
detachment under Capt. Brookes 
proceeded up the river, he found 
a boom placed across, defended 
by two forts. Being supported 
by Capt. Norton in IL M.’s brig 
Procris, which had proceeded up 
the stream, he attacked and car¬ 
ried the enemy’s works,—the pi¬ 
rates flying in all directions into 
the jungle. In this affair 7 men 
were killed ; 4 officers, and 55 
rank and file, wounded. Captain 
Morris of the 14th regiment died 
of fatigue. 

June 2.9. 

1762. In our calendar for 7th 
June, we related the landing of 
the expedition at the Havannah, 
the army commanded by the Earl 
of Albemarle, and the fleet in 
which the troops had been con¬ 
veyed under the orders of the 
Hon. Commodore Keppel. Ac¬ 
cording to the journal of the siege, 
from the 7th up to the present 
date, one or two trifling successes 
were gained by the besiegers, 
which our brief space will not 
permit us to notice. The trenches 







June 30. CALENDAR 0E VICTORY. 187 


were opened, and batteries raised, 
and as each one was completed 
and the guns mounted, a fire 
commenced; each succeeding 
day adding to the number of en¬ 
gines of destruction against the 
devoted city. At break of day on 
the 29th June the enemy landed 
two detachments of 500 men 
each, consisting of grenadiers and 
chosen men, each party having 
attached to it a body of armed 
negroes and mulattoes to sup¬ 
port their attacks. These were 
intended to act against the En¬ 
glish works upon the right under 
the Moro, and upon the mortar 
and howitzer batteries which had 
been erected to destroy the ship¬ 
ping in the harbour. Both these 
detachments were, however, in¬ 
tercepted by the British outposts, 
and repulsed with the loss of 200 
in killed, wounded, and prisoners, 
— the remainder escaping under 
cos r er of the woods. Our casualties 
were only ten men killed and 
wounded. 

1794. At the reduction of 
Guadaloupe, as related in a pre¬ 
ceding column, Lieut.-Col. Fisher, 
with the grenadiers, had resisted 
an attempt of the enemy on 27th 
June to dislodge this detachment 
from their position on Morne 
Mascot. On the 29 th, the enemy 
having clothed the mulattoes and 
blacks in French uniform, made 
another attack with an increased 
force, amounting to 1500 men, 
with a field-piece on the right, 
which enfiladed the grenadiers; 
whilst in front they were assailed 
by the fort with round and grape. 
Observing them make a movement 
towards the rear of the grenadiers, 
to gain possession of a house on 
a strong posilion, Major Ross, 
with the 2nd battalion of light 
infantry, arrived in time to oc¬ 
cupy that important post. After 
the firing had continued some | 


time, the grenadiers moved for¬ 
ward with the bayonet, and drove 
the French from the height, with 
still greater slaughter than in the 
former assault. In the mean¬ 
time Major Ross was also en¬ 
gaged, and repulsed the enemy 
with great loss on their side. 

June 30. 

1708. Battle of Oudenarde. 
—The French having laid siege 
to Oudenarde, the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough and Prince Eugene made 
a rapid march for its relief, and 
the duke took possession of the 
strong position of Lessines, which 
the enemy had intended to oc¬ 
cupy in order to cover the siege. 
Thus foiled, the French aban¬ 
doned Oudenarde, and com¬ 
menced passing the Scheldt; but 
Marlborough, being resolved to 
bring them to an engagement, 
directed Lieut.-General Cadogan, 
with sixteen battalions and eight 
squadrons, to clear the roads and 
throw bridges over the Scheldt 
below Oudenarde. At eight 
o’clock in the morning of 30th 
June (N. S.) the army was in mo¬ 
tion, and marched with such ex¬ 
pedition that by two in the after¬ 
noon the horse bad reached the 
bridges over which Cadogan and 
his detachment were crossing. 
That officer, having passed twelve 
of his sixteen battalions, between 
three and four o’clock attacked 
the village of Heynem with such 
resolution that they soon gained 
possession of it, together with 
seven French battalions, who 
were almost entirely taken pri¬ 
soners. The Duke of Burgundy, 
finding a battle unavoidable, 
began to put his troops in motion, 
when Major-Gen. Bantzau, with 
eight squadrons, advancing into 
the plain, attacked the French ca¬ 
valry with such vigour that they 






188 CALENDAR 


were driven across the Norken 
upon their main body, with the loss 
of many prisoners. In this defeat 
of the enemy the electoral Prince 
of Hanover, afterwards George II., 
among others, charging at the 
head of their squadrons, parti¬ 
cularly distinguished themselves. 
The French commanders con¬ 
vinced that to retire without an 
action was impossible, the army 
drew up on the high ground of 
Lede, Huysse and Maldeghem, in 
two lines, the front being covered 
by the Norken, To keep the 
hostile right in check, Cadogan 
with his twelve battalions were 
placed in position, whilst Marl¬ 
borough advanced by Heurne 
with the Prussian horse, and drew 
up in front of the enemy ; and at 
the same time the first column 
of the first line of the right wing, 
consisting entirely of British, 
formed rapidly on the right of 
Bevere. At this moment thirty 
battalions of the enemy’s right 
attacked four battalions posted at 
Groenevelde before the corps of 
Cadogan could arrive to sustain 
them. This small force gallantly 
maintained their ground until 
reinforcements came up and boldly 
attacked the enemy’s centre. The 
Duke of Argyle, commanding the 
British infantry, leading 20 bat¬ 
talions, also hastened into action, 
and each battalion became se¬ 
parately engaged in the fields 
and enclosures bordering the 
rivulet. The Prussians being out¬ 
flanked by the extension of the 
enemy’s line, fell back; but at 
six o’clock they were again led 
forward by Count Lottum, and 
drove the enemy across the 
stream. As the lines extended, 
partial conflicts gradually in¬ 
creased into a general roar of 
musketry, which spread along 
the outer portion of the semi¬ 
circle formed by the two rivulets 


OF VICTORY. July 1. 


winding near Schoerken. Prince 
Eugene now took command of 
the right wing, having sixty bat¬ 
talions under his direction, while 
only twenty remained under the 
duke himself. The confederates 
continued to gain ground until 
darkness enveloped the contend¬ 
ing hosts, and the positions were 
only discernible by the flashes 
of musketry. About nine the 
army halted, and the enemy, fa¬ 
voured by the obscurity, forced 
their way in tumultuous crowds 
toward Ghent. The allies are 
stated to have lost 3000 killed 
and wounded ; the enemy not less 
than 4000 killed, 2000 wounded 
and 9000 prisoners, including 
700 officers. 

July 1. 

1690. Battle of the Boyxe. 
— In this battle, fought on 1st 
July, between King William III. 
and his father-in-law, James II., 
the latter was signally defeated,— 
his adherents losing 1600 men, 
and the Protestant army about 
a third of that number. James 
fled to Waterford, whence he em¬ 
barked for France. A splendid 
obelisk, 150 feet high, was erected 
near Drogheda, in 1736, by the 
Protestants of the empire, in 
commemoration of this victory. 

1762. The French, under de 
Rochambeau, retreating from 
Hombourg, were attacked near 
that town by the brigade of Bri¬ 
tish grenadiers, Elliot’s horse, 
royal regiment of blues, and four 
Hanoverian squadrons, the whole 
commanded by the Marquis of 
Granby. Elliot’s horse was first 
engaged, and was in great peril, 
until Col. Harvey, at the head of 
the blues, charged, and the two 
regiments then maintained the 
unequal fight till the grenadiers 
came up, when the enemy re- 








July 2. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


treated, having suffered great 
loss. The killed and wounded 
of the allies did not amount to 
100 men. 

1781. Battle of Porto Novo. 
—Hyder Ali, with 80,000 men 
and about forty-seven pieces of 
heavy artillery, this day encoun¬ 
tered the British army, scarcely 
9500 strong, under Major-Gen. 
Sir Eyre Coote. The English 
had the advantage in the number 
of artillery, having fifty-five light 
field-pieces; but to the cavalry 
of the enemy, which appeared 
to pass over the field as a cloud 
of horsemen, Sir Eyre could only 
oppose two regiments of native 
and one of European horse, 
Hyder Ali was strongly posted 
on the Cuddalore road ; but the 
British, by a skilful manoeuvre, 
having succeeded in turning his 
left flank, which enabled them 
to take up a position protected 
by a small war schooner an¬ 
chored near the shore, advanced 
in two lines under a heavy fire of 
artillery and a charge of cavalry 
along the whole front, whilst a 
large body of infantry got into 
the rear of the British and en¬ 
gaged their second line. Never¬ 
theless the enemy was simul¬ 
taneously repulsed front and rear. 
Hyder ordered another attack to 
be made, and both lines were 
again charged by his cavalry, 
who also made an attempt upon 
the baggage of the army. Hyder 
commanded the attack of the 
first line in person; but on all 
sides his troops were beaten back, 
and the guns of the schooner 
were now brought to bear upon 
the enemy’s cavalry. The steady 
fire of the infantry and the per¬ 
severance with which the artillery 
poured in their showers of grape, 
could not be withstood ; and at 
length the enemy were completely 
routed, retiring from the ground 


in confused masses. Ilyder, re¬ 
fusing to believe that he* had lost 
the day, was with difficulty borne 
from the field by his chief officers. 
His loss amounted to 10,000 men 
in killed and wounded, more 
than the whole force of the Bri¬ 
tish, who had but 587 of all ranks 
fiGrs de combat. 

1803. The island of Tobago, 
which was taken from the French 
in April 1793, but restored to 
them at the peace of Amiens, 
Oct. 6th, 1802, was again captured 
on this day by the British forces 
under Gen. Grinfield, and con¬ 
firmed to them by the peace of 
Paris in 1814. 

1848. Lieut. Edwards and his 
allies were attacked near Moltan 
by Moobraj with eleven thousand 
men. Being repulsed, he fled into 
the fortress, and then gave orders 
for two guns to be levelled across 
the only bridge over a wide canal, 
against his own men while re¬ 
treating, thus causing the destruc¬ 
tion of some hundreds who at¬ 
tempted to cross the canal. 

July 2. 

1600. Spanish Army defeat¬ 
ed. — Sir Francis Vere, with the 
English infantry and men-at- 
arms, forming no inconsiderable 
part of a division of the States’ 
army under his command, was 
attacked this day by the Arch¬ 
duke Albert of Austria and the 
Spanish army. With little more 
than 5000 men he had approach¬ 
ed Nieuport, to undertake the 
siege of that town; and now per¬ 
ceiving the advance of the Spa¬ 
niards, Sir Francis took up a 
formidable position among the 
sand-hills of the haven. These 
he manned with Friesland mus¬ 
keteers, connecting each natural 
fort with British pikemen, and 
keeping ten troops of lancers, 












190 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 2. 


cuirassiers, and mounted harque- 
bussiers, with about 600 English 
musketeers, to act as occasion 
might require. The main body of 
the States’ army was at hand, but 
had not yet passed the haven; so the 
brunt of the unequal contest was 
to be borne by the gallant Vere. 
The enemy brought regiment 
after regiment into action, till, 
by a countless host, the tide of 
battle forced back the English, still 
desperately fighting; and Vere 
having fallen with his slain horse, 
his life was with difficulty pre¬ 
served. The Spainards now 
pressed onward, confident of vic¬ 
tory, when two troops of cavalry 
and three hundred British foot 
having rallied, resolutely charged 
and drove them back to the ground 
where the action commenced, 
under the fire of the Frieslanders, 
who yet held the sand-hills. The 
English and their allies now ad¬ 
vanced upon the discomfited 
enemy on every side, and when 
Prince Maurice of Nassau, having 
at length crossed the haven, 
moved to the assistance of the 
engaged division, the enemy, with¬ 
out waiting for his attack, broke 
into full retreat. Sir Francis 
Vere, in his commentary, says,— 
“ I dare not take the whole ho¬ 
nour of the victory to the English 
1600 men; I will only affirm, that 
they left nothing for the rest of 
the army to do but to follow the 
chase.” The enemy’s loss was 
very severe. The English, on 
whom the brunt of the battle fell, 
had 800 killed and wounded, in¬ 
cluding among the latter 8 cap¬ 
tains and most of the inferior 
officers. 

1704. Battle of Donawert. 
—The Duke of Marlborough, re¬ 
solved to attack the combined 
Bavarian and French army, 
amounting to 12,000 men, posted 
at Schellenberg, a rising ground 


near Donawert, advanced on 
2nd July, at three in the morn¬ 
ing, with 6000 infantry and 30 
squadrons of English and Dutch 
cavalry, besides three battalions 
of imperial grenadiers; the rest 
of the army, under Prince Louis, 
following with all possible dili¬ 
gence. After a heavy cannonade 
on both sides, the assailants at 
six in the evening moved forward 
in perfect order, under command 
of Lieut.-Gen. Goor, and as they 
arrived within the range of grape- 
shot, the carnage became dread¬ 
ful. Gen. Goor and many other 
gallant officers having fallen, 
there was a momentary pause ; 
but order being speedily restored, 
the troops again advanced with 
admirable firmness. On reaching 
the ravine, the foremost troops, 
mistaking it for the ditch, threw 
in their fascines, but being unable 
to pass, and the enemy’s fire be¬ 
coming more destructive, they 
began to give way. The Gallo- 
Bavarians availing themselves of 
the confusion, rushed from their 
works, and charged the broken 
ranks of the assailants ; but a re¬ 
inforcement arriving up, the 
enemy wei'e driven back with 
great slaughter, principally by the 
firmness of a battalion of English 
guards, which, although most of 
their officers were either killed or 
wounded, singly maintained its 
ground. The assailants, however, 
continued to draw near the foot 
of the works, whilst the enemy 
brought their whole force to the 
principal point of attack; and by 
this combined effort they were 
enabled to make more than 
one vigorous sally from their 
trenches. Exhausted by repeated 
struggles, and thinned by a de¬ 
structive* fire, the allied infantry 
once more were disposed to give 
way, when Gen. Lumley led 
forth the horse with great deter- 







July 3. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 191 


mination, and, by his example 
and support, prevented a repulse. 
The enemy’s numbers had con¬ 
siderably decreased in this des¬ 
perate conflict, which was con¬ 
tinually renewed. At length the 
English and Dutch were on the 
point of breaking into the in- 
trenchment, when they were 
cheered by the advance of the 
imperialists, led by the Margrave 
in person, who, passing the 
Wernitz below Berg, moved 
against and dispersed two French 
battalions. While the attention 
of the enemy was called to an¬ 
other quarter, the final effort was 
made at the principal point of 
attack. The dragoons command¬ 
ed by Lord John Hay dismount¬ 
ed to aid the infantry, but before 
they could storm the intrench- 
ment the Gallo-Bavarians fled in 
disorder, some towards Zericks- 
heim,and sometow r ards the bridge 
on the Danube, while others made 
for Donawert. Marlborough now 
entered the works at the head 
of the leading squadrons, and, 
recalling the infantry in pursuit 
of the fugitives, directed the horse 
to pursue the enemy and com¬ 
plete the victory. The carnage 
which ensued cannot be described. 
Many were intercepted on their 
way to Donawert, while num¬ 
bers hurrying to the bridge, broke 
it down by their weight, and 
were drowned in the Danube. 
Of the whole, only 3000 rejoined 
the Elector; sixteen pieces of 
artillery, and all their camp equi¬ 
page, fell into the hands of the 
victors. In this desperate con¬ 
flict the allies had no less than 
1500 killed and 4000 wounded ; 
and among the slain were eight 
generals eleven colonels, and 
twenty-six captains. 

1768. Capt. Cosby, in com¬ 
mand of a strong detachment of 
the 1st Madras European regi¬ 


ment, attacked the Mysore camp 
on the morning of the 2nd of 
July, and routed the enemy. 

1804. On the 2nd of July, 
Brigadier-Gen. Monson, detached 
from the army of Gen. Lake in 
the war against Holkar, took the 
strong fort of Hinglaisghur by 
storm. 

1812. The advance-guard un¬ 
der Wellington having crossed the 
Zapardiel and moved upon Rueda, 
supported by the left of the army, 
Lieut.-Gen. Sir Stapleton Cot¬ 
ton, with Major-Gens. Anson and 
Victor Alten’s brigades of cavalry, 
came up and drove the rear-guard 
of the French in upon the main 
body at Tordesillas. 

July 3. 

1563. Defence of Havre.— 
The Earl of Warwick, in defend¬ 
ing Havre de Grace, had not only 
to contend with the forces of 
Charles IX., but the old allies of 
the English, the Huguenots, were 
distinguished in driving them out 
of the place which they them¬ 
selves had put into their hands. 
The earl, however, continued to 
defend his charge with great in¬ 
trepidity ; but the succour which 
he expected from England hav¬ 
ing perished by shipwreck, and 
the loss which the garrison daily 
sustained from the plague, re¬ 
duced him to the necessity of 
submitting to a capitulation, by 
which the town was delivered 
into the hands of the French king. 

1592. Storm of Outworks of 
Steenkirk. — Sir Francis Vere, 
with the English subsidy of ten 
ensigns sent by Elizabeth to serve 
in the army of the Netherlands, 
took a conspicuous part in storm¬ 
ing the outworks of Steenkirk on 
the confines of Friesland. Sir 
Francis led one attack with the 
English, in which he was wounded, 





192 CALENDAR 


and the Friesland foot and Hol¬ 
landers two other attacks upon 
the outworks of the town, which 
being carried by assault, the gar¬ 
rison beat a parley, accepted 
terms, and surrendered the fol¬ 
lowing day. 

1756. French defeated near 
Oswego. —During the war in 
America, a French force nearly 
700 strong, beside native Indians, 
disappointed in cutting off a flo¬ 
tilla laden with stores and pro¬ 
visions, proceeded up the river 
Ontario to Oswego, and laid in 
ambush for the return of the con¬ 
voy. On the 3rd of July the 
flotilla appeared, manned by a 
strong detachment under Colonel 
Bradstreet, and, near a small 
island in the centre of the stream, 
was saluted by the sound of the 
war whoop, and a general dis¬ 
charge of musketry from the 
north shore. Immediately taking 
possession of the island, and land¬ 
ing on the opposite bank, the co¬ 
lonel waited the attack of the 
enemy, which he gallantly re¬ 
pulsed. A second and a third 
body of the enemy, landing at 
higher fords of the river, were 
then met, and defeated by the 
English, whose total casualties 
amounted to 70, in killed and 
wounded; whilst more than twice 
that number of the enemy were 
put hors de combat, and 70 pri¬ 
soners were taken. 

1841. Capt. Woodburn, with 
a detachment of the forces of His 
Majesty Shah Shooja-ool-Moolh, 
under British officers, was des¬ 
patched by Major-General Nott 
from Candahar against a strong 
body of Affghan insurgents. On 
the morning of the 3rd an attack 
of the enemy was vigorously re¬ 
pulsed by Capt. Woodburn, who 
then scoured the country, dis¬ 
persed the insurgents, and ulti¬ 
mately made them retire from 


OF VICTORY. July 4. 


the neighbouring heights, carry¬ 
ing off their killed and wounded. 
The detachment under Captain 
Woodburn had 12 killed and 28 
wounded. 

I 

July 4. 

1783. Attack upon Manga¬ 
lore repulsed.— After the fall 
of Bednore to Tippoo, Mangalore, 
taken by the British under Gen. 
Mathews the preceding year, had 
gathered within its walls the re¬ 
mains of the army which had 
been scattered about the country. 
From Bednore the sultan pro¬ 
ceeded to Mangalore, and invested 
it with a large army; but it was 
not till June the following year 
that he succeeded in making a 
practicable breach. After an un¬ 
accountable delay of nearly a 
month, a large body of Tippoo’s 
most daring troops on the 4th of 
July made a dash at a tower to 
the left of the western gate of the 
fortress, but they were gallantly 
repulsed by its defenders. 

1806. Battle of Maida.— 
Major-Gen. Sir John Stuart, em¬ 
barking a force of 4800 infantry, 
with ten 4-pounders, four 6- 
pounders, and two howitzers, at 
Palermo, effected a landing in a 
bay in the Gulf of St. Eufemia, 
Calabria, on the 1st of July, to 
oppose the French force under 
General Reynier, assembled near 
Monteleone. On the 3rd intel¬ 
ligence reached the British that 
the enemy were encamped near 
Maida, about ten miles from 
where they had landed; that their 
force consisted of 4000 infantry, 
300 cavalry, and four pieces of 
artillery; and that a reinforce¬ 
ment of 3000 was hourly ex¬ 
pected. Stuart, thereupon, deter¬ 
mined to advance and give battle 
before this junction. His army 
consisted of the 27th, 35th, 58th 






July 5. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


193 


61st, 78th, anti 81st regiments, 
part of De Watteville’s, and the 
artillery as already mentioned, 
also detachments of the Corsican 
rangers, and Sicilian volunteers; 
and the whole, including the 20th 
regiment, which came up after 
the action had commenced, was 
below five thousand men. On 
the morning of the 4th, the troops 
commenced a rapid advance, 
cheered by the squadron of Sir 
Sidney Smith, and, after crossing 
the plain, came full in sight of the 
French, encamped on the slope 
of a woody hill, below the village 
of Maida,—their flanks protected 
by a thick impervious underwood, 
with their front covered by the 
river Amato. But Reynier, re¬ 
gardless of his vantage-ground, 
when he saw the extent of the 
British, crossed the river with his 
entire force, now amounting to 
7000 foot and 300 horse, and 
moved forward in double column 
to the attack. After some sharp 
skirmishing by the light in¬ 
fantry battalion under Lieut.-Col. 
Kempt, formed from the several 
regiments, to cover the deploy¬ 
ment, the opposing fronts became 
warmly engaged, particularly on 
our right. As if by mutual agree¬ 
ment, after a few rounds, the op¬ 
posed corps suspended their fire, 
and, in close compact order and 
awful silence, both advanced un¬ 
til bayonets began to cross. At 
that moment, the thrilling cheer 
of the British, as they rushed for¬ 
ward, so appalled those hitherto 
invincible veterans of Napoleon 
that they turned and fled, closely 
pursued by their gallant anta¬ 
gonists, spite of every effort on 
the part of their leaders to rally 
them. Brigadier-Gen. Auckland, 
being on the left of the light in¬ 
fantry battalion, also pressed for¬ 
ward' with the bayonet upon the 
corps in his front, and drove them 


with a like success. Successively 
repelled on our front, Reynier 
made an effort with his cavalry, 
supported by his best infantry, to 
turn our flank, but here they 
were again defeated by the firm¬ 
ness of the troops under Briga¬ 
dier-Gen. Cole. At this juncture, 
the 20th regiment, under Colonel 
Ross, which had landed that very 
morning, and had marched with 
breathless speed to the scene of 
action, arrived up, and taking 
possession of a small cover, by a 
well directed fire so disconcerted 
the attempt of the French horse, 
that they were broken and driven 
upon the fugitive masses, hotly 
pursued by the victorious British. 
The loss of the enemy amounted 
to about 3000; for Reynier, ac¬ 
cording to the statement of a 
French officer, left 1500 men, 
dead or wounded, on the field of 
battle; and Sir John Stuart, in 
his despatch, states that above 
700 bodies of their dead had been 
buried upon the ground, and that 
he had in his hands more than 
1000 prisoners. By the official 
return, the loss of the British 
amounted to one officer, 3 ser¬ 
geants, and 41 rank and file, killed; 
eleven officers, 8 sergeants, 2 
drummers, and 261 rank and file, 
wounded. 


July 5. 

1420. Montereau taken.— 
After the consummation of the 
marriage of Henry Y. of England 
and Catherine, the daughter of 
Charles VI. of France, the En¬ 
glish monarch and his father-in- 
law, uniting their forces, pro¬ 
ceeded to invest the towns which 
held out for the Dauphin, and on 
the 5th of July the fortress of 
Montereau was taken by the com¬ 
bined army. 













194 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 6. 


1696. Landing at ILowat.— 
A British force landed on the isle 
of Howat, Quiberon Bay, without 
opposition, and destroyed the vil¬ 
lage, the inhabitants retiring into 
an intrenched fort. The neigh¬ 
bouring islands were also bom¬ 
barded and ravaged, although the 
French had a strong force on the 
adjacent shore. 

1840. Attack ufon Aden 
eepulsed. — Early in the morn¬ 
ing of the 5th of July, about 4000 
Arabs attacked the outworks of 
the British fort at Aden. Capt. 
Brown, 10th native infantry, with 
Capt. Bailey and Ensign Came¬ 
ron, were indefatigable in their 
exertions to repulse the enemy. 
About sixty of the Arabs were 
killed, and nearly 100 wounded; 
but the British had not a man 
killed. 

1840. Reduction of Chusan. 
— The island of Chusan was this 
day captured by the British squa¬ 
dron, under Commodore Sir John 
Gordon Bremer, and a division 
of the army, commanded by Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Burrell. On the 4th 
the Commodore, with the leading 
ships of the squadron,anchored be¬ 
fore the town, and, sending a sum¬ 
mons, received a visit from the ci¬ 
vil and military authorities,who re¬ 
turned to the shore with the terms 
of surrender. By the following 
morning the most formidable 
preparations to resist a landing 
had been made. The shore was 
lined with troops, who had 21 
guns bearing upon the squadron ; 
whilst twenty-three Chinese war- 
junks, which had been hauled on 
shore, showed about 34 guns 
besides 45 large gingals ; and a 
strong joshouse, or temple, had 3 
guns before it, and was well gar¬ 
risoned. The British transports 
came in with the flood-tide at 
noon, and no message of submis¬ 
sion having arrived from the 


shore, at 2 h. 30 m. p. m., the Wel¬ 
lesley, Conway, Alligator, Cres¬ 
cent, Algerine, Rattlesnake, and 
Young Hebe, with Atlanta and 
Queen steamers, opened a can¬ 
nonade, which in eight minutes 
destroyed a battery and four 
junks, driving the enemy from 
their guns in every direction. The 
troops then landed, consisting of 
the right wing of the 18 th royal 
Irish, under Major Adams, and a 
battalion, composed of the marines 
of the squadron, under Capt. Ellis 
of that corps, followed by detach¬ 
ments of the 26th and 49th regi¬ 
ments, with Madras artillery, &c. 
The Chinese troops having re¬ 
tired within the walls of the town 
in rear of the fortified suburb, 
that quarter was soon occupied 
by the British, and without sus¬ 
taining any loss; whilst about 25 
of the Chinese were slain. An 
occasional fire was kept up by the 
ships during the day, and some 
nine-inch mortars and howitzers 
being landed, were placed in bat¬ 
tery to breach the walls ; but by 
the next morning the place was 
found abandoned, and the con¬ 
quest of the island was complete. 

July 6. 

1706. Reduction of Ostend. 
— The preparations for the siege 
of Ostend by the confederate 
forces under Marlborough, being 
at length matured, the trenches 
were opened on the night of 28th 
June, on the south-west front of 
the place. A heavy and inces¬ 
sant fire from the besieged did 
not obstruct the progress of the 
assailants; and on the 1st July 
the batteries were completed, and 
mounted with artillery. Arrange¬ 
ments being made with Admiral 
Fairborne, a fire was opened on 
the 3rd both by land and sea, 
which, before the following morn- 













July 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 195 


ing, set the town in flames, and 
the sea defences were reduced to 
ruins. The counterscarp was 
carried on the 6th, and the be¬ 
sieged, after a fruitless sortie, beat 
a parley. According to the ca¬ 
pitulation, the garrison quitted the 
place without military honours. 
Two large ships of war and 45 
smaller vessels were found in the 
harbour, and this valuable con¬ 
quest was achieved with the loss 
of only 500 men. 

1781. Americans defeated. 
— The successful expedition of 
Lord Cornwallis across James 
river, Province of Virginia, in 
North America, has already been 
noticed. His Lordship was now 
about to recross in full force near 
James Town, and retire to Ports¬ 
mouth, as the British army under 
his command was not in suffi¬ 
cient strength to enable him to 
occupy the country. He conse¬ 
quently marched from Williams- 
burgh, and encamped in a com¬ 
manding position, so as to cover 
a ford into the island of James 
Town, and on the 5th and 6th of 
July passed over the carriage, bat- 
horses, and baggage. As soon as 
this movement became known to 
the Marquis de la Fayette, in 
command of the American army, 
he, by forced marches, approached 
James Town, in hopes of attack¬ 
ing the rear of the British. Lord 
Cornwallis favoured the idea that 
the main body of British had 
passed the river, when in reality 
they had their chief strength to 
oppose the enemy, whose attack 
on the encampment was com¬ 
menced by riflemen and militia, 
followed by the appearance of 
La Fayette, with continentals, 
militia, and artillery. The British 
advancing in two lines, soon 
dispersed the militia; but on the 
left, the 3rd, 76th, and 80th re¬ 
giments, under Lieut.-Col. Dundas, 


had tougher work with the Penn¬ 
sylvanian line, the continentals, 
and artillery. After a sharp ac¬ 
tion, the Americans were routed, 
their guns taken, and at the 
close of day, the morass in which 
they took refuge alone saved 
them from being utterly de¬ 
stroyed. They lost about 300 in 
killed, wounded, and prisoners, 
out of a force of little more than 
2000men; whilst the English had 
70 men killed or wounded, and 
among the latter five officers. 

1783. We have already made 
mention in our columns for the 
4th of July of the defence of 
Mangalore, by the remains of 
Gen. Mathews’s army, opposed to 
the overwhelming force brought 
against it by Tippoo. On the 6th 
a general attack was made by 
the besiegers upon the north co¬ 
vered way, which was repulsed 
with greater gallantry than the 
attack on the 4th, although the 
garrison had every day become 
more weakened by privation and 
disease. 

1809. Sx. Domingo surrenders. 
—An expedition, commanded by 
Major-Gen. H, J. Carmichael em¬ 
barked in transports and on board 
a British squadron under Capt. 
Cumby, at Jamaica, landed on 
the island of St. Domingo on the 
29th of June. On the 1st of 
July a summons was sent to the 
French General Barquier, re¬ 
quiring him to surrender the city 
of St. Domingo without blood¬ 
shed, but it was not until every 
preparation was made for an as¬ 
sault, that the place surrendered 
on the 6th of July. 

July 7. 

1704. Reduction op Aicha. 
— Among the early successes 
of the confederate army under 
the Duke of Marlborough and 















196 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July S. 


Prince Eugene, was the occupa¬ 
tion of Aicha in the Netherlands. 
The regular garrison abandoned 
it on the approach of the allies; 
but about 900 partisans, Boors, 
and others, were taken prisoners, 
whilst many others who would 
not submit were slain ; and in 
consequence of this obstinacy the 
town was plundered. 

1742. Action at Georgia.— 
The Spaniards having fitted out 
an expedition from the Havannah, 
as shown in the Naval columns 
for the 5th inst., and landed at 
Georgia, South Carolina, Gen. 
Oglethorpe destroyed all the 
stores and vessels that might be 
of use to the enemy at St. Simon’s 
Town, and retired on Frederica, 
where he resolved to make a 
stand. On the morning of the 
7th of July the enemy approached 
the town, and were engaged by 
a party of rangers and the Indian 
allies of the British, until the 
general, with the highland com¬ 
pany, came up to their support, 
when the Spaniards and Indians 
were completely routed and many 
prisoners taken. Another affair 
occurred with a detachment of 
the enemy during the same day, 
when the British were for the 
moment thrown into disorder, 
and retreated; but, rallied by 
Gen. Oglethorpe, they returned 
to the charge in time to see the 
enemy worsted by a detachment 
of highlanders under Lieutenant 
Charles Mackay, supported by a 
platoon commanded by Lieut. 
Sutherland. In these two actions 
3 of the Spanish officers and 160 
men were killed, and a consider¬ 
able number wounded and taken 
prisoners. The English loss was 
not severe. 

1777. Americans defeated. 
— Brigadier-Gen. Frazer, with 
grenadiers and light infantry, 
pursuing the American garrison 


which had abandoned Ticon- 
derago, overtook a division of 
the enemy on the route to Hub- 
berton, which turned out to be 
about 1500 of the best armed 
marksmen under Col. Francis, 
who at once took up a position 
behind a breastwork formed by 
logs of wood. The brigadier, 
though in much less strength 
than the Americans, made a gal¬ 
lant defence, sustaining the ac¬ 
tion until reinforced by German 
troops under General Reidesel. 
The enemy then retreated with 
great precipitation, having had 
about 200 men killed and wound¬ 
ed, and the same number taken 
prisoners ; and amongst the slain 
was the gallant Col. Francis. 
The English loss amounted to 
120 men killed and wounded. 

1779. The forces under Major- 
Gen. Tryon, co-operating with a 
squadron commanded by Sir 
George Collier, in the expedition 
from New York against the se¬ 
veral towns on the coast of that 
province, for intercepting the 
trade through the Sound, de¬ 
stroyed the town of Fairfield in 
the Connecticut, together with 
several whale-boats. 

July 8. 

1695. Siege of Namur. — At 
the commencement of the siege 
of Namur, Lord Cutts having 
encamped at Templeux some re¬ 
giments of British guards, Dutch, 
and other troops, an assault was 
undertaken by a force under 
Major-Gen. Ramsay, consisting 
of the 1st battalion of Coldstream, 
the Scotch and Dutch guards, 
and the grenadiers of other regi¬ 
ments, when the French were 
driven from their covered way 
and other works, suffering great 
loss. While the Dutch broke 
ground near the village of Bou- 

















July 9. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 197 


arge, the other troops returned 
to camp. 

1752. The fort of Vellore, held 
by the French and sepoys, sur¬ 
rendered to the English force 
under command of Major Law¬ 
rence. 

1810. Reduction or the Is¬ 
land of Bourbon. —An attempt 
had been made upon the island 
of Bourbon in the month of Sep¬ 
tember of last year, and after the 
English had met with some suc¬ 
cesses the expedition was aban¬ 
doned. The troops in the present 
enterprise, under Col. Keating, 
were landed, from a British squa¬ 
dron on the 7th of July. The 
tempestuous state of the weather 
interrupted the general debarka¬ 
tion; but the 1st brigade, consist¬ 
ing of H. M/s 86th regiment and 
part of the 6th regiment of Ma¬ 
dras native infantry, with some 
artillery and pioneers under 
Lieut.-Colonel Fraser, effected a 
landing, and, pushing forward, 
occupied the height to the west¬ 
ward of St. Denis, the capital, 
— cutting off its communication 
with the important town of St. 
Paul before the other division of 
the army had arrived from the 
eastward of the coast, where 
they had been put on shore. 
The colonel descended from the 
height with the 86th regiment, 
and encountered the enemy, 
formed in two columns, with ar¬ 
tillery, and supported by a re¬ 
doubt, with guns of heavy calibre, 
on their flank. A charge with 
the bayonet soon decided the 
fate of' the island; and though 
the French attempted to rally in 
rear of the redoubt, they were 
beaten out of it, and the British, 
taking possession, turned the 
guns upon the town. In a few 
hours a flag of truce arrived with 
a proposal of surrender ; the 
main body of the army only came 


up to the scene in time to receive 
the subjection of the island to 
the British crown. The loss of 
the English was but one officer, 
Lieut. Munro, II. M.’s 56th foot, 
17 non-commissioned officers and 
men killed, and 59 wounded. 

1824. Stockades stormed.— 
In order to drive the Burmese 
from the immediate neighbour¬ 
hood of Rangoon, where the Bri¬ 
tish force, under Sir Archibald 
Campbell, had concentrated, an 
attack was made upon the stock¬ 
ades at Pagoda Point by two 
strong detachments, one of which 
was under the commander-in¬ 
chief, the other commanded by 
Gen. M‘Bean, which, having got 
into the rear of the enemy unper¬ 
ceived, carried the stockades with 
great gallantry. The 13th and 
38th regiments, supported by 
the Madras European regiment, 
drove the Burmese from one 
stockade to another, until seven 
were successively carried, — Col. 
Abbot, Bengal engineers, having 
led the escalade. Many hun¬ 
dreds of the enemy were slain ; 
while the loss of,the British was 
comparatively small. 

July 9. 

1695. Reduction of Casal.— 
The confederate army, under 
Prince Eugene, having invested 
Casal, in the principality of Pied¬ 
mont, two attacks were projected, 
—one on the bastion of the citadel 
over against the city, the other 
against the wall communicating 
with it. Between the 25th and 
30th June, several vigorous at¬ 
tacks were made upon the enemy’s 
works, and the besiegers had now 
approached within 150 yards of 
the palisades ; and the 4th July 
all the works were completed. 
On the 5th the cannonade was so 
well maintained that the enemy 


o 3 





198 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


abandoned the counterscarp and 
the covered way. On the 6th 
the confederates came within 
thirty yards of the glacis,— the 
Spaniards at the same time main¬ 
taining an incessant fire from 
thirty-six pieces of cannon and 
ten mortars; and on the 8th they 
posted themselves on the glacis 
of the counterscarp, on the side of 
the citadel, and erected breaching 
batteries. On the morning of the 
9th the Marquis de Crenan, de¬ 
spairing of any succours, beat a 
parley; the capitulation followed, 
and was ratified on 11th July. It 
stipulated that the fortifications of 
the city should be levelled, and 
the outworks demolished at the 
expense of the allies. 

1709. Sortie repulsed. — 
Tournay, held by the French, and 
besieged by Marlborough and 
Prince Eugene, was regularly in¬ 
vested on the 6th of July, and the 
trenches opened during the night 
between the 7th and 8th. The 
first sortie of the garrison, which 
took place on the 9th, was re¬ 
pulsed, the sallying party suffer¬ 
ing great loss, j 

1758. Sortie from Louis- 
bourgh repulsed. — The Bri¬ 
tish expedition against Louis- 
bourg, under Admiral the Hon. 
E. Boscawen, the army com¬ 
manded by Major-Gen. Amherst, 
has already been noticed in the 
Calendar of June. After the land¬ 
ing on the 8th of that month, and 
the unsuccessful sortie of the 
French on the 13 th, nothing of im¬ 
portance occurred except the con¬ 
tinued erection of works against 
the town; a most laborious service, 
rendered more severe by the small¬ 
pox breaking out in the camp, 
the interchange of a severe can¬ 
nonade, and the silencing of some 
of the enemy’s batteries. Skir¬ 
mishes with parties of the be¬ 
sieged were of frequent occur¬ 


July 10. 


rence, without any decided ad¬ 
vantage on either side ; until the 
7th of July, when a company of 
Forbes’ grenadiers, commanded 
by Lord Dundonald, was sur¬ 
prised in a fleche to the right of 
the British trenches, and suffered 
some loss ; but the immediate 
support of a detachment under 
Major Murray changed the for¬ 
tune of the day. The sortie was 
repulsed with the loss of Captain 
the Chevalier de Chauvelin and 
17 men killed, a lieutenant and 4 
men wounded and taken pri¬ 
soners, whilst many others were 
carried into the town. 

July lO. 

1794. A force consisting of 
three companies of European, and 
a battalion composed of the 26th 
and 27th regiments of native, in¬ 
fantry, with artillery, under com¬ 
mand of Col. Pendegrast, and 
was sent against the Rajah Vi- 
ziaram Ivauze, who at first stood 
upon the defensive, being un¬ 
willing to do more against the 
British troops than maintain his 
ground. On their approach, how¬ 
ever, a heavy fire was opened 
upon them, as it would appear 
without orders from the rajah; 
but the effect made the British 
fall back in some disorder. The 
artillery stood their ground, and 
our troops having rallied, and, 
enraged at their momentary dis¬ 
comfiture, bore down all before 
them, giving no quarter. The 
rajah was slain, with some hun¬ 
dred of his faithful Rachawar 
adherents, and among them se¬ 
veral of the principal men of the 
district, which, now perfectly sub¬ 
dued, fell into the hands of the 
British Government. 

1830. Successful attack of 
Cavalry. — The Rajah of Ukol- 
kate, holding out against the Bri- 








July 11 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 199 


tish force sent from the Sholapore 
to reduce him to subjection to the 
Rajah of Sattarah, his fortress 
was this clay regularly invested 
by Licut.-Col. Robertson. Pre¬ 
vious to the commencement of 
the siege proposals were made to 
the garrison for their surrender; 
but these being only answered by 
a tire from the fortress, orders 
were given to drive their cavalry, 
which were hovering round the 
British troops, into the town. A 
detachment of the 1st Bombay 
light cavalry performed this ser¬ 
vice in gallant style,— at the first 
onset commanded by Lieutenant 
Poole, but in mid career by Brevet- 
Capt. Sparrow, who unfortunately, 
after having dispersed and driven 
in the enemy’s hordes of horsemen, 
rode under the very walls of the 
fort to attack some stragglers, 
from whom he received a mortal 
wound, after having cut down 
three of the enemy with his own 
hand. Lieut -Col. Robertson, in 
brigade orders of the day, com¬ 
mending the concliict of the 1st 
Bombay light cavalry, passes a 
high eulogium upon the heroic 
bravery of this young officer, who 
died the same night, universally 
regretted by his brother officers. 

1796. Surrender of Porto 
Ferrajo. — A small squadron 
under Commodore Nelson, in the 
Captain, 74, conveying troops, 
took up a position before the town 
of Porto Ferrajo, a place mount¬ 
ing 100 pieces of cannon, in the 
island of Elba, on the 9th of July. 
On the same evening the troops 
under command of Major Duncan 
were landed about one mile to the 
westward of the town, and imme¬ 
diately marched close to the gate 
on the west side. At 5 o’clock 
on the morning of the 10th terms 
were sent to the governor, pro¬ 
posing that the place should re¬ 
main under the government of 


the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the 
object of the expedition being to 
prevent its falling into the hands 
of the French; and he gave him 
two hours for consideration. The 
governor, in reply, requested one 
hour more to confer with the 
principal inhabitants ; and at the 
expiration of that time, the terms 
having been accepted, the British 
took possession of the town and 
fort of Porto Ferrajo at ten 
o’clock in the forenoon. 

July 11. 

1762. Surrender of Wal- 
deck. — During the campaign of 
the English and their allies 
against the French in this year, 
the castle of Waldeck, about 
eleven leagues from Cassel, capi¬ 
tulated to a British detachment 
under Gen. Conway, the garrison 
surrendering on condition of 
being allowed to march out with 
the honours of war, agreeing not 
to serve against Great Britain or 
her allies for the space of one 
year. 

1768. The army under Major- 
Gen. Smith having concentrated 
at Kistnagherry, for the invasion 
of Mysore, its advanced guard 
under Col. D. Campbell ascended 
the pass of Boodicottah on the 
8th June, and, entering the valley 
of Vellore, reduced the strong 
forts of Mulwalgul and Colar 
before the 28th. Hyder’s force 
having retired under the walls of 
Bangalore, a strong detachment 
under Capt. Cosby, marched on 
1st July to make a night attack 
on the Mysore camp. On the 
approach of this force shortly 
after daylight, Muckdoor Saib 
was compelled to retire with 
considerable loss. The fort of 
Ossoor was taken on the 11th, 
and, shortly afterwards, Anicul 
and Dencanicota likewise fell. 













200 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 12. 


The want of provisions and am¬ 
munition detained the army at 
Ossoor until 4th August, when 
the Mahratta chief, Morai Rao, 
joined Gen. Smith with 3000 ca¬ 
valry. 

1791. An attack was made 
upon Coimbetore, by a detach¬ 
ment of Tippoo’s forces. The 
fortress, which had been almost 
dismantled, was held by Lieut. 
Chalmers, with a small garrison 
of Topasses and a company of 
Travancore sepoys, commanded 
by M. de la Combe, a French 
officer in the Rajah of Travan- 
core’s service. His orders were, 
in case of the appearance of a 
strong force, to fall back upon 
Palacatchery, where Major Cup- 
page, in command of the province, 
had several battalions and artil¬ 
lery ; but the gallant lieutenant 
stood a siege, and, with the aid 
of the Travancore troops and 
their French commander, repulsed 
the enemy, after they had breached 
the walls and attempted to storm. 
Major Cuppage falling in with 
the Mysoreans in their retreat, 
completed their discomfiture, 
taking two guns. 

1814. Reduction of Moose 
Island. — Lieut.-Col. A. Pilking- 
ton, deputy adjutant-general, was 
detached from Halifax by Lieut.- 
Gen. Sir J. C. Sherbroke, to 
take command of the expedition 
against this island. The squa¬ 
dron under Capt. Sir Thomas 
Hardy, in H. M. S. Ramil ies, 
with transports, conveying the 
troops under Lieut.-Col. Herries, 
consisting of 102nd regiment 
artillery under Lieut.-Col. Ni- 
cholls, and sappers and miners 
under Capt. Dunn, anchored off 
East Port, in Passamagusaddy 
Bay, Moose island. A summons 
was sent to the principal fort, 
requiring the surrender of the 
island, but this being rejected, the 


troops, already in the boats before 
the summons was sent, pushed off 
from the ships to effect a landing. 
The Americans seeing that the 
English were not to be trifled 
with, capitulated. 

July 12. 

1191. Siege of Acre.— Acra, 
St. Jean d’Acre, the ancient Pto- 
lemais, being in possession of Sa- 
ladin, Sultan of Egypt, he de¬ 
termined to drive the Christians 
out of Palestine. These being as¬ 
sisted by the Christian nations of 
Europe, gave rise to a third cru¬ 
sade in 1189, when Richard, King 
of England, took an active part 
in the siege of Acre, which held 
out until 12th July, 1191. Dur¬ 
ing the two years, 6 archbishops, 
12 bishops, 40 earls, 500 barons, 
and 300,000 soldiers, perished be¬ 
fore the place. Richard consented 
to grant the lives of the garrison, 
and exchange them for the like 
number of Christian captives in 
the sultan’s possession ; but Sa- 
ladin refusing this proposal, the 
garrison, amounting to 5000 per¬ 
sons, were put to the sword, to the 
dishonour of Christian chivalry. 
This example of cruelty was fol¬ 
lowed by the sultan, who slew all 
the Christians that had fallen 
into his hands, exceeding 2000 
persons. 

1779. The town of Newhaven, 
province of Connecticut, North 
America, was taken by an expe¬ 
dition under command of Major- 
General Tryon, landed from the 
British fleet under Sir George 
Collier in the early part of this 
month, when the public build¬ 
ings, stores, shipping, &c., were 
destroyed. This was followed by 
another landing, and the destruc¬ 
tion of the village of Fairford, 
on the 8th, in consequence of 
the inhabitants having fired on 







July 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 201 


our troops from the houses. On 
the 12th a division of the army 
again disembarked, and for the 
first time met with serious resist¬ 
ance ; but having at length driven 
the enemy from Drummond Hill 
and the heights near the village 
of Norwalk, captured one piece 
of artillery, and destroyed salt¬ 
pans, magazines, &c., the detach¬ 
ment re-embarked. 

1799. Reduction or Fort St. 
Elmo. — After the surrender of 
the city of Naples to Nelson, the 
strong fort of St. Elmo still hold¬ 
ing out, the British and Portu¬ 
guese marines, under Capt. Trou- 
bridge, landed from the fleet to 
attack it, co-operating with a corps 
of Russians. The siege had lasted 
eight days, when the approaches 
of the besiegers and breaching 
batteries were within 180 yards 
of the ditch. By this time most 
of the enemy’s guns being dis¬ 
mounted, and a large mass of 
their works thrown down, the 
French, expecting a speedy as¬ 
sault, capitulated on the 12th of 
July. The return of killed and 
wounded on the part of the Bri¬ 
tish, was 5 officers and 32 rank 
and file killed, 5 officers and 79 
rank and file wounded. Capt. 
Troubridge, in his despatch, speaks 
in the highest terms of Lieut.- 
Col. Strickland and Major Cres- 
well of the marines. 

1813. Capture of Ocracoice. 
— Rear-Adm. Cockburn, with a 
squadron having on board de¬ 
tachments from several regi¬ 
ments, the whole under command 
of Lieut.-Col. Napier, appeared 
off the island Ocracoke, North 
Carolina, on the 11th of July. 
The object of the expedition was 
to break up the trade carried on 
by the Americans from the island 
by means of their inland naviga¬ 
tion, and to destroy their ship¬ 
ping. The British squadron 


having anchored off the port of 
Ocracoke on the 12th, as the 
boats with the troops entered the 
harbour a fire was opened upon 
them by two armed vessels ; but 
this being speedily silenced by 
the English gunboats, a landing 
was effected without opposition, 
and possession taken of the island 
of Ocracoke and Portsmouth. 

July 13. 

1558. Battle of Gravelines. 
— Count Egmont, governor of 
Flanders for Philip II. of Spain, 
having, by command of that 
monarch, gathered an effective 
army of 12,000 foot and 3000 
horse, besides a countless host 
of peasants, anxious to take ven¬ 
geance on the French for the 
despoliation of the country, sud¬ 
denly came up with their army, 
tinder Marshal de Thermes, near 
Gravelines. The intention of the 
marshal was to retreat to Calais, 
avoiding a battle ; but although 
now unable to effect this, he still 
succeeded in crossing the mouth 
of the Aa at low-water. Where¬ 
upon Count Egmont passed the 
river below Gravelines, and, with¬ 
out waiting for his artillery, 
threw himself in the direct route 
of the enemy. The French 
marshal, finding that he had no 
resource left but the valour of 
his troops, made a careful dis¬ 
position of his force, placing his 
right wing to rest on the river, 
his baggage-guard being on the 
left, while the front and centre 
were supported by his artillery 
and cavalry, Count Egmont, 
dividing his cavalry into three 
divisions, at once dashed on the 
enemy, exclaiming, — “The vic¬ 
tory is ours, if every one who loves 
glory and his country will follow 
me.” The French army, chiefly 
composed of Gascons, fought 






202 CALENDAR OE VICTORY. July 14. 


bravely ; but the German auxili¬ 
aries could not be made to take 
part in the contest; yet the enemy 
maintained their position until 
a most extraordinary reinforce- 
ment for a field of battle came 
to the aid of Count Egmont, which 
afforded the English an import¬ 
ant share in the victory of Grave¬ 
lines. A fleet of British men-of- 
war at this most critical moment 
hove in sight at the mouth of 
the river, and, nearing the land, 
commenced a cannonade on the 
right wing of the French. This 
interruption completely decided 
the fortune of the day. The 
French infantry and cavalry, 
mingled in confusion, could no 
longer stand the assaults of the 
Flemings, and in a short time 
the rout became general. Many 
French officers of high rank were 
taken prisoners, including the 
Marshal deThermes. The Spanish 
army had 500 slain. The British 
fleet of course escaped with im¬ 
punity ; but it was acknowledged 
by both the belligerent parties, 
that this victory, which led to the 
submission of France in a treaty 
of peace upon most inglorious 
terms, was mainly won by the 
opportune co-operation of the Bi'i- 
tish squadron. 

1694. DlEPrE BOMBARDED.- 

On the 8th July, Admiral Russel, 
in command of the British fleet, 
with four regiments on board, 
appeared before the town of 
Dieppe, for the purpose of bom¬ 
barding the place. Foul weather 
prevented the commencement of 
their operations till the 12th, 
when the bombardment com¬ 
menced, and was continued with 
great fury until the morning of 
the 13th. The streets being 
narrow and the houses old, the 
greater portion of the town was 
reduced to ruins. After inflicting 
this awful punishment upon the 


coast of France, and. according 
to one historian, having landed a 
small force and re-embarked with 
impunity, the English fleet hauled 
oft’, leaving the town still in 
flames. 

July 14. 

1563. The French were this 
day repulsed by the Earl of 
Warwick, in an attack upon one 
of the defences of Havre, the 
siege of which town, already 
mentioned in our Calendar, was 
still pertinaciously continued by 
the French and their new, and 
England’s old and faithless, al¬ 
lies— the Huguenots. 

1690. Reduction of St. Chris¬ 
topher’s. — The landing of an 
expedition against St. Chris¬ 
topher’s was noticed in our co¬ 
lumns for the 21st of June. The 
principal port of the island in 
Basse Terre was bombarded by a 
squadron of British frigates on 
the 26th; and after this demon¬ 
stration the land forces com¬ 
menced their approaches, which 
were carried on until the 11th of 
July, by which time the trenches 
were within pistol-shot of the 
fort. Meanwhile the besieged 
had thrown up many works of 
defence; but at length their means 
of communication with a well 
being cut off', and further resist¬ 
ance utterly useless, the island 
surrendered to Major-General 
Thornhill. The English lost 
about 100 men in killed and 
wounded. 

1763. Action at Cutwa.— 
A deputation was sent by the 
president and council of Calcutta 
to the Nabob Cossim Ali Cawn, 
at Patna, for the purpose of ar¬ 
ranging some commercial diffi¬ 
culties arising out of the condi¬ 
tions of a treaty. The immediate 
result of this embassy was a still 







July 15. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 203 


farther disagreement; and the 
Nabob, seizing some boats for 
the payment of port dues, Mr. 
Ellis, the resident at Patna, hav¬ 
ing troops at his command, after 
some resistance took possession 
of the town. But, on the follow¬ 
ing day, the Nabob, mustering 
a strong force, recaptured Patna, 
and the British forces were all 
either killed or taken prisoners, 
and Messrs. Amyot and Wollas¬ 
ton, of the deputation, were also 
killed on their road to Calcutta. 
In consequence of these outrages, 
Major Adams, with H. M.’s 84th 
regiment, 150 Europeans of the 
Company’s forces, two troops of 
European and one of native ca- 
calry, 10 companies of sepoys, 
with 12 guns, were ordered to 
take the field and proclaim a 
rival prince, Jaffier Ali Cawn, 
Nabob of Bengal. Six companies 
of sepoys, under Lieut. Glenn, 
having been attacked near Cutwa 
by a vast horde of the enemy’s 
cavalry, which they with difficulty 
repulsed, Major Adams sent 50 
European infantry and a troop 
of horse, three additional com¬ 
panies of sepoys, and two pieces 
of cannon, under command of 
Capt. Long, of H. M.’s 84 th regi¬ 
ment. These, uniting to the sup¬ 
port of Lieut. Glenn, made an 
attack upon the village of Cutwa 
on the 14th, and, after a sharp 
resistance, drove the enemy out 
of the plain, with considerable loss. 
Three guns abandoned by the 
enemy were found in the village. 

July 15. 

1099. Capture of Jerusa¬ 
lem. — Many English and some 
Irish shared in the capture of 
Jerusalem by the Crusaders on 
the 15th of July, 1099, when 
70,000 infidels were put to death. 
These soldiers of the Cross had 


followed Robert of Normandy to 
the Holy Land, and would obey 
no other orders but those of this 
Anglo-Norman Prince, the eldest 
son of William the Conqueror. 

1702. On the 15th of July, 
which was soon after intelligence 
reached the West Indies that war 
had been declared between Eng¬ 
land and France, an English fleet 
of twenty men-of-war and trans¬ 
ports, under Commodore Walk¬ 
er, appeared before the island of 
St. Christopher’s. Major General 
Hamilton, who commanded the 
troops on board, immediately 
sent a summons on shore; and, 
after some delay, the island ca¬ 
pitulated the same evening, the 
enemy evacuating and delivering 
up the post of the ravine of Guil- 
lon as a token of surrender. 
This proceeding much infuriated 
the Count de Guines, the go¬ 
vernor, who it appeared was not 
aware of the post having been 
given up; he, however, signed 
the capitulation on the following 
day, a petition for his compli¬ 
ance having been sent him by the 
inhabitants. The garrison, con¬ 
sisting of 250 men, were allowed 
to march out with the honours of 
war, and such inhabitants of the 
island as desired it, were sent to 
Martinico. 

1761. Action near Kirch 
Denckern. — Lord Granby, with 
the British contingent of the con¬ 
federate army, on the 15th of July 
was encamped on the heights of 
Kirch Denckern, forming the left 
of the allies. Here he was at¬ 
tacked in the evening by the 
French, driving in an outpost; 
but Granby holding the key of 
the confederate position, and 
being supported by the Prince of 
Anhalt’s troops and other divi¬ 
sions of the army under Prince 
Ferdinand of Brunswick, main¬ 
tained his ground, giving Gen. 






204 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 16. 


Wutgenau, with a corps of Ger¬ 
mans, orders to drive the French 
out of the woods. This was 
gallantly effected, and Granby’s 
important position secured for 
the night; Gen. Wutgenau hold¬ 
ing the ground he had taken 
from the French on the left of 
the British, and extending his 
position for the protection of the 
road to Ham, while Gen. Howard 
sent two battalions which occu¬ 
pied and barricadoed the village of 
Kirch Denckern, supporting them 
with a brigade of cavalry and an¬ 
other of infantry, underLords Pem¬ 
broke and Frederick Cavendish. 

1813. Siege of San Sebas¬ 
tian. —It being necessary for the 
prosecution of the siege of San 
Sebastian to seize upon the de¬ 
bouches of mountains towards 
Vera, on the 15th of July Wel¬ 
lington advanced the 7th light 
division of the allied army. The 
French, after making a slight 
resistance, withdrew their posts 
to the top of the Puerto de Vera, 
the allies taking possession of the 
heights overlooking Sara, and oc¬ 
cupying Vera and the heights 
above that town. On the same 
day the batteries of the left attack, 
aided by some howitzers, from 
the right of the Uramea, set the 
convent on fire, silenced the mus¬ 
ketry of the besieged, and so 
damaged the defences that the 
Portuguese attached to the 5th 
division were ordered to feel the 
enemy’s post. 

July 16. 

1710. Spanish Army defeated 
by General Stanhope. — Dur¬ 
ing the war in Spain, in which 
the English took part with King 
Charles against his rival Philip, 
Lieut.-General, afterwards the 
Earl of Stanhope, was, on the 
evening of the 16th of July, at 


the head of the allied army, with 
the enemy in its front, near the 
village of Almanara. Obtaining 
reluctant permission to make an 
attack upon the cavalry, the king 
asked him what general would 
command in so desperate an on¬ 
slaught. “ Who but I,” replied 
Stanhope, and led the British and 
Spanish horse against 22 squa¬ 
drons of Castilian cavalry, sup¬ 
ported by other brigades of horse, 
and 9 battalions of infantry. 
Charging at the head of sixteen 
squadrons of English dragoons, 
with six in reserve, he was met 
by the apparently overwhelming 
numbers in the midst of the field. 
The shock was tremendous, but 
the enemy speedily broke ground 
from left to right. King Philip’s 
guards were routed, losing a 
standard and some kettle-drums; 
and the squadron of support also 
fled. The infantry making little 
resistance, the British horsemen 
rode victoriously over the field, 
slaying numbers, until night 
closed upon the scene. The 
Spanish army continued their 
route for several successive days, 
closely pursued by the allies. 

1760. Action near Emsdorf. 
—The allies, commanded by Fer¬ 
dinand of Brunswick, consisting of 
Buckner’s hussars, Elliot’s English 
dragoons under Major Erskine, 
and other squadrons of cavalry, 
surprised and defeated a large 
body of French under Major-Gen. 
Glanbitz, in a defile of the moun¬ 
tains near the village of Emsdorf, 
in Germany: several battalions of 
the enemy laid down their arms, 
and 4 pieces of cannon were cap¬ 
tured. Many of the French were 
slain at the onset, and a great 
number of officers and men made 
prisoners, including the major- 
general and several officers of high 
rank. The loss of the allies was 
about 85 killed, and 95 wounded. 












July 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 205 


1761. French defeated near 
Kirch Denckern. — After the 
unsuccessful attempt made by the 
French upon Lord Granby’s camp 
mentioned in a previous column, 
the enemy concentrated their 
forces; and now commanded by 
Marshal de Broglio in person, 
prepared to attack the confede¬ 
rate army. Granby still held his 
camp ; while two battalions de¬ 
fended the village of Kirch Denck¬ 
ern, and Gen. Wutgenau main¬ 
tained the ground he had taken 
from the French the evening be¬ 
fore. The action commenced by 
an assault on the Germans here 
posted, but little impression was 
made upon them. The enemy then 
showed an intention of making 
for some elevated ground which 
commanded Lord Granby’s camp 
and the lines of the confederate 
army. To prevent this, a general 
advance was made of the allied 
forces, and, after a short resist¬ 
ance, the enemy gave way, re¬ 
treating in great confusion, with 
the loss of several pieces of can¬ 
non. Their less in killed, wounded, 
and prisoners, was estimated at 
more than 5000 men. Nine guns 
and six stands of colours fell into 
the hands of the confederates, 
whose total loss was only 300 
killed, 1000 wounded, and about 
200 made prisoners. 

July 17. 

1405. The castle of Marke, 
three leagues from Calais, held 
by the English, was beleaguered 
by the Earl of St. Paule, acting 
for the French, with 500 Genoese, 
1000 Flemings, and 500 men-at- 
arms. Sir Robert Aston at once 
came to the relief of the castle 
from the town of Calais, with a 
far inferior force; some historians 
say‘with only 200 archers and 
300 men-at-arms. With these 


troops he routed the besiegers; 
and St. Paule fled, having numbers 
slain, and leaving many nobles, 
knights, and men-at-arms pri¬ 
soners in the hands of the British. 

1695. Attack of Namur. — 
On the 8th of the month mention 
was made of the first success of 
the English against Namur. On 
the 17th of July, William III. of 
England still being with the army, 
which was under command of 
Lord Cutts, ordered an attack 
upon the counterscarp. The 
trenches having been pushed suf¬ 
ficiently near to afford a pro¬ 
bability of success, in the evening 
the attack commenced. The 
glacis was most obstinately de¬ 
fended by the besieged, but the 
English and their allies carried 
everything before them, and the 
counterscarp was gained. The 
loss to the besiegers was 700 in 
killed and wounded. The loss of the 
besieged could not be ascertained, 
but it was very considerable. 

1705. On 17th July the Duke 
of Marlborough at break of day 
surprised the French force at 
Hespen and Helexum, drove them 
from their fortified lines, and, 
having partly levelled them, 
enabled the cavalry to pass the 
barriers. Here they wei*e met by 
50 squadrons and 20 battalions, 
supported by eight pieces of can¬ 
non under the Marquis d’A llegre; 
but a gallant charge of British 
cavalry threw the enemy into 
some confusion, and a second 
charge entirely routed them, with 
severe loss ; and many prisoners 
fell into the hands of the victors. 

1709. Tournay, which had been 
invested since the 16th of June 
by the confederate army, sur¬ 
rendered to Marlborough and 
Prince Eugene on 17th July, the 
garrison retiring into the citadel. 

1812. The capture of the Fort 
of Michilemachinac by a com- 







206 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 18. 


bined force of English troops, 
Canadians, and native auxiliaries, 
under Capt. Roberts, was the first 
success of the British army in the 
war with America this year. 

1813. Convent op San Bar¬ 
tolomeo stormed. — Active 
operations against the convent 
and redoubt of San Bartolomeo, 
the advanced work or San Sebas¬ 
tian, commenced on the 10th 
July; and by the 15th, four bat¬ 
teries, mounting 20 heavy guns 
and four howitzers, were in full 
play from the sand-hills. On the 
17th, the convent being nearly in 
ruins, the assault was ordered to 
take effect. The storming party, 
under the direction of Major. - 
Gen. Oswald, was formed in two 
columns. Detachments of Wil¬ 
son’s Portuguese, supported by 
the light company of the 9th 
regiment and three companies of 
the royals under Major-Gen. Hay, 
composing the right, were to as¬ 
sail the redoubt; whilst the left, 
consisting of Portuguese and three 
companies of the 9 th regiment, 
under Col. Cameron, attacked 
the convent. The Portuguese 
advanced slowly, whilst the com¬ 
panies of the 9 th regiment, passing 
through them, fell upon the ene¬ 
my with the usual impetuosity of 
British soldiers. The French 
being driven from the redoubt 
by the fire of the batteries, Col. 
Cameron assaulted the convent 
and the houses of the suburb, 
which were carried after some 
sharp fighting. The troops in 
the right attack also gained the 
redoubt, but in an attempt upon 
the cask redoubt, were beaten 
back. The loss of the French 
was 240 men. The operation, 
although successful, was attended 
with considerable loss to the 
allies. The companies of the 
9th under Colonel Cameron had 
sixty men killed and wounded, 


including among the slain Capt. 
Woodman of the 9th regiment. 

July 18. 

1545. French Invasion of 
Sussex defeated. — A French 
fleet under Admiral Danebalte 
appeared on the coast of Sussex, 
and landed troops at Brighthelm- 
stone, to ravage the country. 
The beacons on the heights being 
fired, the country people came 
down upon the invaders, and be¬ 
fore they could inflict much in¬ 
jury beat them back, and many 
of them were slain before they 
could regain their ships. 

1794. During the siege of 
Calvi, in Corsica, the French being 
compelled on 6th of July to eva¬ 
cuate fort Mollinochesco, a heavy 
fire continued with little intermis¬ 
sion until the 18th of that month. 
The enemy’s batteries being 
considerably damaged, and a 
breach appealing practicable on 
the west side of the Mozello, 
which was a bomb-proof star fort, 
mounting ten guns, with a bat¬ 
tery of six on its right, flanked by 
a strong intrenchment, a general 
attack was ordered to take effect 
upon the outworks. An hour 
before daybreak a signal-gun 
being fired for the troops to ad¬ 
vance, Lieut.-Col. Moore, with the 
grenadiers and light infantry 
and 2nd battalion of the royals, 
covered by two pieces of artillery, 
moved towards the enemy with 
unloaded arms, and, in spite of a 
sharp opposition, carried the 
Mozello. At the same time 
Lieut.-Col. Wemyss, with the 
Royal Irish regiment, supported 
by two guns, gained the battery 
without firing a shot. 

1812. Action near Castre- 
jon. — Marmont having concen¬ 
trated his whole army at Nava 
del Rey, near the Duero river, on 







July 19. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 207 


17th of July, "Wellington direct¬ 
ed Bock’s, Le Marchant’s, and 
Alten’s brigades of cavalry to 
move to the support of the fourth | 
and light divisions, and Anson’s 
cavalry, posted on the Trabancos; 
whilst the fifth division remained 
at Torrecilla, six miles in rear of 
Castrejon. At daybreak on the 
18th, Cotton’s outpost having 
been driven in, the cavalry and 
light artillery immediately formed 
in front of the two infantry di¬ 
visions, the light division form¬ 
ing the right; but they were con¬ 
siderably apart, and separated by 
a ravine, while on the other side of 
a hill lay the whole French army. 
Cotton having pushed his cavalry 
forward towards the river, they 
soon became exposed to the ene¬ 
my’s artillery ; the 43rd regi¬ 
ment was therefore moved though 
Castrejon to their support. Cot¬ 
ton maintained this exposed posi¬ 
tion with firmness and skill until 
seven o’clock, when Wellington 
and Beresford arrived. At this 
moment a body of French ca¬ 
valry, making an impetuous rush, 
and intermingling with the British 
squadrons, went like a whirlwind 
down the hill, carrying away 
Lord Wellington and the other 
generals, who with drawn swords 
and some difficulty got clear of 
the tumult. Marmont now ad¬ 
vanced upon the Guarena, the 
British retiring by Torrecilla ; the 
5th division in one column on 
the left, the 4th division on the 
right, and the light division in 
line, nearer the enemy, whilst 
the cavalry were on the flanks 
and rear. Then -were seen the 
hostile columns only half musket- 
shot from each other, the officers 
on each side waving their hands 
in courtesy, while the German 
cavalry rode between in a com¬ 
pact body, as if to prevent a col¬ 
lision, but now and then the 


sound of bullets came sweeping 
over the columns. After thus 
moving for ten miles, the head of 
the division entered the stream of 
the Guarena between Osmo and 
Castrillo, and the whole had not 
reached the opposite bank before 
forty guns opened upon them from 
the heights. Marmont now push¬ 
ed the head of his right column 
over the river at Castrillo, but 
Wellington, anticipating this 
movement, brought up the other 
divisions of his army. The bri¬ 
gade of French cavalry under 
Carier, supported by a column of 
infantry, were repulsed by a bayo¬ 
net charge by the 4th and 40th 
regiments and Alten’s horsemen, 
and the general made prisoner. 
The enemy’s loss amounted to 
500 killed and wounded ; and on 
the part of the allies, 95 killed, 
393 Avounded. 

July 19. 

1 333. Battle of Hallidoavne 
Hill. — Edward III., king of 
England, espousing the cause of 
Baliol against Bruce, laid siege 
to the town of Berwick. To re¬ 
lieve that place, Douglas, with 
a large army, arrived at Bothville, 
near Hallidowne Hill, on Monday 
19th July, and drew up his forces 
in four divisions. The English 
formed in the same manner upon 
the hill, flanked by archers. The 
Scotch ascended to the attack 
with great impetuosity; but the 
flight of arrows and large stones 
rolled down upon them, and their 
general being killed, they became 
dispirited. Edward, then putting 
himself at the head of his men, 
surrounded the enemy, and a 
horrible carnage ensued. Up¬ 
wards of 13,000 fell in the battle 
and in the pursuit , while a com- 
paratively small number suffered 
on the part of the English. The 















208 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 20. 


town and castle of Berwick sur¬ 
rendered on the following day. 

1762. Siege of the Havan- 
nah.— About noon on 19th July, 
the British, at the siege of the 
Havannah, took possession of the 
covered way before the point of 
the right bastion of the Moro 
castle, and the former sap was 
carried on at night, and another 
begun along the covered way be¬ 
fore the right face, where a lodg¬ 
ment was made. 

1763. Army of Cassim Ali 
Cawn routed. — In consequence 
of the treacherous murder of se¬ 
veral of our countrymen at Moor- 
shedabad, by order of Nabob 
Cassim Ali Cawn, lately in alli¬ 
ance with the English, Major 
Adams, with H. M.’s 84th regi¬ 
ment, 150 of the Company’s ser¬ 
vice, two troops of cavalry, and 
10 companies of sepoys, took the 
field in the early part of July. 
On the 19th this force attacked 
the Nabob’s army, which was 
intrenched with several pieces 
of cannon on their right, whilst 
their left was protected by marshy 
ground, and opposite to them 
was the fort of Cutwa; but a 
movement on their left made 
them alter their whole position. 
At this moment 2500 Patna horse, 
with 1000 sepoys, attacked the 
British with great resolution, 
advancing under a heavy fire 
until they had reached within 
fifty yards, when a discharge of 
grape and musketry put them to 
flight, leaving all their cannon. 
They were pursued by the cavalry, 
who made great slaughter, and 
the fort of Patna fell into our pos¬ 
session. Between 7000 and 8000 
men were slain, including their 
commanding officer Mahomeed 
Zuchy Cawn. 

1807. Action near Monte 
Video.—A landing having been 
effected on 19th July by the Bri¬ 


tish without opposition, in a 
small bay about nine miles from 
Monte Video, the troops moved 
towards the town. The right 
column, under the Brigadier-Gen. 
Lumley, was soon opposed by 
four thousand cavalry, occupying 
two heights, one in front and the 
other on the left. The Spaniards 
opened a fire of round and grape 
as the troops came within range ; 
but a gallant charge by the light 
battalion under Lieut.-Colonel 
Brownrigg drove the enemy, and 
they retreated with the loss of 
one of their guns. 

July 20. 

1 304. Surrender of Stirling 
Castle. — On this day Stirling 
Castle surrendered at discretion 
to Edward I., after having held 
out since it was beleaguered on 
the 22nd April; its fortifications 
being almost a heap of ruins, and 
the provisions of the garrison 
exhausted. Sir William Oliphant 
was the gallant defender of this 
last bulwark of Scotland, which 
now was entirely subjected to 
Edward. 

1702. Reduction of Graven- 
brock. — The Duke of Marlbo¬ 
rough, when commanding the 
allied army in Holland, directed 
Lord Cutts to proceed with a 
detachment, accompanied by some 
field-pieces and two howitzers, to 
attack the castle of Gravenbrock, 
garrisoned by the French. In 
the course of a few hours this 
little fortress, which in Milner’s 
Journal of the Campaign is called 
the Chateau , surrendered at dis¬ 
cretion. The loss on either side 
was very trifling. 

1791. Surrender of Raya- 
cotta. — The strong hill-fort of 
Rayacotta was invested by the 
brigade of Major Gowdie on the 
19th July, and a summons for its 







July 21. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 209 


surrender being refused by the 
killidar, the major-general, on 
the morning of the 20th, carried 
the lower fort by assault, and 
soon afterwards gained possession 
of two walls, which formed a 
middle fort between the lower 
and the one on the summit of the 
high precipitous rock. Rayacotta 
was much too strong to be re¬ 
duced, if properly defended, and 
Gowdie was ordered to fall back 
if it did not surrender ; but he had 
by this time made a lodgment 
on the hill, and requested further 
assistance. Two more breaching 
guns were therefore sent to him, 
with a regiment, on the 22nd, 
and the main army making at 
the same time a demonstration 
of advancing to his support, the 
killidar surrendered. 

July 21. 

1403. Battle of Shrews¬ 
bury. — Thomas Percie, Earl of 
Worcester, and Harry Percie, sur- 
named Hotspur, having rebelled 
against Henry IV., leagued with 
Owen Glendower to divide the 
kingdom of England between 
Edmund, Earl of March, and the 
said Glendower, and Earl Percie; 
— being assisted by a large body 
of Welsh, and of Scotch, under the 
Earl of Douglas, who had only 
lately ransomed himself out of 
Percie’s hands, having lost an 
eye when taken prisoner at the 
battle of Holmedon. These to¬ 
gether forming a large army, 
were about to lay siege to Shrews¬ 
bury, and having assembled their 
forces near that place, were at¬ 
tacked by the English army, 
commanded by Henry in person. 
After some little negotiation had 
taken place, which on the part of 
the Percies was highly insulting 
to the king, the battle commenced 
by a cloud of arrows, shot on both 


sides, and the van of the English 
was boldly assailed by the Scotch. 
The Welsh, who had remained 
under cover of the surrounding 
woods and marshes until the strife 
had well begun, now poured out 
fresh men to the support of the 
Percies, who had also received 
considerable reinforcements from 
Cheshire and other English coun¬ 
ties. At the onset, the battle 
went against the royal party; but 
Henry arriving with a formid¬ 
able reserve, and leading on his 
soldiers with the cry of “ St. 
George,” threw the rebel force 
into disorder ; then, following up 
this success, the enemy gave 
way at all points. In vain did 
Harry Percie perform many acts 
of heroism, charging with the 
Scotch, under the Earl of Dou¬ 
glas, up to the king, who had 
nearly become his prisoner. But 
there were those who stood firmly 
round their sovereign; and, at 
this critical moment, when the 
Earl of Stafford, and the royal 
standard-bearer, Sir Walter 
Blunt, had fallen, Henry was 
unhurt, although he was seen 
everywhere in the thickest of the 
fight; while his son, who in after 
years became the renowned con¬ 
queror of France, fought by his 
side, and though wounded in the 
face by an arrow, kept the field 
and performed astonishing acts of 
valour ; whilst on the other side, 
Hotspur supported the renown he 
had acquired in many a well fought 
field, and 2300 gentlemen, with 
6000 private soldiers were slain on 
this memorable day. Henry’s 
loss amounted to 1600 killed, and 
above 3000 wounded. The rebel 
Percie lost above 4000, including 
most of the knights and squires 
of Cheshire. 

1545. After the repulse of the 
French on the coast of Sussex, 
the fleet, said to be two hundred 


F 






210 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 22. 


sail, under Adm. Danebalte, ap¬ 
peared off the Isle of Wight on 
the 20th, and the English navy in 
Portsmouth harbour made, im¬ 
mediate preparations to attack 
the enemy. The Mary Rose, one of 
the largest ships, passing from the 
harbour with her lower-deck ports 
open, which were not more than 
sixteen inches from the water, was 
overset in a squall ; only 40 out of 
a crew of 400 being saved. On 
the 21st, the French made several 
attempts to land on the Isle of 
Wight, hut were repulsed with 
the loss of their commander, the 
Chevalier Daux, and a great 
number of men. The remnant 
having regained their ships, the 
fleet returned to the coast of 
France. 

July 22. 

1298. Battle of Falkirk.— 
Notwithstanding the terms of sub¬ 
mission entered into by the Scotch, 
with Edwai'd I. of England, in 
1297, they revolted before the ex¬ 
piration of twelve months, and took 
the field under Sir William Wal¬ 
lace. Edward having assembled 
an army of 90,000 men, mai'ched 
to Falkirk, where a Scotch foi'ce 
of 30,000 men had assembled. 
He found them with palisades in 
their front, drawn up in three 
divisions of pikemen, with archers 
on their flanks, and the horsemen 
in the rear. Edward having made 
his dispositions of attack, oi*dex'ed 
the chai’ge to be sounded, which 
was answered by the Scots with 
such a hideous yell, that the king’s 
horse, being frightened, threw his 
rider ; but the monarch, remount¬ 
ing, led his troops with such im¬ 
petuosity, that the enemy soon 
gave way. Wallace maintained 
the fight until darkness set in, 
when he accomplished a retreat 
with the remainder of his force, 
leaving 12,000 dead on the field ; 


whilst the victorious army did not 
lose 100 men. 

1812. Battle of Salamanca. 
— The position of the hostile ar¬ 
mies on 22nd July embi*aced an 
oval basin formed by ranges of 
hills that rose like an amphithe- 
atre, of which the two Arapiles 
rocks, occupied respectively by 
troops of either nation, might be 
considered the door-posts. This 
basin was about a mile broad from 
north to south, and above two 
miles long from east to west. The 
allies were in position on the 
northern and western, whilst the 
French right was posted on the 
eastern heights; and their left, 
composed of Thomieres’ division, 
with the artilleiy and light cavalry, 
were moving along the southern 
side of the basin. About 3 o'clock 
in the afteimoon, Wellington, per¬ 
ceiving that the enemy’s left wing 
was entirely separated from the 
centre, directed an immediate at¬ 
tack on that point by the troops 
on the English Arapiles. The 
5th division instantly formed on 
the right of the 4th, connecting 
the latter with Bradford’s Por¬ 
tuguese, who hastened forward 
from the right, and the heavy 
cavalry galloping on their right, 
closed this front of the battle. 
The 6th and 7th divisions, flank¬ 
ed on the right by Anson’s 
light cavalry, formed the second 
line, which was prolonged by the 
Spaniards towards the 3rd divi¬ 
sion ; and this last, supported by 
two squadrons of the 14th dra¬ 
goons, and D’Urban’s Portuguese 
horsemen, forced the extreme 
right of the army. Behind all, 
on the highest ground, the fii'st 
and light divisions of Pack’s 
Portuguese wei'e disposed in 
heavy masses as a reserve. Mar- 
mont, perceiving from the Ara¬ 
piles the determined advance of 
the 3rd division under Paken- 






July 22. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


211 


ham, hurried towards the point of 
attack, and was severely wounded 
by an exploding shell. About 5 
o’clock this division became en¬ 
gaged with the French left, under 
Thomieres, at a moment when 
that general expected to see the 
British in retreat upon Ciudad 
Rodrigo, closely followed by 
Marmont from the Arapiles. The 
enemy, under cover of their artil¬ 
lery, endeavoured to display a 
front; but Pakenham bearing 
onwards through the skirmishers, 
broke their half-formed lines, and 
sent the whole in confusion upon 
the advancing supports. Tho¬ 
mieres, falling back upon the 
wooded heights whilst he offered 
a front towards the 3rd division, 
prepared to meet the 5t,h divi¬ 
sion, Bradford’s brigade, and the 
main body of cavalry and ar¬ 
tillery. Meanwhile Bonet’s 
troops were sharply engaged 
with the 4th division, whilst 
Maucune kept his menacing po¬ 
sition behind the Arapiles. At 
this^ period the command had 
fallen upon Gen. Clauzel, whose 
division had come up from the 
forest, and the connection of the 
centre and left, had in some 
measure been restored. Thus, in 
less than half an hour, and be¬ 
fore an order of battle had been 
formed by the enemy, their left 
had been turned, and their com¬ 
mander-in-chief, with two other 
generals, placed hors tie combat. 
The 3rd and 5th divisions were 
pressing forward on the corps of 
Thomieres, united to that of Clau¬ 
zel, when Le Marchant’s heavy 
horsemen, flanked by Anson’s 
light cavalry, broke forth at full 
speed ; twelve hundred infantry, 
though formed in several lines, 
were trampled down, and the 3rd 
division followed, shouting, as the 
French masses fell before their 
powerful antagonists. The ene¬ 


my’s left was entirely broken, and 
more than 2000 prisoners were 
taken. While these events were 
passing on the right, a terrible 
battle raged in the centre. The 
4th and 5th divisions, moving in 
line, were sharply engaged with 
the corps of Bonet and Clau¬ 
zel ; and the latter officer, by an 
able disposition, had not only 
concentrated the dispersed corps, 
but attempted to stem the tide of 
victory. Pack’s Portuguese be¬ 
ing defeated in an attempt to 
drive the enemy from the Ara¬ 
piles, gave a moment’s exulta¬ 
tion to the French, and several 
gallant affairs took place with the 
4th and 5th divisions. The crisis 
of the battle had now arrived : 
the charge of the Cth division was 
overpowering, but the struggle was 
not a slight one, and hundreds 
of gallant warriors fell on either 
side. At length the changing 
current of the fight once more 
set for the British. Maucune 
abandoned the Arapiles, Foy re¬ 
tired from the ridge of Colvariza, 
and whilst the Allies maintained 
their ground, that gallant officer 
had an oppoi'tunity of distin¬ 
guishing himself, when, in cover¬ 
ing the retreat of the French 
army, he became opposed to the 
4th and 6th divisions of the Bri¬ 
tish. 

Forces present at the battle of 
Salamanca, 22nd July 1813: — 
Allies. 

British cavalry - 3,314 

„ infantry - 22,067 

- 25,381 

Portuguese cavalry 1,500 
„ infantry 16,017 

-17,517 

Spanish cavalry - 500 

„ infantry - 3,000 

- 3,500 


Total Allies - 46,398 

















212 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 23. 


The French consisted of 46,000 
men, 4029 of whom, were killed, 
7761 wounded, 645 missing. 

Total 12,435 
Allies. 

British killed, wounded, 

and missing - - 3,186 

Allies „ - - 2,038 


Total - 5,224 


July 23. 

1695. Siege of Namur. — 
During the siege of Namur an 
assault was made on the covered 
way between the Porte de Fer 
and the bastion of St. Roche. 
The 1st battalion of 1st or royal 
regiment, formed part of the 
storming party, which, after a 
sharp contest, succeeded in effect¬ 
ing a lodgment. 

1812. Affair at La Serna. 
— During the few hours of dark¬ 
ness which succeeded the battle 
of Salamanca, Gen. Clauzel had 
with wonderful diligence passed 
the Tormes, and at daylight on 
the 23rd was in full retreat upon 
Peneranda, pursued by the vic¬ 
torious army under Wellington, 
who came upon the French rear 
near the village of La Serna. 
Two battalions threw themselves 
into squares when attacked by 
Brock’s dragoons ; and although 

the Germans fell bv tens and 

* 

twenties under the steady fire of 
the enemy, the rest kept together, 
and, rushing on the column, 
went clean through it; and, as 
the squares retreated, several 
hundred prisoners were made by 
these daring horsemen. “ This 
charge had been successful even 
to wonder, and the joyous vic¬ 
tors, standing in the midst of 
their captains, and of thousands 
of admiring friends, seemed in¬ 
vincible ; yet those who witnessed 
the scene remained convinced of 


this military truth, that cavalry 
are not able to cope with veteran 
infantry, save by surprise.”* When 
the French main body found their 
rear-guard attacked, they turned 
to its succour; but seeing the 
light division coming up, recom¬ 
menced the retreat, and were 
followed to Nostra de Sotraval. 
Chauvel’s horsemen soon joined 
them, and covered the rear with 
such resolute perseverance that 
the allied cavalry, reduced in 
numbers and fatigued bv con- 
tinual fighting, did not make any 
further attempts to stay their 
progress. Thus Clauzel carried 
his army clear off, and with such 
celerity that his head-quarters 
were that night at Flores de Avila, 
forty miles from the field of battle. 

1839. Ghuznee carried by 
storm. —The army under Major- 
Gen. Sir John Keane left Can- 
dahar on 27th June to assail 
the celebrated fortress of Ghuz¬ 
nee. This fort, rising upon the 
side of a hill, was surrounded by 
a ditch and a high wall, flanked 
by towers and protected by a 
citadel. A heavy fire was opened 
from it on the British troops as 
soon as they came within range. 
As no heavy artillery suitable for 
a siege accompanied the army, 
it was resolved to take the place 
by storm, and the whole of the 
22nd July was spent in making 
preparations. By three o’clock, 
on the morning of the 23rd, the 
detachments Avere at their re¬ 
spective posts, and the guns, 
principally field-pieces, at points 
commanding the eastern face as 
well as the Cabul-gate of the for¬ 
tress. Not a shot was fired by 
the Afghans until they were 
aroused from their security by 
a feigned attack on the opposite 
quarter. The storming party, 
under Col. Dennie, having ap- 
* Napier. 













July 24. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 213 


proached the Cabul-gate, opened 
a tire upon the ramparts, which 
commanded the entrance, and, 
bags of powder being attached 
to the gates, burst them open. 
The British instantly rushed into 
the town, where the Afghans dis¬ 
puted the ground inch by inch. 
Every street was strewn with 
slain ; and of the garrison, which 
consisted of 3500 men, more 
than 500 Avere killed within the 
Avails, and 50 men fell in defence 
of a fortified house. Before sun¬ 
rise the British colours AvaA'ed 
on the citadel of Ghuznee. Pro¬ 
tection Avas granted to such as 
laid doA\ r n their arms, and among 
the prisoners was Ryder Khan, 
son of Dost Mohammed. 

July 24. 

1763. Lines of Mootejil 
stormed. — On the breaking out 
of hostilities between the English 
and Meer Cossim Ali, in Bengal, 
a corps of 750 Europeans and 
1200 sepoys, and some native 
caA r alry, under command of Major 
Adams, marched against him on 
2nd July, and after the victory 
gained over the Nabob’s troops, 
as avc have related on the 19th, 
the same force stormed the lines 
at Mootejil on the 24th, which 
gave the English possession of 
Moorshedabad. 

1759. Reduction of fort 
Tjconderago. — In the early 
part of June, an army of 6300 
men, Avith 5000 provincials, com¬ 
manded by Major-Gen. Amherst, 
assembled at fort Edward, and 
on the 11th moA r ed to the banks 
of lake George, Avhere they em- 
camped until the 16th July, when, 
having embarked and moA r ed 
doAvn tOAvards Ticonderago, on 
the 22nd the troops effected a 
landing in perfect order. As the 
army advanced, they soon be- ! 


came engaged Avith the outposts 
of the enemy, which they soon 
routed; and having reached to 
within two miles of the fort, the 
general took up a position until 
the artillery arrived up. The 
governor, knowing that his lines 
could not hold out against this 
formidable force, on the 23rd 
abandoned his intrenchments and 
retired within the fortifications. 
The fort Avas square, with four 
bastions, surrounded on three 
sides by water, and on half the 
fourth by a swamp; and where 
that failed, the French had erect¬ 
ed a breastwork nine feet high. 
Near the Avater-side Avas a strong 
redoubt, protecting the dock and 
commanding the navigation. The 
grenadiers having taken posses¬ 
sion of the intrenchments, on the 
24th a sharp fire was opened 
upon them from the fort, but 
with little effect; and every ne¬ 
cessary step Avas taken to hasten 
the reduction of the place. 

1759. French defeated near 
Detroit. — Lieut.-Col. Massey, 
acting under the orders of Sir 
Wm. Johnson, with the light 
infantry pickets of the line, two 
companies of grenadiers, part of 
the 46th regiment, and a party 
of Indians, were attacked by the 
French in considerable force col¬ 
lected from Detroit and Preque- 
isle, together with a body of 
Indians, the Avhole under com¬ 
mand of Aubrey de Signery. 
The British, Avith the Indians on 
their flank, gave the enemy such 
a warm reception that in the 
course of an hour the Avhole force 
was routed, and their com¬ 
mander, Avith other officers and 
many men, taken prisoners. 

1812. Skirmish near Ribera. 
—After Gen. Drouet’s retreat to 
Azagua in Estrcmadura, General 
Hill placed a strong division at 
Merida ready to cross the Tagus. 

y O 











214 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 25. 


On the 24th July Gen.Lallemand, 
with three regiments of cavalry, 
having pushed back some Por¬ 
tuguese horsemen from Ribera 
to Villa Franca, was attacked 
by Major-Gen. Long, while' his 
left was menaced by Gen. Slade ; 
but he succeeded in repassing the 
defile of Ribera. Long then 
turned both his flanks, and, by 
the aid of Lefebre’s horse artil¬ 
lery, drove him a distance of 
twenty miles upon Llera, with 
the loss of fifty men and many 
horses. Drouet, desirous to re¬ 
taliate, immediately executed a 
flank inarch towards Merida, 
and Hill, fearing for his detach¬ 
ments there, made a correspond¬ 
ing movement, whereupon the 
French returned to the Serena; 
but though Drouet had positive 
orders from Soult to give battle, 
no action followed. 

July 25., 

1813. Battle of Ronces- 
valles. — Soult, putting himself 
at the head of Clauzel’s divisions 
at daylight on 25th of July, led 
them up against the rocks of Alto- 
biscas ; whilst Gen. Byng, antici¬ 
pating this movement, had taken 
measures to concentrate his troops. 
Throwing out a multitude of 
skirmishers, the marshal pushed 
forward his supporting columns 
and guns as fast as the steep¬ 
ness of the road would per¬ 
mit, and endeavoured to force 
Byng’s position; but the British, 
undismayed by the number of the 
assailants, fought with great de¬ 
termination. The French fell 
fast among the rocks, and their 
rolling musketry pealed in vain 
for hours, along that cloudy field 
of battle, elevated five thousand 
feet above the level of the plains. 
About midday, the French, being 
reinforced, renewed their attack, 


gathering more thickly on the 
front of Byng. All their efforts 
were resisted ; and Ross’s bri¬ 
gade coming up the pass of 
Mendichure, appeared at the in¬ 
stant when the head of Reille’s 
column was on the point of cut¬ 
ting off the communication with 
Campbell, who had apprised Ge¬ 
neral Cole of the enemy’s pre¬ 
sence. Ross’s column, composed 
of a wing of the 20th regiment 
and a company of Brunswickers, 
was on the summit of the Lin- 
douz, when it unexpectedly en¬ 
countered Reille’s advanced 
guard. A company of the 20th 
charged the 6th French light 
infantry; many men fell on 
both sides, but numbers prevail¬ 
ing, these daring soldiers were 
compelled to fall back. But 
Ross gained bis object ; for the 
remainder of the brigade arriving 
up, the pass of Atalosti was se¬ 
cured, yet with a loss of 140 men 
of the 20th regiment and 41 of 
the Brunswickers. During these 
movements the skirmishing of 
the light troops continued, but a 
thick fog prevailing, Soult was 
prevented from making disposi¬ 
tions fora general attack with his 
six divisions; and when night fell, 
Cole, who had only eleven thou¬ 
sand bayonets to oppose thirty 
thousand, still held the great chain 
of the mountains, with a loss of 
only 380 men killed and wounded. 

1813. Battle of Maya. — 
The passes of Aretisque Les- 
sepa and Maya, held by the bri¬ 
gades of Pringle and Cameron, 
not exceeding 3000 men, were 
attacked by D ’Erlon,whose whole 
force amounted to 18,000. The 
j French numbers were so over¬ 
powering that, checked at one 
point, they assembled with in¬ 
creased force at another, compel¬ 
ling the 28th and 39th regiments, 
j fighting desperately, to fall back on 










July 26 . CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 215 


the road to Elizondo. Cameron 
meanwhile,whilst holding the pass 
of Maya with the left wings of the 
71st and 92nd regiments, brought 
their right wings and the Portu¬ 
guese guns into action, and thus 
maintained the fight. The slaugh¬ 
ter was so dreadful, especially of 
the 92nd, that the advancing 
enemy was actually stopped by the 
heaped mass of the dead and the 
dying ; and then “ the left wing 
of that noble regiment coming 
down from the higher ground, 
smote wounded friends and ex¬ 
ulting foes alike, as, mingled to¬ 
gether, they stood or crawled be¬ 
fore its wrath.”* The French 
gained ground until 6 o’clock, 
when Gen. Barnes, with a brigade 
of the 7th division arriving from 
Echallar, charged at the head of 
the 6th regiment, and drove the 
enemy back to the Maya ridge. 
D’Erlon, probably supposing that 
greater reinforcements had come 
up, reunited his whole corps on 
the Col. He had lost fifteen hun¬ 
dred men and a general, but had 
captured four guns. The British 
lost fourteen hundred in killed 
and wounded. 


July 26. 

1758. Reduction of Louis¬ 
bourg. — An expedition for the 
reduction of the French colony of 
Louisbourg, or Cape Breton, com¬ 
posed of 21 ships of the line, two 
of 50 guns, and several smaller 
vessels, with 150 transports, con¬ 
veying an army of 11,936 men, 
commanded by Major-General 
Amherst, arrived at Halifax on 
the 9th of May. On the 8th of 
June, the first division under Bri¬ 
gadier Wolfe, effected a landing 
in Gabarus bay, in spite of a de- 

* Napier. 


termined opposition, and drove 
the enemy into Louisbourg, leav¬ 
ing several pieces of cannon in 
the hands of the invaders. The 
weather continued so unfavour¬ 
able, that the surf would not ad¬ 
mit of the total debarkation of 
the troops until the 11th, when 
effectual dispositions where made 
for the reduction of the place. 
The garrison of Louisbourg at 
that time consisted of 2500 regu¬ 
lars, 350 Canadians, and 300 mi¬ 
litia. In the harbour were five 
sail of the line, one ship of 50 
guns, four frigates, and two cor¬ 
vettes. On the 13th, the enemy 
made a sortie to destroy the 
works we had erected, but were 
driven back with loss. The can¬ 
nonade from the town, island, 
and the ships, was maintained 
until the 25th, when the island 
battery was silenced. On the 
29th, in order to retard the opera¬ 
tions by preventing the possibility 
of the fleet entering the harbour, 
the French sank the 50-gun ship 
Apollon, a frigate, and the two 
corvettes, at the entrance. On the 
12th of July, the enemy made 
another sortie, and were again 
driven into their lines, with the 
loss of 30 men. The firing con¬ 
tinued with vigour on both sides, 
until the 21st, when the explosion 
of the 74-gun ship Entreprenant 
causing the destruction of the 
Celebre and Capricieux, 64s, 
the French became dispirited. 
By the 25th, the fate of the be¬ 
sieged seemed determined, and 
the garrison being sadly dis¬ 
couraged by the capture of the 
remaining two ships, as related 
in our Naval column, terms of 
capitulation were proposed oil 
the 26th, which being rejected, 
the Governor, after some hesita¬ 
tion, submitted to the stipulation 
that the garrison should be con¬ 
veyed to England as prisoners of 














216 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 27. 


war. The casualties during the 
siege of Louisbourg were 

Killed. Wounded. 


Officers 

12 

24 

Non-commis¬ 



sioned do. 

10 

/ 

Rank and file - 

150 

320 


172 

35l 

Total 

• 

- 


1793. Siege op Valenciennes. 
—A successful attack was made 
during the night on the horn- 
work of the fortifications of Va¬ 
lenciennes, in which the assail¬ 
ants established themselves. Three 
attacks, with 900 men in each, 
were formed; one upon the salient 
angle of the ravelin of the horn- 
work, one upon the salient angle 
of the half bastion upon the right, 
and one upon the jieehe. The 
column which moved towards 
the ravelin was composed of Bri¬ 
tish, Hanoverian, and Hessian 
troops, the other two consisted of 
Austrians, and the advance was 
formed by 150 men of the bri¬ 
gade of guards, followed by 150 
of the line, with an equal number 
of Hanoverians, — and 300 Hes¬ 
sians composed the rest of the 
column; and these were accom¬ 
panied by a party of the artificers. 
This attack was commanded by 
Major-General Abercromby, un¬ 
der the directions of the Austrian 
Lieutenant-General Erbach. The 
springing of the three globes of 
compression, as the signal for 
the attack, took place at short 
intervals; the first fired at nine 
o’clock. The two columns upon 
the left advanced with rapidity, 
rushing out of the sap which had 
been carried during the preced¬ 
ing nights to within a very small 
distance of the crest of the glacis. 
The enemy,almost instantaneously 
driven from the covered way, 
abandoned the horn-work and all 
the outworks of the place. A 


passage having been discovered 
leading under-ground from the 
ditch into the work, and no op¬ 
position being made, the lodg¬ 
ment was effected before daylight, 
when the troops remained in pos¬ 
session ; whilst the attack of the 
jieehe upon the right was com¬ 
pleted with equal vigour and suc¬ 
cess. The total loss of the com¬ 
bined forces upon the occasion 
did not exceed 150 in killed and 
wounded. The enemy had many 
killed, and some prisoners were 
taken. 

July 27. 

1346. Caen taken. — Edward 
III. having invaded France, over¬ 
ran Normandy, and after reduc¬ 
ing Barfleur, Cherbourg, Mont- 
bourg, and St. Lo, proceeded to 
attack Caen. The Comte d’Eu, 
Constable of France, at the head 
of a numerous army, moved for¬ 
ward to meet the English, and 
having given them battle, was 
speedily defeated. The victo¬ 
rious army vigorously pursuing 
the fugitives, entered the town 
with them, and plundered the 
place, after much opposition. In 
consequence of the excesses 
committed by the elated troops, 
Edward proclaimed that those 
who submitted should have their 
lives spared: upon this assurance 
the citizens laid down their arms. 

1799. The marines of the Bri¬ 
tish squadron at Naples, under 
Lieut.-Colonel Strickland, in con¬ 
junction with Portuguese and 
Russian troops under the direc¬ 
tion of Capt. Troubridge of the 
navy, having taken up a position 
for the reduction of the fortress 
of Capua, on which 108 pieces of 
artillery were mounted, a bridge 
was thrown across the Volturno 
on the 22nd of July, to establish 
a communication between the dif- 










July 28. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 217 


ferent detachments of the army, 
and batteries thrown up, which 
opened their fire on the 25th. 
On the 26th fresh trenches were 
opened, and new batteries com¬ 
menced within a few yards of the 
glacis. This rapid approach in¬ 
duced the enemy to propose terms 
of capitulation, which being re¬ 
fused, the French general acceded 
to the stipulation that the garri¬ 
son of Capua should not serve 
until regularly exchanged ; and 
that force, consisting of 199 of¬ 
ficers and 2618 non-commis¬ 
sioned officers and rank and file, 
under Brigadier-Gen. Girardon, 
marched out with the honours of 
war on the 29th, and were con¬ 
veyed to Toulon. 

1809. Action near Talavera. 
—Marshal Victor, observing that 
the summit of the hill on the left 
of the British army before Tala- 
vera, which was the keystone of 
the whole position, remained un¬ 
occupied, resolved to seize it by 
a sudden assault. The evening 
was approaching when the divi¬ 
sion of Ruffin moved to the at¬ 
tack, susported by Villatte, while 
Lapisse was to fall on the Ger¬ 
man legion. Although opposed 
by the brigade of Donkin, until 
compelled by the increasing num¬ 
bers of his opponents to fall back, 
the French gained the summit; 
but Hill, putting himself at the 
head of the 29th regiment, drove 
the enemy with the bayonet. 
Having re-formed in one mass, 
the French advanced up the hill 
with redoubled vigour. The 
fighting then became desperate ; 
and in the darkness, the opposing 
flashes showed with what a reso¬ 
lute spirit the struggle was main¬ 
tained; for the combatants were 
scarcely twenty yards asunder. 
For a* time the event seemed 
doubtful; but soon the well-known 
shout of the British soldier was 


heard, rising above the din of arms, 
and the enemy’s broken troops 
were driven once more into the 
ravine below. Lapisse, who had 
made some impression upon the 
German legion,immediately aban¬ 
doned his false attack, and all 
firing soon ceased. The loss of 
the British was about 800 men, 
and that of the French not less 
than 1000. 

1813. Action of the 27th of 
July. —Early on the morning of 
the 27th of July, Wellington ob¬ 
serving from the village of Sauro- 
ren Clauzel’s divisions movingfrom 
Zabaldica along the crest of the 
mountain, was convinced that the 
allied troops in the valley of Lanz 
were intercepted. Giving imme¬ 
diate directions for everything in 
that valley to move to the right 
behind the hills, to the village of 
Oricain, in rear of the position 
then held by Cole’s division, his 
lordship hastened up the mountain 
to reach his troops. “ His pre¬ 
sence ” observes Napier, “ was 
hailed with a cry of joy, and the 
shrill clamour, caught up by suc¬ 
cessive regiments, swelled as it ran 
along the line into that stern 
and appalling shout which the 
British soldier is wont to give 
upon the edge of battle, and 
which no enemy ever heard un¬ 
moved.” Sou It’s first effort was 
to gain a hill on which the 4th 
Portuguese regiment and a Spa¬ 
nish corps were posted; but the 
attack, though vigorous, did not 
succeed. The French were driven 
with the bayonet, and the position 
reinforced by the 40th British re¬ 
giment. 

July 28. 

1809. Action on the Morning 
of 28th July. — The corps of 
Gen. Ruffin, drawn up two regi¬ 
ments abreast, supported by a 















218 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 28. 


third, in columns of battalions, 
moved soon after daybreak 
against the left of the British in 
front of Talavera, followed by 
Villatte’s division, preceded by a 
burst of artillery, that, rattling 
round the heights, made great 
havoc in the English ranks. The 
guns being next directed towards 
the British centre and right, the 
grenadiers instantly closed upon 
Gen. Hill’s division, and the con¬ 
flict was maintained with singular 
obstinacy; the general himself 
was wounded, and his men were 
falling fast. The enemy, who 
had suffered considerably, re¬ 
treated slowly at first; but, unable 
to sustain the increasing fury of 
the English, and having lost above 
fifteen hundred men in the space 
of forty minutes, the whole mass 
broke away in disorder, and re¬ 
turned to the former position, 
under cover of their powerful ar¬ 
tillery. At this crisis, when a 
great battle was at hand, the 
Spanish camp was full of con¬ 
fusion. Cuesta inspired terror 
but no confidence ; and Albu¬ 
querque, just as the French were 
coming on to the final attack, sent 
an officer to apprise the com¬ 
mander-in-chief that Cuesta was 
betraying him; but Wellington, 
on receiving this startling mes¬ 
sage, dryly replied, “Very well, 
you may return to your brigade.” 

1809. Battle of Talavera.— 
It was about half-past one o’clock 
when Victor gave the signal for 
battle, and eighty pieces of artil¬ 
lery sent a tempest of bullets be¬ 
fore the light troops, who, coming 
swiftly forward, were closely fol¬ 
lowed by the broad black columns 
in all the majesty of war. The 
fourth corps rushed with the 
wonted impetuosity of French 
soldiers on Campbell’s Portu¬ 
guese; but that general, assisted 
by Mackenzie’s brigade and by 


two Spanish battalions, met the 
advancing columns with loud 
shouts, and pushed them back 
with a terrible carnage. They 
rallied, but the artillery and 
musketry of the British played 
too powerfully upon their masses, 
and a Spanish regiment of ca¬ 
valry making a charge on their 
flank, the whole retired in dis¬ 
order, and ten guns were taken. 
While this was passing on the 
right, Villatte’s division, preceded 
by the grenadiers and supported 
by two regiments of light cavalry, 
advanced against the left. These 
were charged by Anson’s brigade, 
composed of 23rd light dragoons 
and 1st German hussars. They 
rode boldly forward, but the 
French, throwing themselves into 
squares, and being supported by 
the Polish lancers andWcstphalian 
horse, made such havoc on the 
23rd, already overmatched, that 
two hundred and seven men were 
killed or taken prisoners. During 
this time, the hill, the key of the 
position, was again attacked by 
Lapisse, but his columns were 
received with such determination, 
that they gave way in disorder. 
In the excitement of the moment, 
the brigade of guards followed 
up the success with inconsiderate 
ardour. Wellington, foreseeing 
the issue of this rash charge, 
ordered the 48th down the hill, 
and at the same time Cotton’s 
light cavalry to advance. These 
dispositions gained the day. The 
French relaxed their efforts by 
degrees; the fire of the English 
grew hotter, their loud and con¬ 
fident shouts resounded along 
the whole line, as the French 
army retired to its original po¬ 
sition, and about six o’clock all 
hostility ceased. On the British 
side, two generals (Mackenzie and 
Langworth), and 798 officers and 
men were killed; three generals, 












July 29. CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 219 


3910 officers and men, wounded; 
and 652 missing. The French 
lost two generals and 944 men, 
killed, 6294 wounded, and 156 
prisoners. Of 17 guns captured, 
ten were taken by Campbell’s 
division, and seven were left in 
the woods by the French. 

1813. Battle of Sauroken. 
— About midday, Clauzel’s 
troops in the valley of Lanz, 
rushing down the ridge beyond 
the river in one mass, had turned 
the left of Gen. Cole’s division, 
when a Portuguese brigade ap¬ 
pearing on the crest of the hill, 
checked their advance; and the 6th 
division emerging from behind 
the same ridge, formed across 
the enemy’s front. They were 
likewise assailed by two brigades 
of the 4th division on their left, 
and driven back with consider¬ 
able loss. At this moment, an¬ 
other French division endeavour¬ 
ed to gain the chapel height, and 
at first they carried all before 
them ; but Ross’s brigade moving 
rapidly forward, shouting loudly, 
drove them down the hill. Other 
columns advancing boldly, crown¬ 
ed the heights ; and charge suc¬ 
ceeded charge, each side by 
turns having the advantage, until 
Byng’s and part of Anson’s bri¬ 
gades came forward at a running 
pace, and rolled the hostile masses 
down the mountain side. The 
27th and 48th regiments fell upon 
the enemy three separate times 
with the bayonet, and lost more 
than half their own numbers. 
Meanwhile, Reille’s corps made 
great efforts to gain the Spanish 
hill ; but here they met the same 
indomitable spirit which had re¬ 
pelled the other attacks, nor 
did their cavalry obtain better 
success. Of the French force, 
amounting to 25,000 men, two 
generals and 1800 men were killed 
or wounded. The strength of the 


allied army did not exeed 12,000 
men. Of these 2600 were either 
killed or wounded. 

July 29. 

1813. After the sanguinary 
struggle on the preceding day, 
which Lord Wellington, fresh 
from the light, with homely em¬ 
phasis called “ bludgeon-work,” 
the armies on the 29 th July 
rested in position, without firing 
a shot ; but the wandering divi¬ 
sions on both sides were now 
entering the line. General Hill, 
having sent his baggage, artillery, 
and wounded to Berioplano, be¬ 
hind the Christoval ridge, still 
occupied his strong ground be¬ 
tween Lizasso and Arestegui, 
covering the Marcalain and Izur- 
zun roads, and menacing that 
leading from Lizasso to Olague 
in rear of Soult’s right. His 
communication with Oricain was 
maintained by the seventh, whilst 
the light division approached his 
left. Thus on Wellington’s side 
the crisis was over. He had 
vindicated his position with only 
sixteen thousand combatants ; 
and now, including the troops 
still maintaining the blockade 
of Pampeluna, he had fifty thou¬ 
sand — twenty being British — 
in close military combination. 
Thirty thousand, flushed with 
success, were in hand ; and Hill’s 
troops were well placed for re¬ 
suming the offensive. Soult’s 
situation was proportionately dif¬ 
ficult. Finding that he could 
not force the allies’ position in 
front, he had sent his artillery 
and part of his cavalry, together 
with his wounded men, back to 
France immediately after the 
battle, ordering the two former 
to join Villatte on the lower Bi- 
dassoa, and there await further 
instructions. Having relieved 







220 CALENDAR 


himself of this burthen, he now 
awaited D’Erlon’s arrival by the 
valley of Lanz ; and that general 
reached Ostiz, a few miles above 
Sauroren, at midday on the 29th, 
bringing intelligence, obtained 
indirectly during his march, that 
Gen. Graham had retired from 
the Bidassoa, and that Villatte 
had crossed that river. This 
gave Soult a hope that his first 
movements had disengaged San 
Sebastian ; and he instantly con¬ 
ceived a new plan of operations, 
conformable to the critical state 
of his affairs. Supposing the 
bulk of the combined army were 
in his front under Wellington, he 
resolved to prolong his right with 
D’Erlon’s corps, and, cautiously 
withdrawing the rest of his army, 
place himself between the allies 
and the Bustan, in military con¬ 
nection with his reserve, and 
closer to his frontier magazines. 
Thus posted, and able to combine 
all his troops in one operation, 
he expected entirely to relieve 
San Sebastian. In the evening 
the second division of cavalry 
joined D’Erlon, who was ordered 
to march early on the 30th, by 
Etulain, upon Lizasso. During 
the night, La Martiniere’s divi¬ 
sion of infantry, with the first 
division of cavalry, retired over 
the mountains of Illurdos to 
Eugui, in the upper part of the 
valley of the Zubiri, to join 
D’Erlon. The remainder of 
Reille’s corps was at the same 
time to march to Sauroren ; and 
having relieved Clauzel, who was 
to follow D’Erlon, they were 
themselves to proceed by the same 
route. In the night Soult was 
apprised that three divisions were 
to make an offensive movement 
on the 30th, towards Lizasso; 
and when daylight came, he dis¬ 
covered certain columns descend¬ 
ing the ridge of Christoval, while 


OF VICTORY. July 30. 


others were in march apparently 
to turn Clauzel’s right. 

July 30. 

1762. Siege of the Havan¬ 
nah. — About two o’clock in the 
morning the enemy sent a float¬ 
ing battery out of the harbour of 
the Havannah to fire into the 
ditch where our miners were em¬ 
ployed but produced no other 
effect than a short interruption 
of the work; and the covering 
party soon compelled them to 
retire. About 2 o’clock in the 
afternoon the mines were sprung: 
that in the counterscarp without 
much effect; but that in the bas¬ 
tion having thrown down a part 
of both faces, made a breach 
which was considered practicable. 
The troops under orders for the 
assault were immediately moved 
to the attack, and, having ex¬ 
peditiously formed on the top of 
the breach, drove the enemy from 
every part of the ramparts. The 
Spaniards’ loss amounted to 130 
killed; about 400 threw down 
their arms, and the rest were 
either killed in the boats, or 
drowned in their attempt to reach 
the Havannah. The loss of the 
British in this gallant affair 
amounted to two killed and thirty 
wounded. 

1813. Combat of Buenza.— 
At six o’clock in the morning, 
Toy’s division of Reille’s wing 
was in march along the crest of 
the mountain from Zabaldica 
towards Sauroren, where Mau- 
cune had relieved Conroux’s 
corps, which was moving up the 
valley of Lanz to rejoin Clauzel, 
who had concentrated his divi¬ 
sions between Olabe and Ostiz. 
Wellington, opening his batteries 
from the chapel height, sent 
skirmishers against Sauroren; 
and the fire spreading to the 







July 30. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


251 


allies’ right, became brisk between 
Cole and Foy. It subsided, how¬ 
ever, at Sauroren, and Soult, re¬ 
lying on the strength of his posi¬ 
tion, ordered Reille to maintain 
it until nightfall. He then has¬ 
tened to join D’Erlon, for his 
design was to fall upon the force 
attempting to turn his right, and 
crush it with superior numbers. 
The marshal overtook D’Erlon 
as he entered the valley of Ul- 
zema, with three divisions of in¬ 
fantry and two of heavy cavalry, 
and was making dispositions to 
assail Hill, then between Buenza 
and Arestegui. The allies, who 
were about 10,000 fighting men, 
occupied with their right an ex¬ 
tensive mountain ridge, while 
their left, extending towards 
Buenza, was insecure. D’Erlon, 
who had not less than 20,000 
men, was followed by Martiniere’s 
division of infantry. D’Arma- 
gnac made a false attack on the 
right of the allies, and Abbe, fol¬ 
lowed by Maranzin, endeavoured 
to turn the left. Neither move¬ 
ment was successful, until Abbe, 
turning that wing, gained the 
summit of the mountain. Hill, 
who had lost 400 men, then re¬ 
tired to the heights of Equaros, 
where, being joined by Campbell 
and Morillo, he again offered 
battle ; but Soult had now gained 
his main object,—he had turned 
Hill’s left, secured a fresh line 
of retreat, and a shorter commu¬ 
nication with Villatte by the 
pass of Donna Maria, and more¬ 
over the great road to Tolosa 
was within his power. When 
Wellington saw that the enemy 
had abandoned the mountains 
above Elcano, and that Zabaldica 
was evacuated, he ordered Pieton 
to enter the valley of Zubiri and 
turn the French left, the 7th 
division to sweep over the hills 
beyond the Lanz river upon the 


French right; and whilst the 
march of Campbell and Morillo 
ensured the communication with 
Hill, that general was to point 
his columns upon Olague and 
Lanz, threatening the enemy’s 
rear. Meanwhile Byng’s brigade 
and the 6th division, and some 
cavalry were combined to assault 
Sauroren. 

1813. Second Battle of 
Sauroren. —Pieton having at 
daylight gained the valley of 
Zubiri, threw his skirmishers upon 
the flank of Foy’s corps, and 
Gen. Inglis, advancing with only 
500 men of the 7th division, as¬ 
sailed and overthrew two regi¬ 
ments covering Clauzel’s right, 
and drove them into the valley of 
Lanz, and, although he had sus¬ 
tained the loss of two-thirds of 
his men, with the remainder 
spread in skirmishing order along 
the descent, opened a sharp tire 
upon the flank of Conroux’s divi¬ 
sion, then moving up the valley 
in support of the two broken 
regiments. The 6th division, now 
led by Gen. Pakenham, in the ab¬ 
sence of Pack, who was wounded 
on the 28th, moved to the left of 
Sauroren, whilst Byng’s brigade 
rushed down the chapel height 
against that village, defended by 
the troops of Maucune. At the 
same time the battery near the 
chapel kept up a murderous fire 
upon Conroux’s column. Byng, 
by hard fighting, carried the vil¬ 
lage, and took no less than 1400 
prisoners. Foy, thus hard pressed, 
abandoned his position, and fell 
back along the summit of the 
mountain between the valleys of 
Zubiri and Lanz. Meanwhile 
Wellington drove Clauzel as far 
as Olague, and, being joined by 
Martiniere’s division, took up a 
position covering the roads of 
Lanz and Lizasso. The loss of 
the allies in this conflict amounted 



















222 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 31 


to 1900, in killed, wounded, and 
missing, in the two battles of 
this day; and of these nearly 
1200 were Portuguese. The loss 
of the French was enormous: 
2000 men, at the lowest compu¬ 
tation, had been killed or wounded, 
and 3000 prisoners were taken; 
moreover numbers were dispersed 
in the woods and ravines, whilst 
the divisions of Conroux and 
Maucune were completely dis¬ 
organised. 

July 31. 

1709. Surrender of Tour- 
nay. —At an early part of the 
campaign, the allies, commanded 
by the Duke of Marlborough and 
Prince Eugene, made dispositions 
to give battle to the French army 
under Marshal Villars; but he un¬ 
advisedly retired on the approach 
of the confederates, thereby re¬ 
ducing the garrison of Tournay to 
strengthen his own forces. It con¬ 
sequently became necessary to be¬ 
siege the city, and on the 27th of 
June it was duly invested. The 
trenches were opened between the 
7th and 8th of July, and the siege 
prosecuted with so much vigour, 
that on the 28 th the garrison pro¬ 
posed terms for the capitulation 
of the town, which they surren¬ 
dered on the 30th. On the fol¬ 
lowing day, the Marquis de Sur- 
villc, the French governor, 
retired into the citadel with his 
garrison, amounting to 4000 men; 
at the same time the French sick 
and wounded, to the number of 
800, marched out to be conducted 
to Douay, and the Earl of Albe¬ 
marle, who was appointed govern¬ 
or took possession of the town. 

1760. Battle of Warbourg. 
—Gen. Sporcken’s corps marched 
from the camp of Kalle to Liebe- 
nau at 4 o’clock in the after¬ 
noon of the 29th, and on the 


same evening the hereditary 
Prince of Brunswick followed, 
with the two English battalions 
of grenadiers under Col. Beck¬ 
with, and two of highlanders, 
with four squadrons of dragoons. 
The army was under arms all 
day on the 30th, and about eleven 
at night—having marched to 
Liebenau in six columns at about 
five on the 31st—the whole force 
formed on the heights near Cor- 
beke. The enemy was posted 
with their left near the eminence 
approaching Ossendortf and their 
right towards Warbourg, into 
which place they had flung 
Fischer’s corps. The hereditary 
prince immediately attacked the 
enemy’s left flank, and after a 
sharp struggle compelled them to 
give way and fall back upon 
Warbourg. The main body was 
at the same time moving forward 
to attack them in front, but only 
the British cavalry under General 
Mostyn, arrived up in time to 
share the glory of the day, having 
made several successful charges 
on both their infantry and cavalry. 
Capt. Phillips brought up his ar¬ 
tillery with such expedition, that 
the cannonade compelled those 
who had crossed the Dymel, and 
formed on the other side, to retire 
with the utmost precipitation. 
The enemy left 1500 men and ten 
pieces of cannon on the field of 
battle. The total loss of the Bri¬ 
tish alone amounted to 590 men. 

1813. Combat of Donna 
Maria. — At 10 o’clock in the 
morning, General Hill overtook 
Soult’s rear-guard between Le- 
zasso and the Puerto. The 7th 
division was already ascending a 
mountain on his right, and the 
French having gained a wood on 
the summit, opened a sharp fire. 
Gen. Stewart being wounded 
when leading the 2nd division, 
was succeeded by Pringle, who 







August 1. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


223 


broke the enemy at the moment 
that the 7th division dispersed 
their right. That division re¬ 
mained on the mountain, whilst 
Hill fell back to Lizasso, and then, 
moving by the passes of Donna 
Maria and Villatte, joined Wel¬ 
lington in the Bustan. Mean¬ 
while Byng reached Elizondo, 
where he captured a large convoy 
of provisions and made several 
hundred prisoners. 

August 1. 

1759. Battle of Minden.— 
On the 31st of July the position 
of the allied army under Duke 
Ferdinand of Brunswick, amount¬ 
ing to 70,000 men, extended from 
Thornhausen to Hille, a line of 
nine miles, while the French with a 
superior force, under the Marshal 
Contades, about seven miles dis¬ 
tant, being more compact, did not 
take up the space of three. Before 
daybreak on the 12th of August, 
the advance of the French army 
under the Duke de Broglie ap¬ 
peared before Thornhausen, ex¬ 
pecting to surprise the left of the 
confederates under Wangen- 
heim; but finding them drawn 
up in order of battle, the French 
opened a smart fire from their artil¬ 
lery, and at four o’clock the village 
of Hille was also cannonaded by 
a battery at Eikhorst. The allied 
forces, having marched through 
the great wood, formed on Min¬ 
den heath, with a body of Ger¬ 
man cavalry on the left, preserv¬ 
ing communication with Wan- 
genlieim ; and the British and 
Hanoverian horse, under Lord 
George Sackville, were posted on 
the right. Six regiments of Bri¬ 
tish infantry, supported by two 
of Hanoverian guards, advanced 
from the right to attack the 
centre of the enemy ; and al¬ 
though that force consisted of 


sixty squadrons of cavalry, the 
British, to their eternal honour, 
without any other support than 
the artillery of their own country, 
by half an hour past eight had 
driven the French before them. 
In vain they made more than one 
attempt to rally, but this little 
phalanx overcame all opposition, 
and the enemy fell back upon 
their original position, with the 
loss of many men. At this mo¬ 
ment M. de Contades became 
aware of the advantage gained 
by the hereditary Prince of Bruns¬ 
wick, who had defeated a large 
body of the French under the 
Duke de Brisac, posted in the 
most advantageous manner, and 
compelled them to take refuge in 
Minden. This opportune success 
decided the affair. All the passes 
through which the French could 
obtain succour being in possession 
of the allies, they relinquished their 
strong position, and retreated 
through Minden ; then, crossing 
the Weser, continued their march 
to the eastward. Their loss 
amounted to about 7«000, in 
killed, wounded, and prisoners ; 
that of the allies did not exceed 
2000. The English had gained 
the greatest glory, so were they 
the greatest sufferers,—1200 of the 
numbers being of that nation. 

1793. SURRENDER OF VALEN¬ 
CIENNES. — About seven in the 
morning of the 1st of August, two 
field-pieces surmounted by the 
British colours, the flank com¬ 
panies of the guards and light in¬ 
fantry, with the party that stormed 
the horn-work, lined one side of 
the road leading from the gate of 
Cambray to Briquet; in the rear 
were the Blues and Inniskillen 
dragoons. On the other side were 
the Hanoverians and Austrians. 
At nine o’clock the French gar¬ 
rison, headed by General Ferrand, 
marched out by regiments with 












224 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 2 


the honours of war, and, having 
laid down their arms on their 
arrival at Briquet, proceeded on 
their march. The loss of the 
enemy during the siege must 
have been very great, for the 
number of those who now quitted 
the fortress did not amount to 
6000, although their force at the 
commencement of the seiga was 
not less than 10,000 men. 

1813. Skirmish near Echal¬ 
lar. — Towards evening on the 
12th of August, the light division 
of Wellington’s army, after march¬ 
ing nineteen consecutive hours 
over forty miles of mountain 
roads, had reached the edge of a 
precipice near the bridge of 
Yanzi, when Reille’s divisions 
■were seen below, hurrying along 
the close defile, as the British 
opened a galling fire from the 
rocks above; and in spite of many 
gallant efforts to drive them from 
their commanding position, the 
enemy was compelled to give 
way with the loss of their bag- 
gage, and a great many men ; 
that of the allies about 100 men. 

August 2. 

1763. Battle of Giieriah. 
— On the 2nd of August, Meer 
Cossim, with 8000 infantry, 
30,000 cavalry, and thirty pieces 
of cannon, commanded by the 
German Sumroo, near Sootee, at¬ 
tacked the British army under Ma¬ 
jor Adams, whose force did not 
exceed 3000 men. Cossim’s troops 
were divided into brigades, and 
were regularly disciplined after 
the English system, with a splen¬ 
did train of artillery, beautifully 
served. The Europeans were at¬ 
tacked at the same time, both in 
front and rear; and although the 
English line was broken and two 
guns captured, the firmness of 
the infantry eventually prevailed; 


and the enemy, after a contest of 
four hours, were defeated with 
great slaughter. They lost all 
their cannon and baggage, and 
fled to a strong intrenched posi¬ 
tion on the Oodwa, near to, and 
covering Mongheer. 

1813. Combats of Echallar 
and Ivantelly. — On the morn¬ 
ing of the 2nd August, Marshal 
Soult had the right of his force at 
Ivantelly, and the left at the 
rocks of Zagaramurdi, at the 
same time communicating with 
the left of Villatte’s reserve on 
his right. Meanwhile Clauzel’s 
three divisions, now reduced to 
six thousand men, were posted on 
a hill between the “ Puerto” and 
town of Echallar. The British 
light division marched by Le- 
saca to Santa Barbara, thus turn¬ 
ing Clauzel’s right, whilst the 
fourth division moved from Yanzi 
to Echallar to attack him in 
front, and the 7th marched from 
Sumbilla against his left ; but 
Barne’s brigade came up un¬ 
supported before the fourth and 
light divisions, and, without 
awaiting the arrival of more 
troops, assailed Clauzel’s strong 
position. The firing became very 
sharp, but neither the steepness of 
the mountain nor the mass of the 
enemy, clustering above, arrested 
their progress ; and “ then was 
seen the astonishing spectacle of 
fifteen hundred men driving, by 
sheer valour and force of arms, 
six thousand good troops from a 
position so rugged, that there 
would have been little to boast 
of if the numbers had been re¬ 
versed and the defence made 
good.” It must, however, be ac¬ 
knowledged, that the fourth divi¬ 
sion arrived up towards the close 
of the action, that the French had 
fulfilled their mission as a rear¬ 
guard, and that they were worn 
with fatigue and ill provided 














August 3. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


225 


with ammunition, and had suf¬ 
fered so severely on the day pre¬ 
ceding around Sumbilla. These 
troops, who had assailed the 
terrible rocks above Sauroren 
with an energy that all the valour 
of the hardiest British veterans 
scarcely sufficed to repel, within 
five days, although posted so 
strongly, were unable to sustain 
the shock of one-fourth of their 
own numbers. Evening was ap¬ 
proaching when Clauzel fell back, 


attack the Duke of Luxembourg, 
encamped with the French army 
at Steen kirk, the confederate 
forces moved forward at break of 
day. The advanced guard, con¬ 
sisting of twelve battalions and 
some few squadrons of horse, fell 
upon the outposts of the enemy 
about nine o’clock, driving them 
from the hedges and thickets in 
the narrow defiles through which 
the allies were compelled to cut 
a passage for the cavalry and 
artillery. By eleven o’clock the 
action became general, and, at the 
early part, the French were hard 
pushed, losing a standard and se¬ 
veral pieces of cannon; but, owing 
to the difficulty, arising from the 
confined extent of the ground, in 
bringing up the main body to re¬ 
inforce the troops engaged, they 
were not only obliged to abandon 
the cannon they had captured, 
but to retire from the field of 
battle. The French lost the 
Prince de Turenne, the Mar- 
quisses Tildet and Belford, and 
6000 kilted and wounded. On the 
part of the allies, Lieut.-Generals 
Mackay and Lanier, the Earl of 
Angus, Sir Robert Douglas, and 
2000 were killed; and the wound¬ 
ed and prisoners amounted to 
3000. 

1780. Gwalior stormed.— 
Capt. Popham, with a single bat¬ 
talion, having marched to the as¬ 
sistance of the Rand, the Rajpoot 
Prince, expelled the Mahrattas 
from Goliud, and pursued them 
into their own territories, where 
they captured the fort of Lahore. 
He then attacked the fortress of 
Gwalior, built on a stupendous 
rock, scarped round to the height 
of twenty feet, having a precipi¬ 
tous ascent of one hundred from 
the scarp to the wall, — the ram¬ 
part wall itself being thirty feet 
high. Although garrisoned by a 
thousand men, it was taken by 


fighting, to a strong ridge beyond 
the pass of Echallar, having his 
right covered by the Ivantelly 
mountain, whence it was deemed 
necessary to dislodge him. Col. 
A. Barnard instantly led five 
companies of his riflemen to the 
attack, with four companies of the 
43rd in support. The former 
were soon enveloped in the misty 
cloud that capped the mountain; 
but the sharp clang of their wea¬ 
pons, in reply to the more sono¬ 
rous rolling of musketry, told 
what work was going on. Bar¬ 
nard fought his way unaided to 
the summit, and thei’e his dark- 
clad veterans raised their vic¬ 
torious shout, just as the coming 
night showed the long ridges of 
the mountains beyond, sparkling 
with the last flashes of Clauzel’s 
retiring troops. The day’s fight¬ 
ing cost the British four hundred 
men, and Lord Wellington nar¬ 
rowly escaped being taken by a 
French detachment which fell 
upon him unawares. 

August 3. 

1692. Battle of Steenkirk. 
— Namur having capitulated on 
30th of June, the confederate 
army marched from before that 
place. Nothing of importance oc¬ 
curred until the 3rd of August, 
when it being resolved by his 
Britannic Majesty William III. to 


Q 












226 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 3. 


escalade on the 3rd of August. 
This brilliant exploit carried such 
terror into the Mahrattas, that 
they abandoned the surrounding 
country. 

1813. Siege of Tarragona.— 
Lord William Bentinck, com¬ 
manding the allied forces in Ca¬ 
talonia, had prepared platforms 
and fascines for a siege in the 
island of Yvica, but on the 30th of 
July, suddenly quitting the moun¬ 
tains, invested Tarragona with 
less than six thousand men, occu¬ 
pying ground three hundred yards 
nearer to the walls than had ever 
been done. He thus prevented 
the garrison abandoning the place, 
if, as supposed, they had that in¬ 
tention ; yet the fortress could not 
be besieged, because of Suchet’s 
vicinity and the dissemination of 
the allies. The bridge of Amposta 
being accidentally broken on the 
31st, the head of Del Parque’s 
force, on the left of the Ebro, fell 
back a day’s march. However, 
Whittingham’s division and the 
cavalry came up, and on the 3rd 
of August, the bridge being re¬ 
stored, Del Parque also joined 
the investing army. Copons then 
promised to bring up his Cata¬ 
lans; Sarsfield’s division, now be¬ 
longing to the second army, had 
arrived, and Elio was ordered to 
reinforce it with three battalions, 
while Villa Campa observed Tor- 
toza. Meanwhile Lord William, 
seeing that Suchet’s troops were 
scattered, and the marshal him¬ 
self at Barcelona, thought of sur¬ 
prising his posts and seizing the 
mountain line of the Llobregat; 
but Elio failed in sending his bat¬ 
talions, and Copons, jealous of 
some communications between 
the English general and Eroles, 
was dilatory. The garrison of 
Tortoza having in the meantime 
burned the bridge of Amposta, 
Suchet, taking alarm, suddenly re¬ 


turned from Barcelona, and con¬ 
centrated his army. 

August 4. 

1347. Reduction of Calais. 
—Immediately after the victorious 
battle of Cressy, King Edward III. 
marched his army towards Calais, 
and invested that place on 8th 
September, 1346. Finding his 
threats to put the garrison to the 
sword if they did not submit, of 
no avail, he resolved to reduce it 
by famine. In order to effect this, 
he drew round, on the land side, 
four lines of circumvallation, re¬ 
gularly fortified, and at the same 
time blockaded it by sea. King 
Philip employed every means to 
prevent Calais falling into the 
hands of the English, and the 
blockade had continued nearly 
a year, when, provisions becoming 
extremely scarce, the inhabitants 
on the 4th August desired to 
capitulate. In this necessity, 
Edward agreed to grant the gar¬ 
rison and the citizens in general 
their lives ; but, in order to punish 
them for their obstinacy in keep¬ 
ing him so long at their gates, 
lie stipulated that six of the in¬ 
habitants, of their own selection, 
should be victims of his resent¬ 
ment. This ferocious determina¬ 
tion produced much consterna¬ 
tion in the town, until the brave 
Eustace St. Pierre, one of the 
principal men of the town, vo¬ 
luntarily offered himself as one 
of the devoted number. This 
example of patriotism soon 
animated five others to sacrifice 
their lives in order to save their 
fellow citizens. These noble- 
hearted men having appeared be¬ 
fore Edward barefooted, in their 
shirts, with ropes about their 
necks, and presented the keys 
of the city to the monarch, Queen 
Philippa cast herself at his feet, 








August 5. CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 227 


and, shedding tears, implored 
him to spare their lives. Edward 
having relented, the queen en¬ 
tertained the supplicants in her 
own tent, and then dismissed 
them with a present of six pieces 
of gold to each. Edward then 
made his entry into the city, 
turned out the French, and 
peopled it with English inha¬ 
bitants ; to which circumstance 
may probably be attributed the 
reason of its remaining two hun¬ 
dred years under the sovereignty 
of England. 

1759. The French having 
blown up fort Ticondcrago on 
lake Erie, on the 26th July the 
garrison retired to Crown Point. 
Every exertion was now made 
to get the bateaux and whale¬ 
boats into lake Champlain ; and 
while the army were employed 
upon this laborious work, Gen. 
Amherst, learning the death of 
Gen. Prideaux before Niagara, 
directed Brigadier-Gen. Gage to 
set out for that place by way of 
Oswego, and take upon himself 
the command of the troops at 
that post. On the 1st of August 
the general received certain in¬ 
telligence that the enemy had 
abandoned their position at 
Crown Point and retired down 
lake Champlain to the Isle aux 
Noix. A detachment was forth¬ 
with sent to take possession of 
their lines, and the bulk of the 
army arrived there on the 4th; 
when a new fort was traced out, 
and the building immediately 
commenced. 

1811. Reduction of Java.— 
The expedition for the reduction 
of the island of Java, consisting 
of 12,000 troops under Lieut.- 
General Sir Samuel Auclnnuty, 
which sailed from Malacca on 
11th June, reached the coast of 
Java on the 30th July, and on 
the 4th August 8000 men were 


landed without opposition. The 
Dutch army under Gen. Janssens, 
amounting to 9000 men, occu¬ 
pied the stronghold of Meester 
Cornells, an intrenched camp, 
about nine miles from the city 
of Batavia, defended by two 
rivers, with redoubts and batteries 
guarding each pass. These lines 
were nearly five miles in circum¬ 
ference, and mounted 280 pieces 
of cannon. On the 6th, the ad¬ 
vance of the British army under 
Col. Gillespie took post within- 
two miles of the capital. On the 
8th, a deputation from the inha¬ 
bitants of the city of Batavia 
proposed to surrender at dis¬ 
cretion and place themselves un¬ 
der the protection of the British. 
In the evening, Col. Gillespie 
took possession of the city, and 
the fleet, numbering nearly a 
hundred sail, removed to the an¬ 
chorage before it. 

August 5. 

1711. Investment op Bou- 
chain. — The Duke of Marl¬ 
borough having projected the 
investment of Bouchain, it became 
necessary to break through the 
boasted lines of Marshal Villars, 
traversing the Scarpe and Sanzet 
with such secrecy and prompti¬ 
tude as again to elude the vigi¬ 
lance of his antagonist. As a 
preliminary operation, the redoubt 
of Aubigny was carried; and to 
prevent the permanent occupation 
of the important post of Arleux 
by the enemy, Marlborough had 
recourse to a masterly stratagem. 
Having carried the redoubt, he 
so considerably strengthened the 
post that the French were foiled 
in their attempt to recover it. 
Soon afterwards Marlborough 
called in the detachment, and on 
20th July broke up from his 
position. Leaving Arleux to its 









228 CALENDAR OE VICTORY. August 6. 


fate, he moved in the direction 
of Bethune, and on the following 
day resumed his march to Co- 
tenes. This change of position 
induced Villars, on the 21st, to 
make a parallel movement, with 
his front extended behind his 
formidable lines. But, before his 
departure, he retook Arleux on 
the 23rd, garrisoned it with 800 
! men, and stationed six bat¬ 
talions to sustain them. The 
place was shortly afterwards eva¬ 
cuated, and the fortifications de¬ 
molished. Marlborough, finding 
that D’Estaing had moved to¬ 
wards Brabant, marched on 1st 
August in eight columns, whilst 
detachments again ostentatiously 
cleared the roads in the direction 
of the hostile left. These me¬ 
nacing manoeuvres so convinced 
Villars that he was about to be 
attacked, that he concentrated all 
his forces. In the meantime 
Marlborough continued his route; 
and on the 4th August, whilst 
the whole army was under arms, 
the Duke, with a brilliant staff 1 and 
a powerful escort, rode along the 
enemy’s lines, within cannon-shot, 
reconnoitring with the utmost 
precision, as if meditating an 
attack. The deep-laid plan was 
now ripe for execution. Whilst 
Villars looked anxiously for hos¬ 
tilities to commence, Marlbo¬ 
rough, a little before nine o’clock, 
moved off the troops facing the 
enemy’s left, in four columns, 
and with such expedition, that 
before five on the morning of the 
5th they had passed the Scarpe, 
near Vitry; and he then learnt 
that Cadogan had crossed the 
causeway at Aubanchceil-au-bac 
at thi'ce in the morning, with 22 
battalions and 2000 horse, and 
that this force Avas in actual pos¬ 
session of the enemy’s lines. 
Before eight, the whole army had 
reached that point; and as the 


cavalry crossed the Sanzet, they 
Avere placed in order of battle on 
the opposite shore. 

1763. Attack on a Convoy 
repulsed. —On the 2nd August, 
the troops and convoy intended 
for fort Pitt, on the river Ohio, 
in Pennsylvania, arrived at Li- 
gonier; and Col. Bouquet, not 
obtaining intelligence of the ene¬ 
my, left there the stores and 
provisions, and, on the 4th, pro¬ 
ceeded Avith the troops and 350 
horses loaded with flour. He 
intended halting on the folloAving 
day at Bushy Run, to refresh 
the detachment, and to have 
marched during the night over 
Turtle Creek—a defile of several 
miles, commanded by high and 
craggy hills; but at one o’clock 
in the afternoon, after a march of 
seventeen miles, the Indians sud¬ 
denly attacked the ad\ r anced 
guard, Avhich, being instantly 
supported by the tAvo light in¬ 
fantry companies of the 42nd 
regiment, drove the enemy from 
their ambuscade. They, how¬ 
ever, returned to the attack; but 
the whole line, moving forward, 
drove them from the heights. 
As soon as the savages Avere 
driven from one point, they as¬ 
sembled at another; and being at 
length considerably reinforced, 
they made an attempt to possess 
themselves of the convoy left in 
the rear. The action then be¬ 
came general; and, although the 
British Avere attacked on every 
side in the most resolute manner, 
the Indians were invariably re¬ 
pulsed with severe loss. On the 
part of the British, five officers 
and sixty men Avere killed or 
wounded. 

August 6. 

1711. In the preceding page 
Ave have briefly related the 




















August 7. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


229 


masterly movements which Marl¬ 
borough had directed. The al¬ 
lied army, after a forced march 
of sixteen hours over an extent 
of thirty-six miles, intersected by 
several rivers, had entered the 
new ground before dark on the 
5th August. On the morn¬ 
ing of the 6th, Villars began 
likewise to place his troops in 
order of battle, with the right 
on the Scheldt, behind Cambray, 
the centre in the wood of Bour¬ 
bon, and the left at the marsh 
of Sains-au^Marquion, in the 
hope of alluring Marlborough to 
a battle, by drawing him round 
the cannon of Cambray. But as 
his opponent had gained his ob¬ 
ject without a contest, a victory 
could bring little advantage, and 
he was enabled to cany into 
effect the remainder of his plan 
without obstruction. 

1763. American Indians 
routed. — The troops under 
Col. Bouquet intended for fort 
Pitt, after the engagement on 
the preceding day, took post on 
the neighbouring hill. During 
the night their front was at¬ 
tacked, and in the morning the 
Indians surrounded the camp at 
the distance of 500 yards. After 
shouting and yelling, they com¬ 
menced their attack at an early 
hour, and, under protection of an 
incessant fire, made several bold 
efforts to penetrate the camp. 
Although repulsed in every at¬ 
tempt, the daring enemy again 
made their appearance. The 
British troops Avere extremely 
fatigued with their long march, 
as avcII as by their exertions in 
the former action, and sadly dis¬ 
tressed by Avant of water ; yet 
they firmly maintained their 
ground. The savages becoming 
every moment more audacious, 
it Avas considered advisable, by 
increasing their confidence, to 


induce them to approach nearer 
or stand their ground Avhen at¬ 
tacked. AVith this view, tAvo 
companies of light infantry Avere 
ordered within the circle of the 
encampment, Avhile the troops 
on their right and left opened 
their files, as if intending to cover 
their retreat ; and the third light 
infantry and grenadiers of the 
42nd were directed to support 
the tAvo first companies. This 
manoeuvre succeeded, and the 
barbarians rushed fonvard with 
daring intrepidity. At the moment 
they thought themselves masters 
of the camp, Major Campbell, at 
the head of the tAvo first companies, 
sallied out from a part of the 
hill they could not observe, and 
fell upon their right flank. The 
Indians at first resisted, but the 
troops dashing in among them, 
killed a great number, and put 
the remainder to flight. The 
fugitives suffered severely from 
the fire of the other companies, 
who pursued them until they had 
totally dispersed. The detach¬ 
ment and convoy reached fort 
Pitt on the 11th. 

1773. Cavalry routed near 
Tanjore. — On the 3rd August, 
a British force, under the com¬ 
mand of Col. Smith, left Trichi- 
nopoly to effect the reduction of 
Tanjore, consisting, among other 
corps, of the first European re¬ 
giment. After some sharp skir¬ 
mishing, the detachment arrived 
on the 5th Avithin a short dis¬ 
tance of Tanjore, and early on 
the morning of the 6th the Eu¬ 
ropean grenadiers surprised the 
enemy’s cavalry camp, and rout¬ 
ed them with much slaughter. 


August 7. 

1758. Reduction of Cher¬ 
bourg. — On the 30th of July 














230 


CALENDAK OF VICTOKY. 


August 7. 


a squadron under Commodore 
Howe, with transports conveying 
6000 troops, commanded byLieut.- 
Gen. Thomas Bligh, sailed from 
Spithead ; but, owing to variable 
winds, the expedition did not 
reach its destination until the 6th 
August, and having anchored 
during the night, at daybreak on 
the 7th preparations were made 
for the attack. About eleven 
o’clock 1500 men reached the 
shore; and although the opposing 
force consisted of 1900 regulars, 
a newly raised regiment of 1300 
men, and 5000 gardes de cote, 
which had assembled to oppose 
the debarkation, they fled before 
the guards and grenadiers com¬ 
posing the first division. Before 
night the whole army had landed, 
and on the following morning a 
detachment marched to the vil¬ 
lage of Querqueville and hoisted 
the British colours on the fort. 
In course of the day, the main 
body took possession of Cher¬ 
bourg, and were encamped on a 
rising ground a short distance 
from the town ; whilst the bar¬ 
racks within the walls were oc¬ 
cupied by the grenadiers of the 
line and some other ti’oops. The 
French camp was formed at 
Valognes, an open fertile country, 
at the distance of four leagues 
from Cherbourg. It contained 
three regiments of infantry and 
three of cavalry, amounting alto¬ 
gether to 4000 men, commanded 
by the Due de Luxembourg. No 
time was lost in setting to work to 
destroy what had been finished of 
the basin, with the two piers at the 
entrance of the harbour, to ren¬ 
der the port useless for ships of 
burden, and to demolish all the 
forts, batteries, magazines and 
stores. By the 15th, this service 
was completely effected, and 
Cherbourg became once more an 
insignificant place. One hun¬ 


dred and seventy-three iron guns 
and three mortars were destroyed, 
and twenty-four pieces of brass 
ordnance, together with the co¬ 
lours, taken, and sent to England; 
and these trophies were drawn in 
great pomp from the royal palace 
at Kensington to the Tower of 
London. On the 16th the army 
re-embarked unmolested: the total 
loss sustained from the day the 
army landed was no greater than 
20 killed and 30 wounded. Gen. 
Bligh brought away hostages for 
the payment of 3000/., a contribu¬ 
tion towards the ransom of the 
town; but the Government sent 
them immediately back, and 
without any further demand. 

1793. Cavalry defeated 
near St. Aubert. — On the 
morning of 6th August, seven 
battalions of British troops, six 
squadrons of Hanoverians, two 
battalions and five squadrons of 
Hessians, and four battalions and 
ten squadrons of Austrians, 
marched from their respective 
camps near Cambray, and on the 
same evening united in a camp 
near St. Aubert, under the com¬ 
mand of the Duke of York. On 
the morning of the 7th, they 
marched in one column by the 
villages of St. Hilaire, Boussiere, 
and Wambain, then, dividing into 
two columns, crossed the Scheldt 
at Crevecceur and at Manieres. 
During the march a body of 
cavalry appearing on the right 
flank in the direction of Cambray 
were driven back in great confu¬ 
sion. In the evening another 
detachment of French cavalry 
being observed at a small dis¬ 
tance, Lieut.-Col. Churchill, put¬ 
ting himself at the head of a 
squadron of the 15th light dra¬ 
goons, charged the enemy with 
such vigour that, besides killing 
several men, he took two officers, 
44 privates, and 60 horses. 











August 8. CALENDAR 


1795. Dutch routed from 
Muyzenburg. —A squadron ar¬ 
rived in Simon’s Bay, Cape of 
Good Hope, early in July, as re¬ 
lated in our Naval columns, hav¬ 
ing on board a detachment of the 
78th regiment, under Major-Gen. 
Craig, proposals were made to 
Gen. Sluysken, the Dutch go¬ 
vernor, to place the settlement 
under the protection of His Bri¬ 
tannic Majesty. On the 14th, 
450 men of the 78th and 350 
marines from the squadron, un¬ 
der Major Hill, were landed and 
took possession of the town. 
Meanwhile the Dutch militia 
and Hottentots had taken post 
on the heights, and occupied the 
pass of Muyzenburg, distant six 
miles from Cape Town, well fur¬ 
nished with cannon, having a steep 
mountain on its right, with the 
sea on the left, but difficult of 
approach on that side, on account 
of shallow water and high 
surf on the shore. Offensive 
operations being determined 
upon, 1000 seamen were disem¬ 
barked, formed into two battalions, 
making, with the troops, a total 
of 1800 men. Covered by the 
squadron, the force moved to¬ 
wards the enemy on the 7th; but 
the Dutch were driven from their 
camp by the fire of the ships 
before the troops arrived up, and 
had fallen back upon some rocky 
heights, whence they were ex¬ 
pelled the same evening by the 
78th, on which occasion Captain 
Scott, of that regiment, was 
wounded. 

August 8. 

1793. Affair near Mer- 
guion. — The allied troops, 
amounting to thirteen battalions 
and twenty-one squadrons, as 
enumerated in the preceding 
page, under command of the 


OF VICTORY. 231 


Duke of York, moved from the 
camp at St. Aubert. on the 8 th 
of August. Formed into three 
columns, this army directed its 
march upon the villages of Grain- 
court, Anneux, andCantain, with 
the intention of attacking the 
enemy upon the heights of Bour¬ 
bon. It was however discovered 
that the French had gone off dur¬ 
ing the night ; and, as there was 
reason to believe that the army 
behind the Scheldt had done the 
same, His Royal Highness took 
the whole of the cavalry, with 
the exception of one regiment, 
and went in pursuit. He fell in 
with the rear-guard at the village 
of Merguion, where two pieces 
of cannon and several prisoners 
were taken by the 11th light 
dragoons and the hussars of 
Barco. Some delay was occa¬ 
sioned by the enemy having in 
their retreat destroyed the vil¬ 
lage, there being no other pas¬ 
sage than the bridge across the 
rivulet upon which it stood. This 
obstacle was at length overcome, 
and the enemy were followed 
to the next defile by the village 
of Villiers. A body of about 
4000 cavalry and some battalions 
of infantry, with eight pieces of 
cannon, were seen upon the op¬ 
posite heights ; but, as they con¬ 
tinued their retreat, and no ad¬ 
vantage was likely to arise from 
further pursuit, the troops, after 
halting some time, returned to 
the camp near Bourbon. 

1811. Surrender of Batavia. 
— In the expedition against the 
island of Java, under Rear-Adm. 
Stopford and Lieut.-General Sir 
Samuel Auchmuty, the advance- 
squadron of the fleet anchored 
about two miles from the capital 
on the 6th August ; and in the 
night of the 7th the advance of 
the army under Col. Gillespie 
ci'ossed the river Anjole, on a 






232 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 9. 


bridge of flat boats. On the 
morning of the 8th, a flag of 
truce was sent into the city of 
Batavia, and soon afterwards a 
deputation arrived from the in¬ 
habitants, offering to surrender at 
discretion, and put themselves 
under the protection of the Bri¬ 
tish. The commanders-in-chief 
having agreed to respect private 
property, the troops under Col. 
Gillespie took immediate posses¬ 
sion of the place ; and the fleet 
moved to the anchorage before it. 

1824. Stockade carried near 
Rangoon. — The enemy having 
collected in great strength at 
Dallah, a force, consisting of the 
Madras European regiment and 
detachments from different na¬ 
tive corps, all under command of 
Lieut.-Col. Kelly of the Madras 
regiment, assembled for the pur¬ 
pose of attacking them in their 
position on the bank of a creek, 
where they had strongly stock¬ 
aded themselves. On the morning 
of the 8th of August, the force 
embarked at Rangoon, and 
entered the Dallah creek, up 
which the boats had not pro¬ 
ceeded two miles, when a heavv 
fire was suddenly opened upon 
them from a high stockade close 
to the water’s edge. The natives, 
panic-struck, lay down in the 
bottom of the boats, and conse¬ 
quently much time was lost be¬ 
fore they could be run on shore: 
but this effected, the Europeans 
jumped out, although up to their 
waists in mud and water, and, 
having with difficulty planted 
their ladders, the stockade was in¬ 
stantly carried very gallantly 
with the loss of 50 men killed 
and wounded ; but the enemy, 
who fought valiantly, suffered 
very considerable loss. 


August 9. 

1344. Battle of Auberociie. 
—Edward III. sent over the Earl 
of Derby, with a considerable 
army, to maintain his territories 
in France. The Count De l’lsle 
Jourdain, having with 12,000 men 
laid siege to Auberoehe, a town 
in the Limosin, which was de¬ 
fended by a small English garri¬ 
son, he battered the town so 
furiously, that within six days 
the fortifications were nearly in 
ruins. Lord Derby, on learning 
the state to which the garrison 
was reduced, marched from Bor¬ 
deaux, on 8th August, to its 
relief, with a small detachment, 
expecting to be reinforced by the 
Earl of Pembroke, at Libourne, 
which he reached on the morning 
of the 9th. Here he continued 
all day, and, despairing of the 
reinforcement, he determined on 
surprising the French that even¬ 
ing. The English accordingly 
marched, and, under cover of a 
wood, fell upon the enemy so 
unexpectedly that the Counts De 
l’lsle, Perigort, and Valentitiois, 
were taken in their tents, and the 
soldiers were overpowered before 
they could offer much resistance. 
But while this quarter was thrown 
into such confusion, the other 
part of the French army, under 
Count Commines, flew to arms, 
and being drawn up in order of 
battle, advanced against the En¬ 
glish, who, although greatly in¬ 
terior, attacked the enemy with 
incredible impetuosity. The 
contest was so well maintained 
on both sides, that it was doubt¬ 
ful which had the advantage, 
until the garrison of Auberoehe 
made a sortie, and, falling on the 
rear of the French, decided the 
fate of the battle. Their loss 
amounted to 5000 men killed, 
wounded, and taken prisoners. 













August 10. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 233 


Of the British force, which did 
not exceed 4000, their loss was 
not above 300 men. This action 
contributed to the future success 
of Edward, aud in some measure 
led to the memorable victory at 
Cressy. 

1417. Reduction of Tongue. 
King Henry V. of England, having 
landed with an army of upwards 
of 25,000 men in Normandy, 
commenced his campaign by lay¬ 
ing siege to the castle of Tongue, 
and the Duke of Gloucester, who 
led the advance, had the direc¬ 
tion of the operations. After se¬ 
veral assaults, the castle fell into 
his hands on the 9 th day of 
August. On the occasion of the 
reduction of Tongue the king 
made 28 knights, and appointed 
Sir Robert Kirkelie governor of 
the fortress. 

1793. Cambray invested.— 
The city of Cambray was taken 
possession of by the French in 
October, 1792. On the 7th 
August, 1793, General Clairfait 
advanced towards the village of 
Youg, which he attacked and 
carried after some resistance; and 
having reached St. Martin, the 
French evacuated the camp of 
Caesar, on the night between the 
8th and 9th, which was imme¬ 
diately occupied by Gen. Clairfait, 
who had crossed the Scheldt at 
St. Martin. He then closely in¬ 
vested Cambray, and though 
both garrison and inhabitants 
were in great consternation, they 
refused a summons to surrender. 
The general therefore set lire to 
the suburbs. 

August 10. 

1557. Battle of St. Quentin. 

_About the middle of July, the 

Spanish army, consisting of 35,000 
infantry and 12,000 horse, under 
the Duke of Savoy, assembled at 


Givers on the Meuse; whilst the 
French army, posted at Attigny, 
did not amount to more than 
17,000 foot and 6000 cavalry. 
The Spaniards marched towards 
Guise as if to invest it, but then, 
altering their intention, on the 7th 
of August moved rapidly on St. 
Quentin, where they encamped, 
and were reinforced by the En¬ 
glish army of 9000 foot, with 
1500 horse, under the command 
of Lords Pembroke, Clinton, and 
Gray. The French having failed 
in their endeavour to throw suc¬ 
cours into the town, resolved to 
attack the allied forces. The 
Constable having drawn up his 
army at Fere in order of battle, 
marched towards St. Quentin, be¬ 
fore which place he arrived on the 
morning of the 10th of August, 
and attacked the Duke of Savoy’s 
camp. After making another un¬ 
successful effort to succour the 
town, the enemy retired to Fere. 
Meantime the Spaniards deter¬ 
mined to attack the enemy in 
their retreat. Count Egmont fell 
upon one of their flanks, while the 
other was assailed by Counts Henry 
and Ernest of Brunswick with 
2000 horse, supported by Count 
Horn at the head of the cuiras¬ 
siers, so furiously, that they were 
put to flight with great slaughter. 
Their infantry being now thrown 
into disorder by a well directed 
fire of artillery, the allied cavalry 
broke in upon them, and the 
French army became entirely 
routed, with the loss of 5000 
slain, including many officers of 
rank. Among the prisoners was 
Montmorency, the Constable of 
France, and several distinguished 
noblemen. 

1794. Reduction of Calvi.— 
In our relation of the siege of 
Calvi, we stated that the forts of 
Mollonochesco and Mozello were 
carried by the British on the 30th 








234 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 11. 


of July. The possession of these 
important posts which the troops 
maintained under the heaviest fire 
of shot and shells, induced Lieut.- 
Gen. Stuart to offer terms that 
the garrison of Calvi might be 
inclined to accept; but the reply 
being unfavourable, the navy 
and army once more united their 
efforts, and in the course of 
nine days, batteries of thirteen 
guns, four mortars and three 
howitzers, were completed within 
six hundred yards of the town. 
The cannonade was so admirably 
directed that the enemy were 
unable to remain at their guns. 
On the 10th of August they sent 
proposals which led to a capitu¬ 
lation, and the expulsion of the 
French from Corsica. The total 
loss sustained by the British from 
the 18th of July to the 10th of 
August amounted to 5 officers, 25 
rank and file, killed; 8 officers, 
and 52 rank and file, wounded. 

1794. The Rajah VizeramRanze 
was at Boney with an army of 
19,000 men, when Col. Pendegrast 
marched to that place from Bom- 
tipatam on the 7th of August. 
He then summoned the rajah to 
accede to terms; but, after some 
fruitless negotiation, the colonel 
advanced from his camp on the 
10th. The enemy, drawn up 
on a high ground along a 
lank, opened a sharp fire when 
their opponents arrived within 
pistol-shot, and gallantly stood 
their ground for more than forty 
minutes; but the discharge of 
grape and musketry threw them 
into confusion, and they were 
routed with severe loss, including 
the rajah among the slain. Two 
officers, and about thirty sepoys 
was the amount of loss on the 
part of the English. 

1811. Reduction of Java.— 
On the 10th of August a smart 
skirmish took place between the 


advance-division of each army, in 
which the Dutch were defeated, 
and the British took possession 
of the important post of Welter- 
veeden, distant about six miles 
from Cornelis, and a league from 
the intrenched camp of General 
Janssens. Preparations were then 
made for the attack of that posi¬ 
tion. 

August 11. 

1796. During the operations 
for the reduction of St. Domingo, 
on the 11th August the enemy 
appeared before the post of Ray¬ 
mond, defended by a detachment 
of 82 men, under Capt. Whitby. 
After keeping up a heavy fire 
with little effect, they attempted 
to storm the block-house with a 
considerable force, four different 
times, but were repulsed in every 
attack with great loss, and their 
chief killed. In this affair the 
British had only one man wounded. 

1803. Capture of Ahmed- 
nuggur. — An army was col¬ 
lected in the upper provinces, 
under Major-Gen. Lake, to act 
against the northern Mahrattas, 
where Scindiah had large bodies 
of troops, commanded and dis¬ 
ciplined by French adventurers. 
Major-Gen. Wellesley, who, as¬ 
sisted by Col. Stephenson, direct¬ 
ed the operations in the Deccan, 
commenced warlike operations by 
besieging Ahmednuggur, which 
had the reputation of being al¬ 
most impregnable ; but this for¬ 
midable fortress only held out 
four days, and was taken posses¬ 
sion of on 12th August, after 
being carried by assault. 

1812. Cavalry Skirmish near 
Las Rozas. —Joseph Bonaparte, 
apprehensive that the allies 
might march by their right to 
the Tagus, and so intercept his 
communication with the south, re- 






August 12. CALENDAR 


solved to direct his march to¬ 
wards the Morena ; having pre¬ 
viously sent Soult, from Segovia, 
orders to evacuate Andalusia, 
and meet him on the frontier of 
La Mancha. In order to avoid 
the disgrace of flying before a 
detachment, he occupied the Es- 
curial mountain, and placed his 
army across the roads leading 
from the passes of the Guada- 
rama to Madrid. While in this 
position, Wellington’s advanced 
guard, composed of D’Urban’s 
Portuguese, a troop of horse ar¬ 
tillery, and a battalion of infantry, 
passed the Guadarama, and on 
the 10th August the whole army 
was over the mountains. The 
king, retainingonly eight thousand 
men in position, sent the rest of 
his troops to protect the march of 
his court, which quitted Madrid 
the same day, with two or three 
thousand carriages of different 
kinds, and nearly twenty thousand 
persons of all ages and sexes. 
On the 11th, Gen. D’Urban drove 
hack Treilhard’s cavalry posts, and 
entered Majadahonda, whilst some 
German infantry, Bock’s heavy 
cavalry, and a troop of horse ar- 
tillery, occupied Las Rozas, about 
a mile in his rear. In the even¬ 
ing Treilhard, with a regiment of 
Italian dragoons and the lancers 
of Berg, returned ; whereupon 
D’Urban called up the horse ar¬ 
tillery, and would have charged 
the enemy’s leading squadrons, 
hut the Portuguese cavalry fled, 
and three guns were in conse¬ 
quence taken by the enemy. The 
German dragoons stopped the 
leading French squadrons, hut 
were overpowered, until Ponson- 
by’s cavalry and the 7th division 
arrived. Treilhard immediately 
abandoned Majadahonda, leaving 
the captured guns behind him. 
The whole loss of the allies was 
above two hundred. 


OF VICTORY. 235 


August 12. 

1711. Skirmish ok Cavalry. 
— When investing Bouchain, 
Marlborough, in order to protect 
his camp beyond the Scheldt, 
covered the front from Haspres 
to Ivry with a line of redoubts 
and lunettes well mounted with 
cannon. This work being com¬ 
pleted in two days, he again 
crossed the Scheldt with 50 bat¬ 
talions and 52 squadrons. The 
enemy having improved and ex¬ 
tended their works, the duke 
ordered the line of circumvalla- 
tion to be made in the middle 
space between their intrench- 
ments and the town. Accord- 
ingly, 4000 workmen were em¬ 
ployed, during the night of the 
11th August, in constructing a 
line extending from Mustaigne, 
across the road from Valenciennes 
towards the Scheldt. Behind it, 
a competent force, under General 
Collier, encamped for its protec¬ 
tion. Under the inspection of 
Gen. Cadogan, the work was exe¬ 
cuted by Colonel Armstrong, with 
great ability. On the morning 
of the 12th, Cadogan, riding to 
reconnoitre at the head of some 
squadrons, perceived Marshal Vil- 
lars, who, with an escort of four 
squadrons of carabiniers and one 
of hussars, was advancing for the 
same purpose. A warm skirmish 
ensuing between the two parties, 
the carabiniers were routed, with 
the loss of a brigadier-general, 
the major, and above 50 troopers; 
and the marshal himself narrowly 
escaped being captured. 

1796. The post of Raymond, 
near Jeremie, in the island of St. 
Domingo, defended by a detach¬ 
ment of dragoons and a party of 
chasseurs, under Lieut. Gilman 
of the 17th light dragoons, was 
attacked by a large force on the 





236 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 13. 


12th August. The block-house, 
situated on a small eminence 
about one hundred yards from 
the fort, being assailed by a con¬ 
tinued fire of musketry, Lieut. 
Gilman made a successful sortie 
with his dragoons and some chas¬ 
seurs, driving the enemy before 
him into the woods, leaving 
sixteen whites and forty-seven 
blacks dead on the field ; and 
many were afterwards found in 
the road leading to Aux Cayes. 
In this gallant affair, the loss of 
the British amounted to two men 
wounded of the 17th ; but the 
chasseurs had Lieut. Dutoya and 
three men killed, and fourteen 
wounded. 

1812. Wellington enters 
Madrid. — Wellington, seeing 
that King Joseph had crossed 
the Tagus in retreat, entered 
Madrid on 12th August. *“ This 
was a memorable event, were it 
only from the affecting circum¬ 
stance attending it. He, a 
foreigner, and marching at the 
head of a foreign army, was 
met and welcomed to the capital 
of Spain by the whole remain¬ 
ing population. The multitude, 
who before that hour had never 
seen him, came forth to hail his 
approach,—not with feigned en¬ 
thusiasm, not with acclamations 
extorted by the fear of a con- 
quei*or’s power, nor yet excited 
by the natural proneness of human 
nature to laud the successful,—for 
there was no tumultuous exulta¬ 
tion ; famine was amongst them, 
and long endured misery had 
subdued their spirits, but with 
tears and deep emotion they 
crowded around his horse, hung 
upon his stirrups, touched his 
clothes, or, throwing themselves 
upon the earth, blessed him aloud 
as the friend of Spain. His tri¬ 
umph was as pure and glorious 
* Napier. 


as it was uncommon, and he felt 
it to be so.” 

August 13. 

1 704. Battle of Blenheim. 
—The allied armv under Marl- 
borough and Prince Eugene, 
consisting of 64 battalions and 
166 squadrons, forming an ag¬ 
gregate force of 52,000 men, with 
52 pieces of artillery, passed the 
Kessel, in eight columns, at two 
o’clock on the morning of 13th 
August, and, having reached the 
bank of the Reichin, came into 
parallel order, and halted. The 
troops of Marlborough, con¬ 
sisting of 48 battalions and 86 
squadrons (of which 14 battalions 
and 14 squadrons were British), 
extended from Welheim to Krem- 
heim, whilst the 18 battalions 
and 74 squadrons under Prince 
Eugene, passing along the skirts 
of the hills in the rear of Wolper- 
stetten, Berghausen, and Schwe- 
nenbach, prolonged the line as far 
as Eichberg. After these pre¬ 
liminary dispositions, the army 
moved forward in silence, and at 
seven came in view of the hostile 
camp. The Gallo-Bavarians, 
computed at 56,000 men, not 
suspecting the approach of the 
enemy, formed in some confusion. 
The united troops of the Elector 
and Marsin being on the left, 
with cavalry on their right, whilst 
the army of Marshal Tallard was 
on the right, with cavalry on their 
left; their lines extending from the 
acclivity behind Blenheim, along 
the eminence to the rear of Oberg- 
laugh, and thence crossing a 
branch of the Nebel to the woods 
above Lutzingen. 

It was about seven o’clock 
when the troops of Marlborough 
began to deploy; and at eight, a 
heavy cannonade having opened 
from the enemy's right wing, 








August 14. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 237 


counter batteries were placed on 
the most appropriate spots, under 
the immediate direction of the 
duke. Whilst anxiously waiting 
the preparations of Prince Eu¬ 
gene, whose delay was occasioned 
by the broken ground and ra¬ 
vines intersected by rivulets, 
Marlborough ordered the chap¬ 
lains to perform divine service at 
the head of each regiment, and 
implore the favour of Heaven; 
and he was observed to join with 
fervour in this solemn appeal to 
the Giver of Victor}". About 
midday the attack commenced, 
by Lord Cutts moving on Blen¬ 
heim, while the main body ad¬ 
vanced to cross the Nebel. At 
one, the columns were so strongly 
opposed that they fell back, until 
the Hessian cavalry a second 
time gallantly repelled the French 
horse. After repeated encoun¬ 
ters of cavalry, the passage of the 
Nebel was effected, although the 
confederates were strongly op¬ 
posed at all points. On the right 
of the line, the troops of Eugene 
were repeatedly repulsed ; but at 
length, encouraged by the daring 
example of their chiefs, the 
confederates, after a sanguinary 
struggle, drove the enemy beyond 
Lutzingen. By five o’clock, the 
troops of Marlborough had finally 
effected the passage of the Nebel, 
and, amidst a tremendous fire, 
moved resolutely up the ascent. 
They were nevertheless unable 
to break the firm order of the 
enemy, and fell back under cover 
of the artillery. A second attack 
proved more successful; and nine 
battalions of the enemy were cut 
to pieces or made prisoners. The 
consequence of this shock was 
fatal; for, the right wing of 
Marsin’s cavalry having fallen 
back, an interval was left in the 
centre of the line. Marlborough 
saw that the decisive moment of 


victory was arrived. The allied 
horse, rushing forward, drove 
the hostile cavalry: the left fled 
towards Hochstadt, and the right, 
reduced to thirty squadrons, in 
the direction of Sonderheim. 
Homspech, with 30 squadrons, 
pursued the first, whilst Marl¬ 
borough. with the rest of the 
cavalry, following the remainder, 
drove many into the Danube and 
Schwanbach; and, in the terror 
of the moment, hundreds, plung¬ 
ing into the river, perished in 
sight of their affrighted comrades. 
The fate of the day being de¬ 
cided, the garrison of Blenheim, 
consisting of 24 battalions and. 
12 squadrons, surrendered as 
prisoners of war. Of the enemy, 
12,000 were left dead on the field 
of battle, the greater part of 30 
squadrons perished in the Da¬ 
nube, and 13,000 were made 
prisoners : 100 guns, 24 mortars, 
129 colours, and 171 standards 
were taken. The loss of the 
confederates amounted to 4500 
killed, and 7500 wounded. 

August. 14. 

1812 . Capture op the Re¬ 
tiro, Madrid. — Notwithstand¬ 
ing the joyous acclamations which 
greeted Wellington’s triumphal 
entry into Madrid, as we have 
just related, the city was still 
disturbed by the presence of the 
enemy. The Retiro contained 
enormous stores, twenty thousand 
stand of arms, more than one 
hundred and eighty pieces of 
artillery, and the eagles of two 
French regiments; and it had a 
garrison of two thousand fighting 
men, besides invalids and follow¬ 
ers ; but its inherent weakness 
was soon made manifest. The 
works consisted of an interior 
fort, called La China, with an ex¬ 
terior intrenchment; but the fort 





233 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 15. 


was too small, the intrenchment 
too large, and the latter could be 
easily deprived of water. In the 
lodging of a French officer, an 
order was found, directing the 
commandant to confine his real 
defence to the fort; and accord¬ 
ingly, on the night of the 13th 
August, he, being menaced, 
abandoned the intrenchment, 
and on the next day, the 14th, 
accepted honourable terms, be¬ 
cause La China was so contracted 
and filled with combustible build¬ 
ings, that his fine troops would, 
with a little firing, have been 
smothered in the ruins. But his 
gallant followers were so indig¬ 
nant, that many broke their 
weapons, and their commander 
was like to have fallen a vic¬ 
tim to their wrath. They were, 
however, immediately sent to 
Portugal. 

August 15. 

1423. Surrender of Ivry.— 
During the minority of Henry VI. 
the Duke of Bedford was declared 
Protector of England and Regent 
of France, resolving to secure 
that kingdom for the young mo¬ 
narch. Meanwhile the Dauphin, 
who succeeded Charles V. of 
France, had caused himself to be 
proclaimed king. During these 
contests, the Duke of Bedford, 
who had reduced several for¬ 
tresses in the Isle of France, re¬ 
ceiving intelligence that Girant, 
an officer of Charles VI. of 
France, with whom we were at 
this time at war, had sur¬ 
prised Ivry, a stronghold on the 
frontiers of Normandy, he im¬ 
mediately marched to retake it, 
before the French had sufficient 
time to put the place in a proper 
state of defence. The siege com¬ 
menced in the early part of July, 
and on the 20th Girant capi¬ 


tulated, with the understanding 
that the place should be surren¬ 
dered, if not relieved by the 15th 
of August. Charles, having been 
apprised of this stipulation, re¬ 
solved to succour the garrison 
of Ivry, though at the hazard of 
a battle, and immediately as¬ 
sembled an army in the Maine, 
composed of French, Scotch, and 
Italians, amounting to 20,000 
men, commanded by the Earl of 
Douglas, whom Charles had con¬ 
stituted his lieutenant-general for 
the whole kingdom; and all the 
nobility who adhered to his 
cause joined the army on this 
occasion. On 12th August they 
marched past the walls of Ver- 
neuil, which place surrendered 
on the first summons, under the 
impression that the English had 
been defeated and the siege of 
Ivry raised. The Earl of Salis¬ 
bury, on hearing of the move¬ 
ment of Douglas, hastened to 
reinforce the Regent with 1000 
men-at-arms and 2000 archers, 
thus increasing the English force 
to 13,000 men. Consequently 
Ivry surrendered, according to 
the articles of capitulation, on 
15th August. 

1702. The English army, un¬ 
der the Duke of Ormond, landing 
in the bay of Bulls, between Rota 
and fort St. Catherine, was at¬ 
tacked by a body of Spanish 
cavalry just as a few men had 
reached the shore ; but the enemy 
were quickly repulsed, leaving 
an officer and five men dead on 
the strand, and several prisoners 
were taken. 

1808. Action at Obidos, 
Portugal. — On the approach of 
the English on 12th August, 
Gen. Laborde fell back in the 
night to Obidos, a small town 
with an old Moorish castle on an 
eminence in the middle of a 
valley. Placing here a small 






August 16. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 239 


detachment, he retired on the 
14th to Rorica, a village four 
miles to the southward, which 
enabled him to keep his commu¬ 
nication open with Loison; and 
a regiment was sent to garrison 
Peniche. Loison, finding that 
Leria was in the hands of the 
British, fell back on the 11th 
upon Torres Vedras, and on the 
13th reached Santarem, but in 
such an exhausted state that he 
could not renew his march until 
the 15th. The first movement 
of Sir Arthur Wellesley had thus 
cut the line of communication 
between Loison and Laborde, 
and caused a loss of several 
forced marches to the former, and 
obliged the latter to risk an ac¬ 
tion Avith more than double his 
own force. On the 15th the post 
of Brilos was attacked by two 
companies of the 95th and two 
of the 5th battalion of the 60th, 
and the pickets driven out of 
Obidos. In the attack of Brilos 
the British carried the windmill 
without loss, but pursued the 
retiring enemy with such incon¬ 
siderate eagerness that at the 
distance of three miles from their 
support they were outflanked by 
two superior bodies of French, 
and owed their safety to the op¬ 
portune advance of the division 
of Gen. Spencer,—the detachment 
having lost 29 killed and wounded. 

August 16. 

1754. Battle of the French 
Rock. — Major Lawrence, with 
1000 English in battalion, 200 
Topasses, 3000 sepoys, and 14 
guns, 2500 Tanjore cavalry, and 
3000 infantry, having entered 
the plains to the south of Trichi- 
nopoly on 16th August, with the 
intention of reaching that place 
by the Sugar-loaf and French 
Rocks, the enemy marched out 


of Seringham to oppose them. 
The force of the French consisted 
of 900 Europeans and 400 To¬ 
passes in battalion, 5000 disci¬ 
plined and well-armed sepoys, 
and 10,000 Mysore andMahratta 
cavalry. The British formed in 
line, having their Europeans, 
Topasses, sepoys, and guns in the 
first line, and the Tanjoreans on 
the flanks and rear to protect the 
convoy. The French advanced 
with much confidence, but were 
so warmly received that they 
retreated in much disorder, after 
sustaining severe loss. Lawrence 
was prevented taking advantage 
of this defeat of the French, by 
a successful attack made by 
Hydcr Naik on the baggage, car¬ 
rying off 36 carts before his 
force could be dispersed. The 
enemy, profiting by the confusion 
thus occasioned, withdrew to 
Seringham. The troops under 
Lawrence sustained a loss of 18 
men killed, whilst the French 
battalion had 160 killed and se¬ 
verely wounded. 

1780. Battle of Camden— 
On the 9th August Earl Corn¬ 
wallis was at Charlestown, when 
advices reached him of the ad¬ 
vance of Gen. Gates, with the 
American army, consisting of 
6000 men, after detaching Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Sumpter with 1000, 
round the left of the British, to 
occupy the west bank of Wateree 
and seize the fords. Information 
also reached him that the country 
between Pedee and Black River 
had revolted, and that Lord 
Rawdon was contracting his 
posts and assembling his army 
at Camden. Lord Cornwallis 
set out the next evening, and 
reached Camden between the 
13th and 14th, with about 1400 
regulars and provincials and 500 
militia and North Carolina re¬ 
fugees. Both armies, as if by 







240 CALENDAR OE VICTORY. August 17. 


mutual consent, advanced to¬ 
wards each other at 10 o’clock 
at night on the 15th. The right 
wing of the British was com- 
manded by Lieut.-Col. Webster; 
the left, having four pieces of 
artillery, by Lord Rawdon; whilst 
Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, with the 
cavalry, was in the rear. The 
ground occupied by the British 
was so narrowed by swamps on 
each side, that both their flanks 
and rear were secured, and the 
space between only admitted of 
the force being drawn up to op¬ 
pose the enemy. This prepara¬ 
tion had just been effected, when 
at dawn of day on the 16th the 
American army was discovered 
in their front, and Gen. Gates 
was observed directing an altera¬ 
tion in his left wing. Lord Corn¬ 
wallis prevented this manoeuvre 
being completed, by directing 
Col. Webster to commence the 
attack. After a slight opposi¬ 
tion, the enemy gave way, and, 
spite of every effort on the part 
of their officers, the Americans 
were completely routed,—the ca¬ 
valry under Lieut.-Col. Tarleton 
breaking in upon the flying army. 
Their loss amounted to 1000 
killed and wounded, and as many 
made prisoners. The loss of the 
British was only twenty men killed 
and two hundred and twenty 
wounded. 

1812. Surrender of Ameri¬ 
can Army. —A considerable force 
under Gen. Hull having invaded 
the Canadian shore on 13th Au¬ 
gust, Major-Gen. Brock, with a 
small detachment, proceeded to 
Amhertzberg. On the morning 
of the 15th the batteries opened 
upon the enemy, and on the 16th 
the major-general, with 30 artil¬ 
lery, 250 of the 41st regiment 
50 of the Newfoundland corps 
and 400 militia, crossed the river 
and took up a position at Spring- 


well, three miles west of Detroit, 
whilst the woods on the left were 
in the meantime occupied by 600 
Indians. About noon the British 
moved forward in close column, 
and, when they had reached 
within a mile of the enemy, a 
flag of truce appeared on the 
walls of fort Detroit, proposing 
to capitulate, together with the 
whole north - western army, 
amounting to 1760 men, and all 
the fortified points. 


August 17. 

1801. Sortie repulsed near 
Alexandria. —During the night 
of 16th August, Majoi'-Gen. Coote 
embarked with a strong corps on 
the Inundation, and effected his 
landing to the westward of Alex¬ 
andria, with little or no opposi¬ 
tion, and immediately invested 
the strong castle of Marabout, 
situated at the entrance of the 
western harbour. On the east 
side of the town, two attacks were 
made to get possession of some 
heights in front of the intrenched 
position of the enemy, — Major- 
Gen. Craddock, commanding the 
right, and the left under the di¬ 
rection of Major-General Moore. 
Both attacks were successful, and 
without sustaining much loss. 
The 30th regiment, under Colonel 
Spencer, had taken possession of 
a hill in front of the enemy’s right, 
when Gen. Menon ordered a de¬ 
tachment of 600 men to make a 
sortie from their intrenched camp, 
and drive the British from their 
position. The enemy advanced 
in column, without firing a shot 
until they arrived close to the 30th 
regiment, which, although not 
250 men strong, rushed forward 
with the bayonet, and drove the 
assailants back to their intrench- 
ments in the utmost confusion. 








August 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 241 


and with the loss of many men 
killed and wounded. 

1808. Combat of Rorkja.— 
Early on the morning of this day, 
a dense mass, consisting of 13,480 
infantry, 470 cavalry, and 18 guns, 
under the command of Lieut.- 
Gen. Sir A. Wellesley, issued from 
Obidos, and soon afterwards 
broke into three distinct columns. 
The left, under Lieut.-Gen. Fer¬ 
guson, consisting of 4900 com¬ 
batants and six guns, marched 
by the crest of the hills near the 
Sierra Baragueda, to turn the 
right of Laborde’s position. The 
column of the right, under Col. 
Trant, composed of 1050 Portu¬ 
guese, moved by the village of St. 
Amias, to turn the French left. 
The centre column, 9000 in num¬ 
ber, with 12 guns, commanded by 
Sir Arthur in person, marched 
straight against the enemy by the 
village of Mahmed. Laborde’s 
position appeared desperate; but, 
with the coolness and dexterity 
of a practised warrior, covered 
by his excellent cavalry, he fell 
back rapidly to the heights of 
Zambugeira, watching anxiously 
for the arrival of Loison’s divi¬ 
sion. In order to dislodge him 
from this formidable post, Colonel 
Trant turned the left of the new 
field of battle : the brigades of 
Ferguson and Fane being united, 
penetrated the mountains, and 
outflanked the French right. 
Gens. Hill and Nightingale ad¬ 
vanced against the front, which 
was of great strength, and only 
to be approached by narrow paths, 
winding through deep ravines. 
A swarm of skirmishers won their 
way with extreme difficulty 
among rocks and tangled ever¬ 
greens that overspread the steep 
ascent; and, with still greater diffi¬ 
culty, the supporting columns fol¬ 
lowed. “ * The hollows echoed 
* Napier. 


with a continued roll of mus¬ 
ketry, the shouts of the advanc- < 
ing troops Avere loudly answered 
by the enemy, and the curling 
smoke that broke out from the 
sides of the mountain showed 
how stoutly the defence was main¬ 
tained.” The 29th pushed forward 
with such vigour, that, although 
gallantly supported by the 9th, 
both regiments Avere nearly over¬ 
powered before the brigade of 
Gen. Ferguson arrived to their 
assistance. Other British troops 
gathering thickly on the upper 
ground, Laborde, seeing that the 
day was lost, retreated by alter¬ 
nate masses supported by cavalry. 
He continued his march during 
the night to gain the narrow pass 
of Runa, leaving three guns on the 
field of battle. The loss of the 
French was 600 killed and wound- 
ed. On the part of the British, 
although not more than 4000 men 
were actually engaged, nearly 500 
Avere killed, taken, or Avounded. 

August 13. 

1513. Battle of the Spurs. 
—Henry VIII. of England, the 
Emperor Maximilian, and the 
Swiss, having entered into an al¬ 
liance offensive against France, 
Henry landed at Calais in the 
month of July, and soon formed 
an army of 30,000 men, counting 
the troops he had brought Avith 
him. Being joined by the emperor 
with a good corps of horse and 
some foot, they laid siege to 
Terouenne, investing the place 
with an army of 50,000 men ; 
upon which the Due de Longue- 
ville marched to its relief, and 
Avas totally defeated. This battle, 
fought on the 18th August, near 
Enguinegatte, Avas called the battle 
of the Spurs, because the French 
used their spurs more than their 
swords. 


R 






242 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 


August 19. 


1706. Siege of Menin.— The 
fortress of Menin, considered one 
of the master-pieces of Vauban, 
containing a garrison of 6000 
men, was invested on the 23rd 
July by Gen. Salisch, with 32 
battalions and 25 squadrons. The 
heavy artillery having arrived 
from Ghent on the 30th, the 
trenches were opened on the night 
of the 4th of August against the 
bastion of Capucins, and that of 
Ypres on the west front. On the 
18th, the works being advanced 
sufficiently for an attack on the 
covert-way, Marlborough drew 
his army nearer to Menin, by 
taking post between Belleghem 
and Font d’Espierre; and he in 
person repaired to the trenches 
to superintend the important 
operations. At seven the same 
evening the signal was given, by 
the explosion of two mines which 
had been made on the salient 
angles of the work called the 
half-moon of Ypres. The assail¬ 
ants instantly advancing to the 
palisades, threw grenades into 
the covert-way, and, entering 
amidst the confusion thus created, 
carried everything before them. 
For two hours they withstood a 
heavy fire from the ravelins and 
other works commanding their 
position; but at length they effec¬ 
tually established themselves,— 
extending to the palisades of the 
four angles. The loss in this 
sanguinary combat was not less 
than 1400 men. 

1793. Action at Lincelles. 
—The post of Lincelles having 
been attacked by the French in 
considerable strength, the Prince 
of Orange applied to the Duke of 
York for a reinforcement. The 
first, Coldstream, and third regi¬ 
ments of foot-guards, amounting 
altogether to 1122 men, with de¬ 
tachments of artillery, were or¬ 
dered to march, under the com¬ 


mand of Major-Gen. Lake, for 
that purpose; but the Dutch 
troops, which had been compelled 
to abandon the post, had retreated 
by another road than the one 
by which the relief arrived. Not¬ 
withstanding that the enemy, with 
a force of 5000 men, occupied a 
redoubt of formidable size and 
strength in front of the village 
of Lincelles, with the road 
strongly pallisaded, and their 
flanks covered by woods and 
ditches, Gen. Lake determined on 
an immediate attack. The bat¬ 
talions advanced under a heavy 
fire with great intrepidity, in the 
most perfect order; and after 
firing three or four rounds, rushed 
on with the bayonet, stormed 
the redoubt, and drove the enemy 
through the village. Here they 
rallied, and, supported by other 
troops, kept up a sharp fire until 
again closely assailed, and then 
were entirely put to the rout, 
with the loss of 200 men and 50 
prisoners, and nine pieces of can¬ 
non. The British loss amounted 
to 40 killed and 148 wounded. 

August 19. 

1119. Battle of Brenneville. 
—Louis le Gros, King of France, 
attempting to establish William 
Clito, son of Robert, Duke of Nor- 
mandv, in the estates of his father, 
who had been deprived of them 
by his brother Henry I. of Eng¬ 
land, a battle was fought on the 
19th of August near Brenneville, 
in Normandy, when Louis was 
defeated, and, being thus com¬ 
pelled to lay aside his design of 
establishing William Clito in that 
province, he created him Earl of 
Flanders. 

1779. Rebels defeated.— 
The garrison of fort Paulus Hook, 
near New York, being reinforced, 
Lieut.-Colonel Buskirk was de- 












August 20. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 243 


tached with part of the troops to 
cut off some parties who inter¬ 
rupted the supplies of provisions. 
A considerable force of the rebels 
availing themselves of this oppor¬ 
tunity of attempting the post, ad¬ 
vanced to the gate of the works 
at three o’clock on the morning 
of the 19th of August, and being 
mistaken for the corps of the 
Lieut.-Col., they entered without 
opposition, making themselves 
masters of a block-house and two 
redoubts. The alarm being now 
spread, Major Sutherland, the 
commandant, with forty Hessians, 
threw themselves into a redoubt, 
and soon drove the assailants 
out of the fort ; and reinforced 
by a detachment from New York, 
the Major pursued the enemy, and 
took a captain and several pri¬ 
vates prisoners. Col. Buskirk, on 
his return to the fort, had a skir¬ 
mish with the rebels, whom he de¬ 
feated, and took four prisoners. 

1799. Reduction of Surinam. 
—Lieut.-Gen. Trigge, having col¬ 
lected a body of troops from the 
islands of Grenada, St. Lucie, and 
Martinique, sailed from Port Royal 
on the 31st of July, in a squadron 
under Vice-Admiral H. Seymour, 
consisting of two sail of the line, 
five frigates, &c., to attack Suri¬ 
nam. On the 16th of August, the 
squadron having anchored, a sum¬ 
mons was sent to the governor to 
surrender the colony. A deputa¬ 
tion, consisting of some military 
officers and the principal inha¬ 
bitants, came off to treat gene¬ 
rally; and on the 19th the ad¬ 
miral and general,with the frigates 
and smaller vessels, proceeded two 
miles up the river, when a detach¬ 
ment of the 60tli regiment landed 
and took possession of the re¬ 
doubts and battery at Braam’s 
point, which had been previously 
abandoned. On the 20th the capi¬ 
tulation was ratified, stipulating 


that all ships of war, artillery, 
provisions, and stores should be 
delivered up to His Britannic Ma¬ 
jesty. On the 21st, 400 men of 
the 60th took possession of fort 
Amsterdam; and 500 Walloon 
guards, with 250 Dutch troops, 
marched out with the honours of 
war. All the other forts also sub¬ 
mitted. 

August 20. 

1695. Siege of Namur. — 
King William III. of England, 
resolving to regain Namur, laid 
siege to that place, having under 
his personal command 70 batta¬ 
lions and 80 squadrons; the se- * 
cond corps under the Elector of 
Bavaria, 36 battalions and 130 
squadrons, lying near Dender- 
mond; the third, under General 
Eremburg,was of 20 battalions and 
10 squadrons; and the fourth, of 
25 battalions, commanded by Ba¬ 
ron de Heyden, was posted be¬ 
tween Bref and Falcis. The gar¬ 
rison of Namur consisted of 
16,000 men, under Marshal Bouf- 
flers. The trenches were opened 
on the 11th of July, and the be¬ 
siegers had raised thirty bat- t 
teries, which mounted 130 guns 
and 80 mortars; and this power¬ 
ful artillery played almost with¬ 
out intermission. The besieged 
made so many sorties as filled the 
trenches of the confederates, and 
whole battalions were destroyed 
by the springing of mines; and it 
cost the assailants eight days’ time 
before they could make them¬ 
selves masters of the outworks. 
The first assault was the most 
sanguinary and obstinately con¬ 
tested on record ; and although 
the allies renewed the attack four 
several times, the town did not 
propose to capitulate until the 
5th of August, when the troops 
retired into the citadel. The 












- ----- ., — - . 

244 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 21. 


French army under Villeroi, con¬ 
sisting of 100 battalions and 200 
squadrons, having failed in an 
effort to raise the siege of Namur, 
the confederates prepared for a 
general assault, which was made 
at eleven places at the same time. 
About ten o’clock on the morning 
of the 20th of August, the troops 
moved to the attack in two co¬ 
lumns, composed of three thou¬ 
sand chosen men, at the head of 
whom were the English grena¬ 
diers, who out-braved all the rest 
in mounting the breach made in 
the body of the castle, which was 
600 yards from the head of the 
trenches, and was defended on 
both sides by formidable out¬ 
works. But these gallant soldiers, 
led by Lord Cutts, made their 
way, in spite of every obstacle, 
and the first battalion planted 
their colours on the crest of the 
breach. Here they were so 
firmly opposed that they were 
forced to fall back; and the 2nd 
battalion being also compelled to 
retire, threw the advancing troops 
into great confusion. The other 
points of attack were resisted by 
the French with equal bravery, 
and the assailants repulsed in all 
their attempts with great slaugh¬ 
ter. Villeroi made another at¬ 
tempt to relieve Namin', and 
ranged his army in order of 
battle in the wood of St. Dennis. 
The Marquis de la Floret being 
detached by King William with 
30 squadrons to reconnoitre the 
enemy, Marshal Villars ordered 
40 squadrons to pass the Mehaigne 
and attack him ; but the French 
drawn into an ambuscade, were 
charged so furiously that they 
were compelled to retreat with 
great loss. The allies, elated with 
their success, were preparing to 
make another assault upon the 
castle; but Marshal Boufflers, un¬ 
willing to expose his brave troops 


to further loss, capitulated on the 
2nd of September; and the gar¬ 
rison marched out with the ho¬ 
nours of war on the 5th of that 
month. Namur was purchased at 
a very dear rate by the confede¬ 
rates, who, besides the enormous 
expense incurred in prosecuting 
the siege, lost nearly 20,000 men, 
the elite of the whole army. 

August 21. 

1801. Castle of Marabout 
surrenders. —Between the 18th 
and 19th of August, Major-Gen. 
Coote opened batteries against 
the castle of Marabout; an attack 
was also made from the sea by 
several Turkish corvettes, and the 
launches and boats of the fleet, 
under the guidance of the Hon. 
Capt. Cochrane. Great perse¬ 
verance and exertions were re¬ 
quired to get up heavy guns 
through a difficult and almost 
impracticable country, but the 
British troops executed this ar¬ 
duous service with such zeal and 
enduring firmness that the fort 
capitulated on the night of the 
21st. The garrison consisted of 
about 180 men, commanded by a 
chef de brigade. 

1808. Battle of Vimiero.— 
On the 21st of August, General 
Junot, with 14,000 fighting men, 
in four divisions, three composed 
of infantry and one of cavalry, 
with 23 pieces of artillery, of 
small calibre, at ten o’clock in 
the morning commenced the at¬ 
tack of the British army under 
Sir Arthur Wellesley, occupying 
the heights around the village of 
Vimiero. That force, formed into 
eight brigades, consisted of 
18,089 infantry, 660 artillery, 
with 18 guns, and 240 cavalry: 
out of these, 1650 Portuguese 
under Col. Trant, and two regi¬ 
ments under Gen. Beresford being 








August 22. CALENDAR 


with the fleet at the entrance of 
the Tagus, made a total of 20,639 
men. Laborde’s division com¬ 
menced the battle by attacking 
Anstruther’s brigade, and being 
reinforced by Loison, they 
mounted the face of the hill with 
great impetuosity; but, checked 
by the well directed fire of the 
artillery, and then vigorously 
charged in front and flank, they 
were compelled to retreat. At 
the same time Fane’s brigade 
repulsed an attack on their side, 
and Col. Taylor, with the very 
few horsemen he commanded, 
rode fiercely among the enemy, 
and scattered them with great ex¬ 
ecution ; but Margaron’s horse 
came suddenly upon Taylor, 
who was there slain, and half 
of his feeble squadron cut to 
pieces. Kellermann, taking advan¬ 
tage of this check, threw one-half 
of the reserve into a wood, and 
with the other renewed the attack; 
but the 43rd regiment broke down 
upon the head of the column, and 
after a desperate struggle, re¬ 
pulsed them in disorder. Mean¬ 
while Brennier came upon Fergu¬ 
son’s brigade, on the left of the 
English position, which they 
found fully prepared, formed in 
three lines, protected by steep 
declivities on either side, with a 
powerful artillery; and on the 
right, the Portuguese were seen 
marching to attack their rear. 
Ferguson, taking the initiative, 
bore down upon the enemy, and 
the regiments of the second line 
advancing in rapid succession, 
increased the front. The French, 
after several ineffectual efforts to 
check the advancing troops, the 
retiring column being continually 
outflanked on the left, was 
thrown into the low ground about 
Parenza, and here six guns were 
captured; but Gen. Brennier 
having cleared the ravine, retook 


OF VICTORY. 245 


the artillery. His success was but 
momentary, for the British, with a 
shout, returning to the charge, 
overthrew him, recovered the guns, 
and Brennier himself was wound¬ 
ed and made prisoner. At this 
period, when Ferguson, who had 
separated the French brigade, and 
would have forced the greater 
part of Solignac’s to surrender, 
was ordered to halt. It was now 
twelve o’clock, and the battle was 
won: thirteen guns were in our 
possession. The 4th and 8th bri¬ 
gades had suffered very little, 
whilst the Portuguese, the 1st, and 
5th brigades had not fired a shot, 
and the latter w'cre two miles 
nearer to Torres Vedras than 
any part of the French army. 
Under these advantageous cir¬ 
cumstances Sir Arthur deter¬ 
mined to force Junot upon the 
Tagus ; while Hill, Anstruther, 
and Fane, seizing upon the defile 
of Torres Vedras, would push on 
to Montachique, and cut him off 
from Lisbon; but Sir Harry 
Burrard had now assumed the 
chief command, and the army 
was concentrated around Vimiero. 
The loss of the French, in killed 
and wounded, was estimated at 
1800; that of the British being 
exactly 720. 

August 22. 

1138. Battle of the Stand¬ 
ard.— David, King of Scotland, 
having entered Northumberland 
with a powerful army, had ad¬ 
vanced as far as Northallerton, 
when they were met by the En¬ 
glish forces under the command 
of the Earl of Albemarle. The 
Scotch commenced the battle; the 
Gallovidians advancing with three 
huzzas, charged the English lance- 
men with such fury that they fell 
back, but, being supported by the 
second line, and the assailants 
having no defensive armour 







246 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 22. 


against the English arrows and 
pikes, their gallant efforts proved 
ineffectual ; and their chieftains, 
Ulrick and Donald, being slain, 
they turned and fled in great con¬ 
fusion. The Prince of Scotland 
then moved forward with such 
resolution that he penetrated to 
the rear of the English, who began 
to fall into disorder, when an old 
soldier, placing the head of one of 
the slain on the point of his spear, 
called aloud “Behold the head of 
the Scottish king.” Confounded 
by this apparition, the Scots be¬ 
came dispirited, and began to 
give ground. At this moment 
the Archbishop of York brought 
forward in a carriage a conse¬ 
crated standard, surmounted by a 
cross. This circumstance, cou¬ 
pled with the supposition that 
their king was slain, so appalled 
the flying enemy, that they were 
totally routed with great slaugh¬ 
ter. Stephen was so elated with 
this victory that he conferred 
the additional title of York¬ 
shire upon the Earl of Albemarle, 
and the earldom of Derby upon 
Ferrers. 

1485. Battle of Boswortii 
Field. — Richard III., having 
rendered himself odious to the 
nation, various parts of the king¬ 
dom were in a state of insurrec¬ 
tion, in order to divide the royal 
forces. The Duke of Bucking¬ 
ham, who was at the head of 
this rebellion, was betrayed into 
the hands of Richard by an un¬ 
grateful servant, in order to ob¬ 
tain the reward offered of 1000/., 
and the duke was beheaded at 
Shrewsbury. Notwithstanding 
this check to his prospects of at¬ 
taining the throne, Richmond em¬ 
barked his troops at Harfleur, and 
in six days arrived at Milford 
Haven. He then marched to 
Shrewsbury, having been joined 
on his route through Wales by 


numerous adherents. Meanwhile, 
the monarch encamped his army 
between Leicester and Coventry. 
On the 22nd August the armies 
came in sight of each other on 
Redmore plain, near Bosworth, 
a small town in Leicestershire. 
Richard’s army consisted of 12,000 
men, well accoutred; whilst Rich¬ 
mond had only 5000 men, badly 
armed, which he formed in two 
lines. The fight was valiantly 
maintained on both sides, when 
Sir William Stanley, who had 
stood aloof until it became ap¬ 
parent which side was likely to 
prevail, now joined Richmond 
with 2000 men. This accession 
made Richard desperate, and 
finding all his endeavours to rally 
his troops ineffectual, he rushed 
into the thickest of the fight, and 
fell in the midst of those he had 
slain. This great battle termi¬ 
nated the feuds of the houses of 
York and Lancaster, and esta¬ 
blished a new dynasty on the 
throne of England. 

1801. French driven into 
Alexandria. — Seven sloops of 
war under Capt. Cochrane enter¬ 
ed the western harbour of Alex¬ 
andria on the evening of the 21st 
August, and on the morning of 
the 22nd, at 6 o’clock, the troops 
in two brigades, under Major- 
General Eyre Coote, advanced 
against the enemy, posted upon a 
ridge of high hills, having two 
heavy guns on the right flank, and 
two batteries, mounting three 
more, on the left, with many field- 
pieces at entervals in the line. 
The British army moved through 
the sand-hills in three columns, 
their field artillery with the ad¬ 
vanced guard; and, although ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire, compelled 
the enemy to retire within the 
walls of Alexandria about 10 
o’clock, leaving seven guns be¬ 
hind them. 







August 23. CALENDAR 


August 23. 

1781. Tripasore stormed. 
— Tippoo, having been strongly 
reinforced, moved to the north¬ 
ward to intercept Col. Pearce’s 
Bengal detachment; Coote there¬ 
fore, on 2nd August, effected a 
junction with ten battalions of 
Bengal sepoys and twenty pieces 
of cannon, under command of 
Col. Pearce, at Pulicat. Before 
the army could move to the re¬ 
lief of Vellore or Arcot, it was 
necessary to take Tripasore, a 
fortification that had recently 
been much strengthened, and 
Avas garrisoned by 1500 men. On 
the 19th August he arrived be¬ 
fore it, and by the 22nd a breach 
Avas effected. The garrison de¬ 
manding terms, and the army of 
Hyder appearing in sight, orders 
Avere given to storm on the 23rd, 
Avhen the fortress surrendered at 
discretion. Hvder dreAv off on 
seeing the British in possession 
of the Avorks ; and to a proposi¬ 
tion of Sir Eyre Coote to ex¬ 
change the prisoners taken at 
Tripasore, he declined the pro¬ 
posal, at the same time recom¬ 
mending the English general to 
put them all to death. 

1782. Cape River Fort car¬ 
ried. — Capt. John Campbell of 
the Wanks River district, having 
collected 150 negroes, from 14th 
July continued assiduously to 
annoy the Spanish garrison at 
Black River fort, near Gracios a 
Dios, in Mexico, and narrowed 
the limits of their post to the east¬ 
ward, until, by a judicious move¬ 
ment to the westward, he passed 
their sentinels unnoticed in the 
night of 23rd August, and car¬ 
ried Cape River fort (late fort 
Dalling), Avith the loss of only 
two men. Sixty-five Spaniards 
were killed, nine taken prisoners j 


OF VICTORY. 247 


(mostly wounded), and forty 
escaped. 

1793. Surrender op Pon¬ 
dicherry. — Intelligence having 
been received at Madras on the 
1st June that war had been de¬ 
clared by France against England 
and Holland, the British army 
under Col. BraitliAvaite assembled 
near Pondicherry, and, having 
prepared all the necessary equip¬ 
ments for the siege of that for¬ 
tress, operations commenced 
early in the month of August; 
hut on the 23rd the place sur¬ 
rendered at discretion. 

1801. Surrender of Fort 
Marabout. — The surrender of 
fort Marabout, so important to 
our fleets, was effected without 
any loss on our side. Lieut.- 
Col. Darby, Avith the 51st regi¬ 
ment, covered the attack; and the 
judicious manner in Avhich he 
posted the light infantry of that 
corps, on an adjoining rock, 
silenced the guns by their Avell 
directed musketry, and thus 
greatly accelerated the submis¬ 
sion of the fort. The capitula¬ 
tion stipulated that the garrison 
should he conveyed to France, 
not to serve until regularly ex¬ 
changed. 

August 24. 

1773. The force under Col. 
Smith which left Trichinopoly 
on 3rd August for the reduction 
of Tanjore, after routing the ene¬ 
my on the 5th, invested Tanjore. 
On the 20th, approaches Avere 
made to within 500 yards of the 
wall of the city. On the 24th, 
the enemy made a determined 
sortie, but were driven back with 
considerable loss ; on Avhich oc¬ 
casion the grenadiers of the first 
Madras European regiment par¬ 
ticularly distinguished them- 
i selves. 






248 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 25. 


1793. Action near Furnes. 
— Whilst the Duke of York on 
24th August was preparing to at¬ 
tack the enemy, who were still 
posted at some distance from 
Dunkirk, in order to get posses¬ 
sion of the ground which it was 
necessary to occupy previous to 
the siege, they hastened the exe¬ 
cution of his design by attacking 
the outposts between the canal 
of Furnes and the sea. Lieut. - 
Gen. Dalton immediately moved 
to their support, and the enemy 
were driven into the town, with 
the loss of one gun and some 
prisoners. The ardour of the 
British carrying them further in 
the pursuit than was intended, 
they suffered considerably from 
the guns of the place. 

1814. Battle of Bladens- 
burg. — Major-Gen. Ross having 
determined to make an attack 
upon the city of Washington, 
early on the morning of the 24th 
August the army moved in three 
brigades from their encampment 
at Upper Marlborough on the 
Patuxent river. The light bri¬ 
gade, under Lieut,-Col. Thorn¬ 
ton, consisted of the 58th regi¬ 
ment, light companies of the 4th, 
44th, and of the royal marines, 
with a detachment of marine ar¬ 
tillery ; the right brigade com¬ 
posed of 4th and 44th regiments ; 
and the left of 21st fusiliers and 
second battalion of royal ma¬ 
rines. In addition to tlr's force, 
200 seamen were attached to the 
field-guns. The Americans, ac¬ 
cording to the lowest estimate, 
amounted to 7600 men, with 23 
pieces of artillery. It was about 
noon when the British arrived 
on the heights of Bladensburg, 
where the American army was 
drawn up in two lines upon a 
commanding eminence, on the 
north side of the high road 
leading from Bladensburg to 


Washington. The light brigade, in 
crossing the bridge, became ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire ; but the 
enemy immediately retired and 
fled towards the capital, leaving 
ten pieces of cannon and 120 
prisoners in the hands of the 
British, whose loss amounted to 
64 killed and 185 men wounded. 
As soon as the troops were re¬ 
freshed, the major-general moved 
forward the left brigade ; and as 
the British entered the city of 
Washington the American army 
quitted it on the other side. Pro¬ 
perty to the amount of 365,400/. 
sterling, as well as several public 
buildings, were destroyed. 

1842. Afghans defeated.— 
The want of carriage-cattle at 
Jellalabad prevented any move¬ 
ment on the part of Gen. Pollock 
for four months. During that 
time the state of affairs at Ca- 
bul showed clearly the facility 
with which that capital might be 
captured; and there were two fac¬ 
tions there, struggling for mas¬ 
tery and plunder. Preparations 
were at length effected for an 
advance on Cabul, and on 20th 
August Gen. Pollock moved 
from Jellalabad to pass through 
the defiles, where the bones of 
the butchered British soldiers lay 
still unburied. On the 24th, he 
defeated 12,000 Afghans at 
Mammoo Khail, and remained a 
fortnight at Gundamuck. 


August 25. 

1706. Surrender of Menin, 
— The operations during the 
siege of Menin are related in the 
Calendar of the 18th August, on 
which day the confederates esta¬ 
blished themselves in the covert- 
way, after sustaining a consider¬ 
able loss of men. The breaching 
batteries being opened against 


J 






August 26. 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 


249 


i 

I 


the place, the Duke of Marlbo¬ 
rough again went to hasten the 
progress of the attack. Within 
a few hours he had the satisfac¬ 
tion to observe the last defences 
of the fortress in a state of ruin 
and the besieged reduced to pro¬ 
pose a capitulation. After some 
discussion, terms were arranged, 
and on the 25th August the 
gates were opened to the allies, 
the garrison retiring with the 
honours of war to Douay. Among 
the cannon of the fortress were 
four English pieces captured at 
the battle of Landen, which, being 
considered as a trophy, were sent 
back to England. The loss of 
the allies incurred in the reduc¬ 
tion of this strong and important 
fortress amounted to no less than 
3000 killed and wounded; that 
of the garrison, 1500. 

1763. Action at Auda Nulla. 
—The forces of Ally Cawn re¬ 
tired to Auda Nulla near Mon- 
gheer, a place of great strength 
by nature, where they threw up 
a work and mounted 100 pieces 
of cannon, with a deep and broad 
ditch in front. On the 21st Au¬ 
gust, Major Adams, with the 
84th regiment, 150 of the Com¬ 
pany’s forces, two troops of 
European and one of black ca¬ 
valry, 10 companies of sepoys, 
and" 12 pieces of cannon, en¬ 
camped within 3000 yards of the 
enemy’s works, and began to 
throw up intrenehments to pro¬ 
tect the camp. On the 24th a 
redoubt was erected for the pro¬ 
tection of the trenches within 
1200 yards of the enemy’s works, 
defended by a force of 120 Eu¬ 
ropeans, 300 sepoys, and three 
pieces of cannon. On the 25th, 
at noon, the enemy attacked this 
post with a considerable number 
of sepoys, who were permitted 
to advance within one hundred 
yards, when they received such 


a destructive fire that they were 
compelled to retreat, leaving 
100 killed and wounded on the 
field. 

1801. French repulsed near 
Alexandria.— At the reduction 
of Alexandria the British bat¬ 
teries opened against the redoubt 
de Bain on 24th August, and 
during the night of the 25th 
Major-Gen. Coote surprised the 
enemy’s advanced posts, cap¬ 
turing seven officers and fifty 
men. This service was performed 
by Lieut.-Col. Smith, with the 
1st battalion of the 20th regiment 
and a small detachment of dra¬ 
goons under Lieut. Kelly, of the 
26th. The enemy made an effort 
to recover their position, but were 
repulsed with loss. 

1811. Reduction of fort 
Cornelis. — At the reduction of 
Java the cannonade was con¬ 
tinued against fort Cornelis 
throughout the 24th August, with 
great loss on both sides, and to 
the evident disadvantage of the 
Dutch, many of their guns being 
dismounted and their front line 
of defence considerably injured. 
In this state of things an assault 
was determined upon and the 
command entrusted to Colonel 
Gillespie. At midnight the troops 
moved to the attack, and after 
a desperate struggle they carried 
all before them. Three general 
officers and 5000 troops were 
taken prisoners, and more than 
a thousand were found dead 
among the works. The loss of 
the British from the 4th to the 
26th (including the navy and the 
native troops) amounted to 156 
killed and 788 wounded. 

August 26. 

1346. Battle of Cress y.— 
King Edward III. landed at La 
Hogue, and, having divided his 











250 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 26, 


army, consisting of 30,000 foot 
and 2500 horse, into three bodies, 
began to ravage the country, 
subjugating Caen and other towns 
on his march to Rouen ; and 
finding King Philip of France 
posted on the other bank of the 
Seine with a numerous army, 
he resolved to besiege Calais. 
Proceeding towards that place, 
he encamped on an eminence 
near Cressy, in Lower Picardy, 
where he drew up his army on 
26th August. The first line, 
commanded by the Prince of 
Wales, who had just reached his 
fifteenth year, consisted of 800 
men-at-arms, 4000 archers and 
6000 Welsh infantry. The second 
line, commanded by the Earl of 
Arundel, comprised 8000 men- 
at-arms, 4000 halberdiers, and 
2000 archers. These two lines 
were formed on the declivity of 
a hill, the second outflanking the 
first on the left, where it was also 
protected by a ditch terminating 
in the park of Cressy. The king 
in person commanded the third 
line, posted on the brow of a hill 
behind the other two, composed 
of 700 men-at-arms, 5300 bill- 
men and 6000 archers, making 
a total of 36,800 men. The French 
army was formed in three divi¬ 
sions. The first, commanded by 
John de Luxembourg and the 
blind king of Bohemia, consisted 
of 3000 men-at-arms, 29,000 in¬ 
fantry, and 15,000 crossbows, 
which were planted opposite the 
English archers. The second, 
under Charles, Count of Alenyon, 
was composed of 4000 men-at- 
arms and 20,000 infantry. Philip 
in person commanded the third, 
as a reserve, consisting of 12,000 
men-at-arms and 50,000 infantry. 
About 3 o’clock in the afternoon 
the Genoese advanced to the at¬ 
tack ; but a heavy shower falling 
at the time, their bow-strings 


were rendered almost unavailing. 
On the other hand, the English 
archers, who had their bows en¬ 
cased, favoured by a sudden 
gleam of sunshine that flashed 
in the faces of the enemy, let fly 
their arrows with such precision 
that the Genoese fled in the ut¬ 
most confusion. The Count 
X)’Alcn<;on at the same time made 
a furious charge with his men- 
at-arms on the division conducted 
by the Prince of Wales ; but 
these were also repulsed with 
severe loss. At that moment an 
impetuous onset of three squa¬ 
drons of French and German 
knights, with a strong body of 
men-at-arms, broke through the 
column of archers, and the prince 
was attacked both in front and 
flank. The archers, however, 
soon rallied, and a reinforcement 
arriving under the Earls of North¬ 
ampton and Arundel, the enemy 
were surrounded and- cut to 
pieces. The main body of the 
enemy, led by King Philip, now 
moved to the support of the 
troops that had retreated. No¬ 
thing, however, could resist the 
valour of the Prince of Wales 
and his attendants, who bore 
down all opposition. But the 
strife continued with unabated 
fury on both sides, until Philip 
was borne from the field severely 
wounded in the neck and thigh. 
All resistance then ceased, and 
the French, flying in all direc¬ 
tions, were slaughtered in count¬ 
less numbers by their remorseless 
conquerors. Their loss amounted 
to the Kings of Bohemia and 
Majorca, the Duke of Lorraine 
and many nobles, 24 bannerets, 
1200 knights, 1500 gentlemen, 
4000 men-at-arms, and 30,000 
infantry; while the English loss 
did not exceed three knights and 
an inconsiderable number of 
soldiers. In commemoration of 






August 27. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


251 


the prowess of Prince Edward 
in this glorious battle, the crest 
of the king of Bohemia—three 
ostrich feathers, with the motto 
“Ich Dien” (I serve) — has from 
that period been adopted by the 
heirs to the crown of England. 

1752. French defeated near 
Bahoor. — The French army, 
under M. de Kerjean, consisting 
of 400 Europeans, 1500 sepoys, 
and 500 cavalry, was defeated 
near Bahoor, with the loss of 
eight pieces of cannon, by Gen. 
Lawrence, with 400 Europeans, 
1700 sepoys, and 4000 of the 
Nabob’s troops, whose loss did 
not exceed 80 in killed and 
wounded. 

August 27. 

1346. After the battle of 
Cressy, the victorious Edward, 
having sounded a retreat and 
ordered his men to be upon their 
guard during the night, lest the 
French should rally, detached a 
party at daylight on 27 th to 
pursue the fugitives. This de¬ 
tachment meeting in a fog the 
militia of Rouen and Beauvais, 
on their march to join Philip’s 
army, routed them on the first 
onset. The Archbishop of Rouen 
and the grand prior of France, 
advancing with a reinforcement, 
were defeated and slain, with 
2000 of their followers. The En¬ 
glish gathering some standards 
that lav scattered on the field, 
planted them on a hill to decoy 
the enemy dispersed about the 
villages, and the stratagem suc¬ 
ceeded. These flocking around 
their standards, were fallen upon 
and slain without mercy; for 
Edward had given an order pre¬ 
vious to the battle to give no 
quarter, and a similar instance of 
barbarity was exercised by the 
French king. 


1756. Reduction of Fort 
Frontenac. — Licutenant-Col. 
Bradstreet was detached from the 
army under Major-Gen. Aber- 
cromby, with 154 regulars, 2491 
provincials, 27 artillery, 61 ran¬ 
gers, 300 bateaumen, and 70 In¬ 
dians, in all 3103 men, to attack 
fort Frontenac, on Lake Oswego, 
mounting 30 guns, and situated 
on Lake George, North America. 
On the 25th August, the troops 
landed without opposition within 
a mile of the fort, and on the 
morning of the 27th the garrison 
capitulated. 

1776. Battle at Long 
Island. — The British army, 
amounting to 15,000 men, with 40 
pieces of cannon, under General 
Howe, embarked at Staten island 
on the morning of 22nd August, 
and effected a landing at Graves¬ 
end Bay, Long island on the 
same day, without opposition. On 
the 25th two brigades of Hessians, 
under Lieut.-Gen. Heister, were 
added to this force, and took 
post at Flat Bush; while the Earl 
of Cornwallis, with the reserve, 
drew off to the Flat island, as did 
also the brigade of light infantry 
under Lieut.-Gen. Clinton, with 
14 field-pieces, in order to turn 
the enemy’s left. The main 
body of the army, consisting of 
the guards, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th 
brigades, with ten field pieces, led 
by Lieut.-Gen. Lord Per/iy, soon 
followed, and having reached 
Bedford at 8 o’clock, in rear of 
the enemy’s left, the attack im¬ 
mediately commenced by the 
light infantry and dragoons driv¬ 
ing the rebels, who fell back 
upon their principal redoubt. 
Soon after daybreak Lieut.-Gen. 
Heister cannonaded the enemy in 
his front, and having advanced 
Col. Donop’s corps to attack the 
rebels posted on the hill, sup¬ 
ported them at the head of his 















252 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 28. 


brigades. The light infantry 
being reinforced by a detach¬ 
ment of the guards, had taken 
three pieces of cannon, and were 
warmly engaged with the enemy 
in the woods; but on the approach 
of the Hessians, the rebels gave 
way, and w r ere completely routed 
in that quarter. On the left, 
Gen. Howe directed Major-Gen. 
Grant, with the 4th and 6th bri¬ 
gades, the 42nd regiment, and 
two companies of New York pro¬ 
vincials, with ten pieces of can¬ 
non, to move along the coast to 
draw the enemy’s attention from 
their left, the principal object of 
attack. At daybreak on 27th 
he fell in with a large corps, with 
whom he was engaged some 
time, until they became appre¬ 
hensive that their left had been 
turned ; when they moved to 
cross a sw r amp and a creek, but 
being met by the 2nd battalion of 
grenadiers,and 71st regiment, they 
sustained great loss, and many 
were drowned in the morass. 
The rebel army on Long island 
was commanded by Gen. Put¬ 
man, and the forces he detached 
from his lines at Brooklyne 
amounted to 10,000 men. These 
he placed under command of 
Major-Gen. Sullivan and Bri¬ 
gadier Gens. Stirling and Udell, 
who were all three made pri¬ 
soners. The total loss of the 
rebels was 2000, and the pri¬ 
soners amounted to 997, of which 
67 were wounded ; on the part of 
the British, 61 were killed and 
257 wounded. 

1799. Reduction of the 
Helder. — The British army un¬ 
der Licut.-Gen. Abercromby, ef¬ 
fected a landing at the Helder on 
the morning of 27th August with¬ 
out opposition ; but, on moving 
forward, were attacked by the 
enemy in considerable force, who 
towards evening were compelled 


to retire to a position two leagues 
in theii^ rear. The regiments 
principally engaged were the 
23rd, 27th, 29th, 55th, and 85th. 
The total loss of the British 
amounted 56 killed, 371 wounded, 
and 26 missing. 

August 28. 

1710. Siege of Bethune.— 
This city, situated on the river 
Bielle, in Flanders, and eighteen 
miles north-west from Arras, was 
invested by order of the Duke of 
Marlborough by a division of 
Lieut.-Gen. Schulemburg, consist¬ 
ing of twenty battalions and 
eighteen squadrons. The fortress 
was summoned on the 14th July, 
and refusing to surrender, was re¬ 
gularly invested,—the Duke with 
his army covering it from any at¬ 
tempts of the French army under 
Marshal Villars, and the siege 
was pushed with all possible 
vigour. On the 24th the garrison 
made a formidable sortie, which 
threw the besiegers into much 
confusion. The conflict w r as 
long and sanguinary; but at 
length the superiority of numbers 
prevailed, and the besieged were 
driven back into the fortress 
leaving 1500 killed, and above 
3000 wounded. Nor was this 
enduring struggle less fatal to the 
victors, whose loss was at least 
equal to that of their opponents. 
Nothing further remarkable oc¬ 
curred until the 28th August, 
when the counterscarp was car¬ 
ried sword in hand. The be¬ 
siegers being now prepared to 
attack every other point, De Puy 
Vauban, the governor, apprehend¬ 
ing a general assault, and his 
ammunition and provisions being 
nearly expended, was under the 
necessity of capitulating. He ob¬ 
tained honourable terms for the 
remainder of the gallant defend- 






August 29. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


253 


ers, who were reduced to 1700 
men, having lost nearly 2000 
during the siege. The loss of the 
besieging army exceeded three 
thousand three hundred men, ex¬ 
clusive of a great many officers. 

1799. Surrender of the 
Helder. —It having been deter¬ 
mined by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Ralph 
Abercromby to attack the Helder, 
garrisoned by 2000 men, on the 
morning of 28th August the bri¬ 
gade under Major-Gen. Moore, 
supported by that of Major-Gen. 
Burrard, were destined for that 
service. But on the evening of 
the 27th, the Dutch fleet on the 
Mars Diep got under way; con¬ 
sequently the garrison of the Hel¬ 
der was withdrawn, and, having 
spiked the guns, they took their 
route through the marshes to- 
wards Medemblick. About 9 
o’clock at night, Major-Gen. 
Moore, with the second battalion 
of the royals and the 92nd regi¬ 
ment, took possession of this im¬ 
portant post, in which were found 
a numerous park of artillery of 
the best kind, both of heavy and 
field train. The whole of the 
Dutch fleet in the Nieuve Diep, 
together with the naval magazine 
fell into the hands of the British. 

August 29. 

1778. Capture of Rhode 
Island. —On the 29th of August, 
at daybreak, it was perceived that 
the enemy had retreated during 
the night, upon which Major- 
Gen. Prescott detached a regi¬ 
ment from the second line under 
his command over Easton’s 
Beach, towards the left flank of 
the enemy’s encampment, and a 
part of Brown’s corps was di¬ 
rected to take possession of their 
works. At the same time Briga¬ 
dier-Gen. Smith was detached 
with the 22nd and 43th regiments, 


and the flank companies of the 
38th and 54th, by the east road. 
Major-Gen. Losberg marched 
by the west road, with the Hessian 
chasseurs and the two Anspach re¬ 
giments, in order to annoy the ene¬ 
my in their retreat. Learning that 
the rebels made a stand and were 
in force upon Quaker’s Hill, the 
54th and Hessian regiment of 
Huyn, with part of Brown’s corps, 
were ordered to move in support 
of Gen. Smith, but before this re¬ 
inforcement could arrive, the per¬ 
severance of that officer and the 
gallant conduct of the troops had 
gained possession of the strong 
post of Quaker’s Hill, and com¬ 
pelled the enemy to retire to their 
works at the north end of the 
island. In the meantime Gen. 
Losberg drove the enemy from 
two redoubts at the west end of 
the island, and took possession of 
Turkey Hill. Towards evening, 
an attempt being made by the 
rebels to cut oft' the chasseurs, 
who were in advance on the left, 
the regiments of Fanning and 
Huyn were ordered up to their 
support, and, after a smart engage¬ 
ment with the enemy, obliged 
them to retire to their main body 
on Windmill Hill. During the 
night of the 30th, they retreated 
over Bristol and Howland’s Ferry; 
thus relinquishing every hold in 
the island, and resigning the en¬ 
tire possession to the British. 

August 30. 

1711. Siege of Bouchain.— 
On the 10th of August, Bouchain 
was invested by the allied army 
under the Duke of Marlborough, 
who was indefatigable in forming 
lines, erecting forts, raising bat¬ 
teries, and throwing bridges over 
the Scheldt and Sanset; at the 
same time a causeway was made 
through a deep morass. He also 











254 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 31. 


took measures to provide for the 
security of convoys against a nu¬ 
merous army on one side, and 
the garrison of Conde and Valen¬ 
ciennes on the other. On the 
other hand, Villars took every 
precaution that skill and expe¬ 
rience could suggest to baffle 
Marlborough’s endeavours, and 
even made efforts to raise the 
siege; but they were rendered in¬ 
effectual by the latter’s consum¬ 
mate prudence and activity. The 
operations of the siege were di¬ 
rected by Generals Fagel, Colyer, 
and Schwartzen, while the duke, 
with his army, covered it. The 
approaches were carried on in 
the usual manner until the 30th, 
when the dispositions being al¬ 
tered, a particular point of attack 
was assigned to each of the ge¬ 
nerals, The batteries were then 
opened, and such a destructive 
cannonade maintained, that the 
guns on the ramparts were dis¬ 
mounted, the outworks partly de¬ 
molished, and the bastions on 
the right and left of the lower 
town were taken by storm. 

1782. On the 28th of August 
a force under Major Campbell, 
consisting of eighty American 
rangers, 500 free people of colour 
and negroes, and 600 Musquito 
Indians, under their respective 
chiefs, who had elected for their 
leader Lieut.-Colonel Despard 
(Captain of the 79th regiment), 
reached the mouth of the Plan¬ 
tain river, about seven leagues to 
the eastward of the Spaniards at 
Black River, in Mexico. On the 
30th, the troops arrived at Black 
River Bluff, opposite to the eastern 
block-house, when the Spaniards 
despatched a flag to inquire the 
object of the expedition. A sum¬ 
mons to surrender the post to His 
Britannic Majesty’s forces was 
sent to the commandant in reply; 
and, after some altercation, the 


garrison, consisting of twenty- 
seven officers and 715 rank and file, 
surrendered as prisoners of war. 

1842. Afghans routed at 
Gonine.— Major-Gen. Nott, with 
7000 men,lightly equipped, set out 
from Candahar on the 10th of 
August for Ghuznee and Cabul, 
having ammunition and provi¬ 
sions for forty days. The march 
Avas unopposed until the 30th, 
Avhen, having reached Gonine, 31 
miles SW. of the fortress, the 
Afghans, under Shams-ad-deen 
Khan, attempted to stop his pro¬ 
gress. General Nott, Avith one- 
half of his force, gave battle, and 
in a short time routed the 12,000 
Affghans, and captured their 
guns, ammunition, and baggage. 

■August 31. 

1751. Capture of Arcot.— 
Capt. Clive, with 200 Europeans 
and 300 sepoys, and five guns, 
marched from Madras on the 
26th of August to attack Arcot, 
and on the 31st arrived Avithin 
ten miles of the place, where the 
enemy’s spies discovered the En¬ 
glish continuing their march dur¬ 
ing a fearful storm,—the thunder, 
lightning, and rain, even more 
terrific than is usual in India, 
and seemed to render further ad¬ 
vance impracticable ; but Clive, 
aAvare of the impression that such 
hardihood Avould produce on 
Oriental minds, pushed forward 
in spite of the elemental strife. 
Daunted by his boldness, the gar¬ 
rison instantly abandoned the 
fort, and the English marched 
through the city to the astonish¬ 
ment of about 100,000 inhabitants, 
and took possession both of the 
tOAvn and citadel, the latter of 
Avhic.h Clive immediately occu¬ 
pied. 

1795. Fort Ostenburgh, Trin- 
comalee, surrendered to the British. 












September 1 . CALENDAR, 


1813. Combat at Vera.— 
Wellington being aware of the 
force and direction of Clauzel’s 
columns, concentrated his divi¬ 
sions, and as the day broke on the 
31st of August the whole of the 
French line was assailed. Two 
Portuguese brigades of the 6th 
and 7th divisions, directed by 
Lord Dalhousie and General 
Colville, drove the French from 
their camp behind Urdax, and 
burned it. 

1813. Assault of St. Sebas¬ 
tian. — The morning of the 31st 
of August broke heavily, and the 
fog was so thick that the be¬ 
siegers’ batteries could not open 
until eight o’clock. A constant 
fire was kept up until eleven, 
when Robinson’s brigade passing 
through the openings in the sea¬ 
wall, moved against the breaches. 
The French, startled by the gal¬ 
lant attempt of a sergeant and 
twelve men to cut the sausage of 
the enemy’s mines, fired the train 
prematurely; and the high sea¬ 
wall was thrown down with a 
dreadful crash upon the head of 
the advancing column. Although 
severely scourged from all sides, 
the stormers reached their desti¬ 
nations, and the head of the first 
column gained the top of the 
great breach; but their daring 
progress was arrested by the un¬ 
expected gulf below. At the bas¬ 
tion of St. John, the impediments 
were still greater, and the slaugh¬ 
ter immense. “ The volunteers 
being now let loose, went like a 
whirlwind to the breaches, crowd 
after crowd were seen to mount, 
to totter, and to sink; the deadly 
French fire was unabated, and 
the crest of the breach was co¬ 
vered with the slain.” * The third 
breach was now assailed by the 
13th Portuguese, regiment, led by 
Major Snodgrass, followed by a 
* Napier. 


OF VICTORY. 255 


detachment of the 24th; but, in 
spite of the most courageous 
efforts, it was evident that the 
assault must fail, unless some ac¬ 
cident intervened, — for the tide 
was rising, and the reserves were 
all engaged. At this moment a 
quantity of combustibles, which 
the French had accumulated, took 
fire behind the traverses ; and 
while the ramparts were involved 
in suffocating eddies of smoke, 
the British soldiers broke in at 
the first traverse. A desperate 
struggle ensued, but the fury of 
the stormers. whose numbers in¬ 
creased every moment, could not 
be stemmed. Five hours the dread¬ 
ful battle had lasted at the walls, 
and now the stream of war went 
pouring into the town, and the 
remnant of the besieged fled into 
the fortress of Monte Orgullo. 
The carnage at the breaches was 
appalling, and the whole British 
loss since the renewal of the siege 
exceeded two thousand five hun¬ 
dred men and officers. 

September 1. 

1748. Siege of Pondicherry. 
— By the injudicious suggestion 
of the engineers in the siege of Pon - 
dicherry, the operations against 
the town were to be carried on 
against the north side, where the 
squadron took up their positions. 
This was the enemy’s strongest 
point, nor could the approaches 
be carried on nearer than eight 
hundred yards of the walls; there 
being a deep morass between the 
works of the besiegers and the 
town, which the enemy, by the 
means of some backwater, render¬ 
ed a complete inundation. On 
the 30th August the engineers 
broke ground fifteen hundred 
yards from the walls, carrying on 
their operations in an injudicious 
manner. On 1st September the 






256 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 2. 


French, under the command of 
M. de Paradis, made a strong 
sortie in two divisions, attacking 
the trenches in two places. That 
officer, leading the largest body, 
being killed when close to the 
works, the enemy instantly re¬ 
treated into the town. The other 
division having occupied some 
huts about a hundred yards 
in front of the second parallel, 
opened a galling fire, and then 
advancing to seize the intrench- 
ment, the British troops fell 
into some disorder. But ensign 
Clive gallantly leading his section, 
by his example and exhortations 
rallied the men ; then, throwing 
in a well-directed fire, compelled 
the enemy to retire to the huts, 
whence being driven, they retreated 
into the town in great confusion. 

1795. Cape op Good Hope.— 
During the operations which led 
to the surrender of the Cape of 
Good Hope, an attack was made 
on the night of 27th August upon 
the Dutch outposts, by a detach¬ 
ment under Lieut.-Colonel Mac¬ 
kenzie; but, owing to the intricacy 
of the roads, combined with the 
ignorance of the guides, the at¬ 
tempt was not attended with the 
success it deserved. On the 
morning of the 1 st September, the 
enemy having lined the range of 
mountains with Hottentots and 
Burgher militia, commenced a 
fire of musketry upon the British 
camp, which was not considered 
likely to prove of any serious 
effect, until the picket of the re¬ 
serve, being too much occupied in 
covering themselves, neglected 
their front. The enemy taking 
advantage of that circumstance, 
rushed forward in considerable 
numbers, and forced them to fall 
back with some loss. But Capt. 
Brown arriving with the grena¬ 
diers of the 78th regiment to their 
support, the enemy were driven 


down the hill again, and the 
pickets reoccupied their former 
position. In this affair Captain 
Moncypenny' of the 78th and 
Capt. Deutaffe of the St. Helena 
troops, were severely wounded. 

September 2. 

1695. Surrender op Namur. 
— Marshal Villeroi, disappointed 
in his various attempts to save 
Namur, resolved to make another 
effort, and accordingly ranged his 
army in order of battle near the 
wood of St. Denis. Finding the 
passes defended by intrenchments, 
or otherwise impracticable by the 
defiles and sluices, he resolved to 
advance to Penvys, having in his 
front the Mehaigne. Meanwhile 
King William III., aware of his 
design, encamped at Offin. Hav¬ 
ing detached thirty squadrons on 
30th August to observe the move¬ 
ments of the French army, the 
marshal ordered forty squadrons 
to pass the Mehaigne and attack 
the allied detachment; but the 
French were drawn into an am¬ 
buscade and driven back with 
considerable loss. Animated by 
this success, the allies were pre¬ 
paring to make a second general 
assault upon the castle; when Mar¬ 
shal Boufflers and Count Guiscard, 
unwilling to risk the result of 
another encounter, capitulated on 
the 2nd September. On the 5th 
the castle was evacuated, and the 
confederates took possession of 
the fortress of Namur. 

1801. Surrender op Alex¬ 
andria. — The town and forts of 
Alexandria were taken possession 
of by the troops under Lieut.- 
Gen. Hutchinson on 2nd Sep¬ 
tember, including the intrenched 
camp, the heights above Pompey’s 
Pillar, the redoubt de Bain, and 
the fort Triangular. By the 
third article of the capitulation 











September 3. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


257 


I 


the French army was to retire on ! 
the first complimentary day of 
the French era into the city of 
Alexandria and forts adjacent, 
and deliver up to the allied powers 
the intrenched camp in front of the 
lines of the Arabs, the fort Turc, 
and the fort Vivier, together with 
their artillery and ammunition. 
The French troops to evacuate 
the city, forts, and dependencies 
of Alexandria ten days after the 
signing of the capitulation, or at 
the time of their embarkation. 

September 3. 

1191. Battle of Ascalon.— 
Richard I. of England, command¬ 
ing the Christian forces, defeated 
the Sultan Saladin’s army of 
300,000 Saracens and other in¬ 
fidels. No less than 40,000 of 
the enemy were left dead on the 
field of battle, and the victorious 
monarch marched to Jerusalem. 

1650. Battle of Dunbar.— 
The English, under Cromwell, on 
this day obtained a signal vic¬ 
tory over the Scots. 

1651. Battle of Worcester. 
—A large body of Scots having 
marched into England to reinstate 
Charles II., Cromwell signally 
defeated them near Worcester. 
More than 2000 royalists were 
slain, and 8000 made prisoners ; 
Charles with difficulty escaping 
to France. 

1709. Surrender of Tour- 
nay. —- The miners of the con¬ 
federates not being sufficiently 
numerous, the troops were order¬ 
ed upon that service ; but many 
of those who had braved danger 
in the field, recoiled from these 
subterraneous attacks with horror. 
Such was their reluctance that 
Eugene and Marlborough visited 
the trenches in person to en¬ 
courage them in this desperate 
service. At length the skill and 


! perseverance of the assailants tri¬ 
umphing over all obstructions, 
the small garrison, exhausted by 
fatigue and famine, beheld with 
dismay the progress of the ap¬ 
proaches, and breaches made pre¬ 
paratory to a general assault. On 
the morning of 31st August, a 
white flag appeared on the walls, 
and a parley took place; but the 
proposal that the garrison should 
surrender prisoners of war being 
rejected, hostilities recommenced. 
The fire of the besieging batteries. 

combined Avith the scarcity of 

*/ 

provisions and the dread of a 
general assault, in which no 
quarter would be given, induced 
the commandant to surrender at 
discretion. The tAvo generals, re¬ 
specting the enduring bravery of 
the garrison, alloAved them to 
march out with the honours of 
war, retaining their swords and 
baggage,—to return to France, 
but not to serve until an equal 
number of prisoners taken from 
the allies Avei’e restored in ex¬ 
change. On the 3rd September, 
the gate of the citadel was de¬ 
livered to the confederates, and 
on the 5th the garrison was con¬ 
ducted to Conde. 

1767. Battle of Changama. 
— Col. Smith finding himself 
deserted by Nizam Ali, retired 
into the Carnatic ; and receiving 
a reinforcement, the army under 
his command consisted of 800 
Europeans of the Madras regi¬ 
ment, 30 of the corps mounted 
as dragoons, 1000 of the Nabob’s 
cavalry, 5000 sepoys, and sixteen 
field-pieces ; but these were 
Avretchedly supplied with provi¬ 
sions and camp equipage. Look¬ 
ing down upon this force from the 
crest of the Ghauts, were the 
armies of Nizam and Hyder, 
amounting to 42,000 cavalry, 
28,000 infantry, and 109 guns, 
ready to rush doAvn upon the 


s 












258 CADENDAR OF VICTORY. September 4. 


Carnatic. No assurances or pro¬ 
testations of Col. Smith could, 
however, induce the Governor and 
Council of Madras to believe that 
an invasion was intended. Conse¬ 
quently no preparation was made ; 
not a magazine formed, nor any 
step taken to arrest the progress 
of so calamitous an event. For 
three days, Smith continued his 
route towards Trincomalee, the 
column of march harassed by 
clouds of the enemy’s cavalry ; 
and on the fourth (being 3rd 
September) the road led through 
the small pass of Changama, which 
terminated on the banks of a ford¬ 
able river ; whilst a village and 
hill had been occupied by the 
enemy, whose columns of infantry 
were rapidly advancing to secure 
the position. But Capt. Cosby, 
with the 6th sepoys, immediately 
attacked it, and drove the enemy 
with considerable loss. The main 
body under Col. Smith arriving 
up, a severe action ensued, and 
the repeated charges of the ene¬ 
my were gallantly repulsed. The 
British continued to advance, and, 
after hard fighting, drove the 
assailants before them. The ene¬ 
my’s loss, in killed alone, amount¬ 
ed to 2000 men, whilst that of the 
British was only 170. 

September 4. 

1417. Caen taken. — The 
English army under Henry V. 
took the town of Caen in Nor¬ 
mandy by assault, and it conti¬ 
nued in our possession thirty 
years. The Duke of Clarence 
was the first to enter the works 
at the head of the assailants, and, 
having beat back the force de¬ 
fending the bridge, pushed on to 
the walls on the other side of 
the town. The enemy being 
thus attacked in front and rear, 
cried for quarter; but the place 


was given up to pillage by the 
victorious monarch, as a reward 
for the valour of his troops. 

1760. Attack of the En¬ 
glish Camp repulsed. — At the 
desire of Gov. Pigot and Col. 
Coote, the marines of the squa¬ 
dron, amounting to 422 men, were 
landed at Cuddalore on 29th 
August, to assist in taking Aran- 
copang and on the 30th the 
battalion joined the army. Col. 
Coote directed Major Monson, 
with 800 men, to attack the place; 
while himself with the main body 
marched against Oullagary, where 
the enemy were strongly posted. 
In the absence of this force, 
M. Daily resolved to attack our 
lines; and on the 3rd Septem¬ 
ber, at four in the morning, he 
assaulted four of the advanced 
redoubts. Although feebly gar¬ 
risoned, the enemy were repulsed 
from three of them, with great 
loss. On the night of the 4th, 
M. Dally made a vigorous at¬ 
tack on the redoubt near the Ta¬ 
marind Tope ; but the post was 
so gallantly maintained, that, 
spite of every effort, the enemy 
were compelled to retreat with 
great loss. 

1763. Defeat at Auda Nul¬ 
la. — Major Adams having in¬ 
vested the force of Nabob Cos- 
sim Ali Cawn in their intrench- 
ments at Auda Nulla, on which 
were mounted upwards of 100 
pieces of cannon, was unable to 
complete his batteries before the 
3rd September, owing to the un¬ 
favourable state of the weather 
and the difficulty of procuring 
materials. On that morning a 
battery opened, mounting four 
18-pounders, two 12-pounders, 
and four howitzers, at about 500 
yards’ distance. The enemy at 
the same time marched to attack 
the British encampment, front 
and rear, but were soon repulsed. 








September 5. CALENDAR 


On the 4th, finding that their fire 
had no great effect on the ene¬ 
my’s mud-work, and that there 
was no possibility of carrying 
it by the river, but by ad¬ 
vancing and filling the ditch, and 
the enemy considering himself 
secure by the large lake and 
swamp in front, Major Adams re¬ 
solved to attack that morning. 
He accordinglv ordered the two 
companies of European grena¬ 
diers, a company of French vo¬ 
lunteers, and 500 grenadier sepoys 
to march at three in the morning, 
under command of Capt. Irvin, 
H. M.’s 84th regiment, supported 
by 1000 sepoys and two pieces of 
cannon ; the whole line advancing 
at the same time. This was car¬ 
ried into execution, and the as¬ 
sailants gained possession of the 
entire works with but little loss 
in proportion to the importance 
of the affair. The number of 
the enemy slain was enormous, 
and the drowned exceeded even 
those who fell in the onslaught. 
About 1500 were made prisoners; 
but these were allowed to dis¬ 
perse to their homes,—the first 
instance of this kind of liberality 
ever known in India. Their con¬ 
sternation and terror is reported 
to have been indescribable. Cos- 
sim Ali Cawn retired with the 
principal remains of his army to 
Patna, leaving a garrison of 2000 
sepoys at Mongheer. The roads 
were strewed with the dead; 
and the enemy made no attempt 
to rally, though many places were 
fortified by nature and required 
but little artificial assistance to 
be rendered impregnable, parti¬ 
cularly the pass of Tiriagully, 
where they had thirteen pieces of 
cannon,—all of which they aban¬ 
doned on the approach of their 
pursuers. 


OF VICTORY. 259 


I 

September 5. 

1705. Surrender of Den- 
dermond. — The attack of the 
confederates against Dcndermond 
was confided to Gen. Churchill. 
The attention of the garrison 
being diverted by a skilful feint, 
the trenches were opened, on the 
left bank of the Scheldt, without 
loss; and the approaches were 
pushed with such unusual ce¬ 
lerity, that the place was reduced 
to surrender, unconditionally, on 
the 5th September. 

1760. Capture of Zieren- 
berg. —The Px'ince of Hesse 
having directed that an attack 
should be made on Zierenberg, 
the troops destined for this ser¬ 
vice were put in motion at eight 
o’clock on the night of the 5th of 
September. The cavalry, which 
were commanded by Major-Gen. 
Bock, consisted of two squadrons 
of the Greys, and two of the 
Inniskillings, two of Busch’s, 
two of Mallowkouseley’s, and four 
of Bock’s. The infantry, com¬ 
manded by Major-Gen. Griffin, 
was composed of Maxwell’s gre¬ 
nadiers, 150 highlanders, Kings¬ 
ley’s regiment, and three bat¬ 
talions of grenadiers. Captain 
Grey, who led Kingsley’s regi¬ 
ment, was the first man in the 
town ; and Maxwell entering 
nearly at the same moment on 
the opposite side, the unfortunate 
French posts, hemmed in by both 
these parties, were put to the 
sword, and the garrison, being 
soon overpowered, surrendered. 
The troops returned to the camp 
about 9 o’clock on the morning 
of the 6th, bringing with them 
three pieces of cannon and 428 
prisoners. 

1798. Defeat of Humbert. 
— On the 22nd of August, a 
French force, consisting of 1260 
rank and file, with three pieces 








260 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 6. 


of cannon, under General Hum¬ 
bert, landed in Ivillala bay, on 
the coast of Ireland. At that 
moment the British army were in 
two divisions, — one under Gen. 
Lake, at Tuam, and the other 
commanded by Cornwallis, at 
Athlone; besides which there 
were 2000 men, under General 
Taylor, at Boyles; and other 
smaller corps were scattered over 
various points. On the 30th of 
August the head-quarters were 
transferred to Ballinamore ; and 
on the 1st September a camp 
was formed at Knock hill. Lord 
Cornwallis arrived at Tuam on 
the 2nd; and Gen. Lake was to 
be joined by Colonel Taylor at 
French Park. Arrangements 
were thus made to straiten the 
enemy’s left, and to cover the 
roads leading towards the Shan¬ 
non. On the 4th, Cornwallis 
advanced to Hollymount, with 
the intention of attacking the 
enemy ; but Humbert having 
filed off to the left, the British 
on the morning of the 5th were 
in rapid march towards Ballin- 
hannis, followed closely by Lake’s 
division. Humbert endeavoured, 
by suddenly doubling back to¬ 
wards Dumkern, to elude his 
pursuers, and he succeeded in 
reaching Ballinamuck ; but Gen. 
Lake overtaking him, the rebels 
immediately dispersed, and the 
French brigade, now reduced to 
820 men, laid down their arms. 

1800. Surrender of Malta. 
—The island of Malta and its 
dependencies, which withstood 
the memorable siege of the Turks 
in 1566, after the loss of above 
20,000 men, surrendered to the 
French under Gen. Bonaparte in 
the outset of his expedition to 
Egypt, June 12th, 1798. Malta 
was blockaded by the British 
from the autumn of 1798, and, 
after enduring the most severe 


privations, surrendered on the 5th 
September, 1800, and was taken 
possession of by the troops under 
Major-Gen. H. Pigot. 

1842. Reduction ofGhuznee. 
—Gen. Nott, after defeating the 
Afghans, on the 30th August, at 
Gonine, approached Ghuznee on 
the 4th September, which, being 
reconnoitred, was found to be 
full of men. Nott nevertheless 
determined to assail the fortress, 
and, in order to carry the enemy’s 
mountain positions, immediately 
erected his batteries. Early on 
the morning of the 5th, it was 
discovered that the place had 
been evacuated during the night. 
On its being entered by the 
British troops, not a living crea¬ 
ture remained within its walls, and 
the houses were almost entirely 
unroofed or destroyed by the 
factions of the Afghans for the 
sake of the timber. The fortifi¬ 
cations and citadel were then 
destroyed, in order to obliterate 
the scene where such cruelties had 
been exercised towards the unre¬ 
sisting British prisoners. But as 
a contrast, the lovely village of 
Rozeh, near which the Candahar 
army was encamped during four 
days, was full of inhabitants, their 
houses filled with property, and 
their farm-yards stocked; yet 
nothing was taken by the victo¬ 
rious troops but what was amply 
paid for. Some chiefs had en¬ 
deavoured, on the 14th and 15th, 
to impede the advance of the 
British; but their troops were 
routed, and Nott reached Cabul 
two days after General Pollock. 

September 6. 

1780. Battle at Perambau- 
cum.— When Sir Hector Munroe’s 
force left St. Thomas’s Mount, 
on the 26th of August, Hyder, 
whose total force amounted to 


l 













I 


September 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


261 


100,000 men, raised the siege of 
Arcot. On the 29th, the British 
arrived at Conjeveram, the town 
of which Iiyder had almost en¬ 
tirely destroyed. On the 5th of 
September, the detachment under 
Col. Baillie, consisting of 200 of 
the Madras regiment of infantry, 
two companies of artillery, with 
ten field-pieces, and five bat¬ 
talions of sepoys, reached Peram- 
baucum, about fourteen miles 
from Conjeveram, where it was 
attacked by a select corps under 
Tippoo, consisting of 30,000 ca¬ 
valry, 8000 infantry, and twelve 
pieces of artillery. During the 
whole of the day the enemy’s 
attacks were continued with 
much daring; but Baillie, with 
his usual intrepidity, repulsed 
them with great slaughter. In 
the evening, that officer sent to 
Conjeveram, requesting Munroe 
to march to his assistance, while 
Tippoo reported to his father 
that he could make no impres¬ 
sion upon the British detachment. 

1781. Expedition against 
New London. —Many privateers 
having been fitted out at New 
London, in the Connecticut, for 
the annoyance of British com¬ 
merce, Lieut.-General Sir Henry 
Clinton detached Brigadier-Gen. 
Arnold, with a division of troops 
in transports, protected by the 
Amphion frigate, Captain Bazely, 
with some sloops of war. The 
convoy proceeded by the Sound, 
and on the 5th of September 
anchored off the Long Island 
shore, about ten leagues from 
New London. On the morning 
of the 6th, the troops effected a 
landing in two places, and the 
whole force, consisting of the 
38th, 40th, and 54th regiments, 
3rd battalion of New Jersey vo¬ 
lunteers, the Loyal Americans, 
American Legion, with a detach¬ 
ment of Yagers and royal artil¬ 


lery, moved forward. Captain 
Millet, with four companies, at¬ 
tacked fort Trumball, which 
commands New London harbour, 
and carried it without opposition, 
the enemy escaping to their 
boats. The main body, in their 
advance, also drove the enemy 
from a redoubt mounting six 
guns. On the opposite side of 
the river was fort GriswDld, of 
considerable strength, of which, 
having entire command of the 
harbour, it was of importance to 
gain possession, or the enemy’s 
vessels would effect their escape. 
Lieut.-Col. Eyre w r as therefore 
directed to attack this post; and 
that officer, after sending a sum¬ 
mons, stormed the fort on three 
sides, and carried it after an 
obstinate defence of forty mi¬ 
nutes, with a loss to the British 
of two officers and forty men 
killed, eight officers and 140 men 
wounded. Among the former, 
Major Montgomery of the 40th, 
and of the latter, Lieut.-Colonel 
Eyre of the 54th regiment, who 
behaved with great resolution, 
and led the attack, until wounded 
when near the enemy’s works. 
He was then succeeded by Major 
Montgomery, who was killed by 
a spear, as he was entering the 
fort. The command next de¬ 
volved on Major Bromfield, whose 
conduct did him great honour. 
Of the Americans, Col. Ladyard, 
and most of his officers, and 85 
men were killed, and 60 wounded. 
Twelve vessels and all the store¬ 
houses were burnt, and fifty 
pieces of cannon rendered useless 
or brought away. 

September 7. 

1706. Siege and Battle or 
Turin. — Notwithstanding the 
noble defence of the garrison of 
Turin, which had been invested 

















262 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 7. 


in the early part of May, their 
defences were aimost ruined, and 
they had no prospect of relief but 
from Prince Eugene, who, sur¬ 
mounting the numerous impedi¬ 
ments thrown in his way, and 
overcoming all opposition, passed 
four great rivers despite of the 
enemy, and reached Turin on 13th 
August. Being there joined by 
the Duke of Savoy, he passed the 
Po, between Montralier and Sa- 
vignan. On the 7th September 
the confederates marched up to 
the French intrenchments in eight 
columns, in face of forty pieces of 
cannon, and were formed in order 
of battle within half-gunshot of 
the enemy. They then moved to 
the attack with surprising deter¬ 
mination ; but were resolutely 
opposed, until prince Eugene, 
placing himself at the head of the 
battalions near the left, forced the 
intrenchment at the first onset. 
The Duke of Savoy having met 
with the same success in the 
centre, and on the right, the ca¬ 
valry, passing through the in¬ 
tervals of the infantry, pursued 
the fugitives ; and the enemy’s 
cannon in the outworks were 
turned against themselves. While 
the right wing was hotly engaged 
the remainder of the allies drove 
the enemy to their bridge upon 
the Po, and compelled them to 
surrender. They were also beaten 
out of Lucenta and forced to 
abandon the bridge on theDoria; 
and the garrison of Turin having 
made a gallant sortie, the allies 
became masters of all the enemy’s 
camp between the Stura, the Po, 
and the Doria, and there captured 
39 field-pieces. This memorable 
battle lasted all night, because of 
the intrenchments, redoubts, and 
fortified cassines, whence the al¬ 
lies had successively to expel the 
enemy. The loss of the French 
exceeded 1800 men, and the al¬ 


lies nearly as many : 6000 pri¬ 
soners were secured; and 110 
pieces of heavy artillery and 50 
field-pieces were the trophies of 
this victory. 

1708. Siege or Lisle. —Whilst 
the siege of Lisle was vigorously 
carried on, the Dukes of Vendome, 
Burgundy, and Berwick, made se¬ 
veral feigned attacks on the allied 
force under the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough; but, as it appeared evi¬ 
dent that their object was to retard 
the siege, one hundred men from 
each battalion were employed in 
casting up an intrenchment in 
front of their army, which would 
secure the allies from any sudden 
surprise and the besiegers from 
interruption. The confederates, 
finding it impracticable to bring 
on a general battle, determined to 
storm the counterscarp of Lisle, 
and on the morning of 7th Sept. 
800 grenadiers, supported by 800 
fusiliers, and 230 workmen, were 
formed for the attack of the right, 
between the lower Deule and the 
gate of St. Andrew, under the 
orders of the Sieur des Roques; 
and 1600 grenadiers, 1600 fusi¬ 
liers, and 230 workmen, for the 
attack of the left, between the 
river and the gate of St. Magdalen, 
under the Sieur du Mey. The 
assailants moved forward to the 
attack covered by a heavy fire 
from the batteries of the confe¬ 
derates; and, despite an obstinate 
defence and the springing of 
three mines, combined with a 
murderous fire from their out¬ 
works, by which no less then 1000 
men were killed and wounded, 
the besiegers lodged themselves 
in the covered way. 

1807. Surrender of Copen¬ 
hagen.— After a bombardment 
of three days, Copenhagen, the 
capital of Denmark, surrendered 
to Gen. Lord Cathcart and Adm. 
Gambier, together with eighteen 







September 8 . CALENDAR 


sail of the line, fifteen frigates, six 
brigs, and twenty-five gun-boats, 
and an immense quantity of naval 
stores. 

September 8. 

1755. Attack of Crown 
Point. — Col. Johnson, a provin¬ 
cial officer, with a force entii'ely 
composed of colonial troops, had 
proceeded to the end* of Lake 
George, on his route to attack 
Crown Point, when fortunately 
learning that the French were ad¬ 
vancing in great force, he in¬ 
trenched his army in a strong po¬ 
sition and prepared to receive 
them. Baron Deiskaw, consider¬ 
ing that, if Col. Johnson succeed¬ 
ed in reducing Crown Point, the 
whole frontier of the French set¬ 
tlements on that side would be 
exposed, resolved to cross the lake 
and attack him on his march. 
After defeating an advanced corps 
under Col. Williams, the baron 
attacked the troops in their in- 
trenchments ; but was so well re¬ 
ceived, that, after a struggle of 
some hours, the French were com¬ 
pelled to retire with considerable 
loss, and Baron Deiskaw, being 
severely wounded, was taken pri¬ 
soner. This repulse was of the 
greatest consequence to New 
York; and His Majesty was so 
well pleased with Col. Johnson’s 
conduct that he created him a 
baronet of Great Britain. 

1760. Reduction of Mont¬ 
real. — The army under Lieut. - 
Gen. Amherst, after sustaining 
the loss of 84 men in passing the 
Rapids, encamped at the isle of 
Perot on 5th September. On the 
6th it proceeded in four columns 
down the river in boats, and 
landed at La Chine, on the island 
of Montreal. The enemy, after 
breaking down a bridge, retired 
without offering further opposi¬ 


OF VICTORY. 263 


tion. Gen. Amherst pushed for¬ 
ward and invested Montreal, and 
in course of the day got up two 
12-pounders, five 6-pounders, and 
five 3-pounders of light artillery, 
At this period the division under 
Brigadier Murray of 3800, and 
that under Lieut. Haviland of 
3250 men, after accomplishing the 
reduction of several of the ene¬ 
my’s positions, were within dis¬ 
tance of ready communication, 
capable of forming a junction, 
and might co-operate in com¬ 
pleting the ultimate object of 
the expedition. On the morning 
of the 7th, two French officers 
arrived to propose tei’ms of capi¬ 
tulation; and, after some negotia¬ 
tion, Montreal was surrendered 
on the 8th September, when the 
French garrison, amounting to 
4000 men, laid down their arms. 

1781. Defeat of General 
Greene. — The army under Col 
Stewart, in order to meet the con¬ 
voy with provisions, of which it 
stood much in need, retired by 
slow marches to the Eutaws in 
South Carolina. Having ascer¬ 
tained that an American army 
of 4000 men, under General 
Greene, were advancing, on the 
8th September Col. Stewart, with 
very inferior numbers, determined 
to fight them, and immediately 
formed the line of battle, with the 
right of his force to the Eutaw 
branch, and the left crossing the 
road to Roache’s plantation, leav¬ 
ing a corps to cover the Charles 
town road. About 9 o’clock the 
action commenced on the right, 
and soon became general. The 
right wing, composed of the flank 
battalion under Major Majori- 
banks, drove the enemy, and, at¬ 
tacking them in flank, they gave 
way in all quarters, leaving behind 
them two brass 6-pounders and 
upwards of 200 killed on the field 
of battle; and among 60 prisoners 








264 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 9. 


taken, was Col. Washington. The 
glory of the day would have been 
more complete, but from the total 
want of cavalry. The loss of the 
British amounted to 84 killed, 
351 wounded, and 257 missing. 

September 9. 

1513. Battle of Flodden.— 
James IV. of Scotland having 
invaded England as the ally of 
the French king Louis XII., and 
committed cruel devastation, the 
Earl of Surrey, with 20,000 men, 
marched to oppose him. The 
armies enoamped near Flodden, 
in Northumberland; and on the 
9th September the action began 
about noon, and lasted until night. 
The English, being superior in 
number, had almost surrounded 
the Scots ; but the latter, formed 
in a close body, resolutely de¬ 
termined that the English should 
pay dear for their victory. King 
James, many nobles, and ten 
thousand Scots are said to have 
perished in this battle, which 
continued until night parted the 
combatants. The loss of the En¬ 
glish was about half of that 
number. 

1799. Action of Zuyper- 
Sluys. —The same considerations 
which induced Abercromby to de¬ 
cline offensive operations, prompt¬ 
ed Brune to bring matters to the 
issue of a battle. As yet he far 
surpassed the invaders in point 
of numbers ; whereas the junc¬ 
tion of the Russians and the 
Duke of York’s corps would 
render him inferior until the sup¬ 
plies reached him from the pro¬ 
vinces. With this view he ad¬ 
vanced at an early hour on the 
9th September, in three columns, 
of which the left was composed 
entirely of French, the centre 
and right of Dutch troops. The 
first, passing through Groot and 


Kamp, drove in the British out¬ 
posts, and penetrated as far as 
the height of Houndsboys-duy- 
nen, on which the right of the 
English lines appuyed. The se¬ 
cond, led on by Gen. Dandaels, 
attacked the village of St. Mar¬ 
tin’s with every demonstration 
of courage ; while the third, un¬ 
der the guidance of Gen. Mon- 
teau, pushed, by way of Crub- 
berdam, up to the very banks of 
the Zuyper-Sluys. Not for one 
moment, however, was the fate 
of the battle doubtful : a volley 
of musketry and grape, thrown 
in with all the coolness which 
distinguishes the practice of the 
British artillery and infantry, 
staggered each column ere it 
could deploy ; and all the efforts 
of the leaders failed, throughout 
the remainder of the day, to re¬ 
store the men to order and con¬ 
fidence. The attacks, though 
fierce and frequent, were thence¬ 
forth given without regularity ; 
and by one o’clock in the day 
their whole army was in full and 
disorderly retreat. The loss of 
the enemy was not less than 1500 
men, whilst the British did not 
lose more than 200. A field-piece, 
some pontoons and tumbrils were 
left on the field of battle. 

1813. Surrender of St. 
Sebastian. — In our relation of 
the storm of St. Sebastian on the 
30th August, we stated that the _ 
French garrison had retreated 
into the citadel of Monte Or- 
gullo. On the 3rd of September, 
the governor still declining to 
surrender, new breaching bat¬ 
teries were commenced,—one for 
three pieces on the isthmus, and 
the other for seventeen pieces on 
the land front of the hornwork. 
The besieged replied but little ; 
their ammunition was scarce, and 
the horrible vertical fire of the 
besiegers subdued their energy. 
















September 10. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


265 


In this manner the action was 
prolonged until the 8th, when 
fifty-nine heavy battering pieces 
opened at once from the island, 
the isthmus, the hornwork, and 
the Chofres. In two hours both 
the Mirador and the Queen’s 
battery were broken, the fire of 
the besieged was entirely silenced, 
whilst the face of the hill on the 
summit was torn and furrowed in 
a frightful manner; a magazine 
exploded, and the castle, small, 
and crowded with men, was over¬ 
laid with descending shells. Then 
the governor, proudly bending 
to his fate, surrendered. On the 
9th, this brave man, with his 
heroic garrison reduced to one- 
third of their original number, 
and leaving five hundred wound¬ 
ed behind them in the hospital, 
marched out with the honours of 
war. The Spanish flag was hoist¬ 
ed under a salute of twenty-one 
guns, and the siege terminated 
after sixty-three days’ open 
trenches, precisely when the tem¬ 
pestuous season, now at hand, 
would have rendered a conti¬ 
nuance of the sea blockade im¬ 
possible. 

September 10. 

1547. Battle of Mussel¬ 
burgh.— Henry VIII. ofEngland, 
disappointed in effecting an alli¬ 
ance of his son Edward with the 
young Queen of Scotland, the 
Duke of Somerset, whom Henry 
had appointed Protector during 
the minority of the Prince, en¬ 
tered Scotland at the head of 
15,000 foot and 300 horse. On 
the other hand, the Scots, to the 
number of 30,000, with 30 pieces 
of cannon, believing that the 
English were advancing to carry 
olf their queen, passed the river 
Esk and took up a position on a 
rising ground, while the Protector 


encamped upon the hill of Pin- 
kencleugh near the banks of the 
frith of Forth. The Scots, ima¬ 
gining that their opponents were 
about to embark, precipitately 
quitted their advantageous posi¬ 
tion, and Somerset, seeing them 
abandon the rising ground, formed 
his army in order of battle. The 
enemy, advancing along the 
shore, were galled from an En¬ 
glish galley, whose fire killed the 
Lord Graham and thrcAv the 
highlanders into confusion. Per¬ 
ceiving their disorder, Lord Gray 
charged their van, but was re¬ 
pulsed ; and had the Scots been 
furnished with cavalry, the En¬ 
glish would, in all probability, 
have been entirely defeated. At 
this moment the English infantry, 
supported by the archers, moved 
forward, covered by the artillery 
from a hill on the left, which, 
with the fire of the galley, made 
great havoc among the enemy. 
Their van now falling back, with 
the object of drawing the English 
over the slough and broken 
ground, the highlanders in the 
second line, supposing that the 
front was defeated, took to 
flight, and threw their whole 
army into confusion. The English 
cavalry now fell upon the fugi¬ 
tives, and meeting but little re¬ 
sistance, the carnage was appal¬ 
ling, and the whole field was 
strewed with spears and swords. 
The loss of the Scotch, at the 
lowest computation, was above 
10,000, and 1500 made prisoners; 
whilst the English had not more 
than one hundred slain. This 
victory is also known as the 
battle of Pinkev, or Pinken- 
cleugh. 

1709. Reduction of Tournay. 
—The city of Tournay was in¬ 
vested by the allied army under 
Marlborough and Prince Eugene 
on 27th July, and the siege pro- 












266 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 11. 


secuted with all possible vigour 
until the 31st August, when the 
garrison proposed to capitulate. 
Marlborough, rejecting any terms 
but unconditional, the hostages 
were recalled, and about three 
o’clock in the afternoon hos¬ 
tilities recommenced. On the 
10th September, at break of day, 
an officer from the garrison 
brought word that the place 
would now surrender on the 
terms that had been offered them; 
— the garrison to retain swords 
and baggage; to return to France, 
on condition that they were not 
to serve again until regularly ex¬ 
changed. 

1760. Posts at Oullagary 
carried. —The regiment of high¬ 
landers, commanded by Lieut.- 
Col. Morris, having joined the 
army. Col. Monson gave orders 
for the attack of the enemy’s 
posts at Oullagary church and 
the redoubts in the Bound 
Hedge on the 9th September at 
midnight. The former post was 
attacked a little before daylight 
by the Company’s troops, led by 
Major Smith, and the enemy 
driven from their works, leaving 
nine field-pieces in the hands of 
the assailants. The Major pur¬ 
sued the enemy to a redoubt, 
where they made some stand, 
but were soon driven thence to 
the walls of Pondicherry. 

1800. Action at Conaghul. 
—The rebel chief Dhoondia, with 
5000 cavalry, having encamped 
about nine miles in front of 
Yepalperwy, Col. Wellesley, with 
the 19th and 25th dragoons and 
1st and 2nd regiments of native 
cavalry, moved towards the ene¬ 
my on the 10th September, as 
they were on their march; and 
being strongly posted, their rear 
and left flank covered by the 
village and rock of Conaghul, 
they for some time stood with 


apparent firmness ; but such was 
the rapidity and determination of 
the charge made by the four re¬ 
giments, formed in one line in 
order to extend along the front 
of the enemy, that the whole gave 
way and were pursued by the 
British several miles. Many were 
killed, and among the slain Doo- 
handia Wang. The whole body 
dispersed, and were scattered in 
small portions over the face of 
the country, whilst the enemy’s 
baggage, with elephants and ca¬ 
mels, fell into the hands of the 
victors. 

September 11. 

1708. Siege of Lisle. — The 
confederates having made them¬ 
selves masters of the counterscarp 
of Lisle, endeavoured to com¬ 
plete their works with all possible 
energy. In the night between the 
9th and 10th of September the 
enemy made a sortie, but were 
repulsed with considerable loss. 
On the 11th, the Imperialists re¬ 
lieved the trenches, and Prince 
Eugene being informed that the 
French were advanced within 
sight of the intrenchments, his 
highness marched with fifteen 
battalions and the cavalry to rein¬ 
force the Duke of Marlborough. 
His Grace, on learning that the 
enemy’s skirmishers were within 
a short distance of the confede¬ 
rate camp, detached Lieut.-Gen. 
Wood, with the regiment of Sir 
Richard Temple, and another En¬ 
glish battalion, and they were 
speedily repulsed as far as En- 
nerlin, where a force was posted 
in a castle surrounded with a 
ditch. The two English batta¬ 
lions endeavoured to dislodge 
this post; but the grenadiers and 
pickets of six brigades arriving to 
the enemy’s support, the English 
were compelled to retire after a 






September 11. CALENDAR 


very stout resistance, retreating 
in perfect order, with the loss of 
several officers, and 200 killed and 
wounded. 

1709. Battle of Malpla- 
Quet. — The confederate army, 
amounting to above 100,000 men, 
commanded by Marlborough, had 
encamped with its right near 
Sart and Bleron, and its left on 
the edge of the wood of Lagniere, 
the head-quarters being at Bla- 
regnies. A reinforcement of the 
troops from Tournay joined early 
on the morning of the 11th of 
September, so that the armies on 
both sides amounted to about 
120,000 men. At eight o’clock 
the attack on the French com¬ 
manded by Marshal Villars com¬ 
menced, under a heavy cannonade 
by the allies. Prince Eugene, 
with 86 battalions, entered by the 
wood of Sart, and 22 battalions 
under Count Lotum attacked the 
enemy so vigorously, that, after 
an hour’s resistance, they were 
driven from their intrenchments. 
In the meantime, 36 Dutch batta¬ 
lions on the right, under the 
Prince of Orange, drove the 
French from their intrenchments 
in the wood of La Merte, after a 
desperate struggle. Both flanks 
being now defeated, and the 
Duke of Marlborough observing 
the enemy drawing off their can¬ 
non, forced their intrenchments 
on the plain, between the woods 
of Sart and Jansart. The ca¬ 
valry then advanced, led by 
Marlborough, Eugene, and the 
Prince of Hesse, and compelled 
the enemy to retreat towards 
Bavay. This sanguinary battle, 
which was attended with a loss 
of nearly 18,000 men to the 
allies, and not less than that 
amount on the part of the French, 
was productive of no other ad¬ 
vantage than the siege and sur¬ 
render of Mons. Sixteen pieces 


OF VICTORY. 267 


of artillery and 40 standards, 
with many prisoners, were the 
only trophies of this dearly-pur¬ 
chased victory. 

1777. Battle of Brandy¬ 
wine. — The American army of 
15,000 men under Washington, 
posted on the commanding 
ground above Birmingham 
Church, with their left on Brandy¬ 
wine Creek, near Newcastle, in 
Pennsylvania, on 11th September 
was attacked by the British army, 
under Lord Cornwallis, formed 
in two lines, with a brigade in 
reserve. The guards and grena¬ 
diers advanced from the right, 
under a heavy fire of cannon and 
musketry, and pushed on with such 
impetuosity, that the rebels gave 
way, and were pursued into the 
woods upwards of two miles. The 
enemy’s right took up a second 
position near Dilworth, but were 
again routed. Their loss was 
300 killed, 600 wounded, and 
400 made prisoners ; on the part 
of the British, 80 killed and 400 
wounded. 

1793. Surrender of Ques- 
noy. — The allied army under 
Gen. Clairfait invested La Ques- 
noy in the latter part of July, 
and the siege was pushed with 
such vigour that, at midnight on 
10th September, the enemy ceased 
firing, and on the morning of the 
11th the garrison capitulated, the 
troops surrendering as prisoners 
of war. On the 13th the troops 
marched out with the honours of 
war. 

1803. Victory of Delhi.— 
Louis Bourquin, the French offi¬ 
cer who succeeded M. Perron, 
having assembled a powerful 
Mahratta force within six miles 
of Delhi, and concealing his guns 
in the high grass, completely took 
the English by surprise. Gen. 
Lake, in order to draw the 
enemy from their strong position, 








268 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 12. 


retired his cavalry; and, they mis¬ 
taking it for a retreat, rushed 
after them in the full assurance 
of success. But the horse having 
retired in good order, on reach¬ 
ing the head of the advancing 
column, opened from the centre 
as the battalions steadily ad¬ 
vanced under a tremendous dis¬ 
charge from the Maliratta guns. 
Arriving within 100 yards, they 
fired a volley, and then, rushing 
forward with the bayonet, routed 
the enemy with great slaughter. 
The consequence of this victory 
was the immediate possession of 
the imperial city of Delhi. 

1842. Capture of Cabul.— 
Major-Gen. Pollock was opposed 
on 11th September at Tezeen by 
16,000 men, under Akbar Khan, 
who disputed to the last the Huf- 
Kotul, but the determined cou¬ 
rage of the British forced the 
enemy to disperse, leaving behind 
them several guns and standards. 
On the 16th the victorious army 
entered Cabul, and the British 
colours were planted on the Bala 
Hissar, under a royal salute from 
the horse artillery. 

September 12. 

1708. Siege of Lisle. — 
About nine in the morning, the 
besieged came out of the town in 
great numbers, with four stands 
of colours, and attacked the 
trenches on the left, in six dif¬ 
ferent places, having at the same 
time another body of troops in 
the covered-way ready to sustain 
them. Before the army could do 
any damage beyond overturning 
a few gabions, they were assailed 
by the nearest battalions, and 
compelled to retire in great dis¬ 
order, having several officers and 
sixty men killed; whilst the con¬ 
federates had fourteen killed and 
thirty wounded. 


1814. Battle of Baltimore. 
The British army commanded by 
Major-Gen. Ross effected a land¬ 
ing, on 12th September, on the 
left bank of the Petapsco river, 
distant about thirteen miles from 
the city of Baltimore, with the 
object of attacking that place. 
The whole force immediately 
moved forward, and on arriving 
at the enemy’s advanced post, 
about three miles from the place 
of disembarkation, where they had 
formed a line of intrenchment, 
the American dragoons retired 
without firing a shot. The ma¬ 
jor-general, accompanied by Rear- 
Adin. Cockburn, being with the 
advance, were attacked about ten 
o’clock by a division of the ene¬ 
my’s riflemen, with cavalry and 
artillery, numbering about 350 
men. A short skirmish ensued, 
and the enemy fell back, most of 
them taking to the woods. At 
this moment the gallant Ross, in 
proceeding towards the main 
body to order up the light com¬ 
panies, received a mortal wound 
by a musket-ball passing through 
the right arm into his breast, and 
the expiring general lay on the 
road unnoticed until the arrival 
of the light division, which had 
moved up on hearing the firing. 
Within five miles of Baltimore, a 
corps of 4500 men, with 8000 
more in reserve, supported by 
numerous batteries, was drawn 
up in close order, and protected 
by a strong palisade. The com¬ 
mand having devolved upon 
Lieut.-Col. Brooke, he made dis¬ 
positions for an immediate at¬ 
tack. The light brigade, consist¬ 
ing of the 85th regiment and 
light companies of the army, co¬ 
vered the whole front. The 4th 
regiment gained a position on the 
enemy’s left ; whilst the 44th, 
with the marines of the fleet under 
Major Robyns, and a brigade of 






September 13. CALENDAR 


seamen, formed in line along the 
enemy’s front ; and the 21st re¬ 
giment with 2nd battalion of 
marines and detachments of that 
corps under Major Lewis, re¬ 
mained in columns on the road, 
to act on the enemy’s left. As 
the British moved forward, the 
Americans opened a tire of mus¬ 
ketry from their whole line, as 
well as from six field-pieces, but in 
less than fifteen minutes they re¬ 
tired into a wood in their rear, 
whence they were expelled, chiefly 
by the bayonet, leaving their 
wounded and two pieces of can¬ 
non, with many prisoners, in the 
hands of the British. In this short 
but decisive affair, the enemy lost 
from 500 to 600 killed and wound¬ 
ed ; and on the partof the British— 

Army, 39 killed, 251 wounded 

Navy, 7 „ 44 „ 

Total, 46 „ 295 „ 

September 13. 

1759. Battle of Quebec.— 
About an hour before daylight on 
13th September, the army com¬ 
manded by Major-Gen. Wolfe, 
after making a feint higher up the 
river, effected a landing to the 

eastward of Sillery, a league 

above Cape Diamond, and about 
two miles to the westward of 
Quebec. As tbe day broke, the 
French army under Montcalm, 
amounting to 10,000 men, formed 
in order of battle on the plains of 
Abraham, and Wolfe immediately 
made a disposition of his troops. 
Next to the Louisbourg grenadiers, 
he placed successively the 35th, 
28th, 43rd, 47th, 78th,and 58th re¬ 
giments, under Brigadiers Monck- 
ton and Murray. The second 
line was composed of the 15th 
regiment and two battalions of 
royal Americans, under Brigadier 
Townshend ; and while the re¬ 


OF VICTORY. 269 


serve was composed of 48th re¬ 
giment, the left of the army was 
covered by the light infantry 
under Col. Howe. Opposed to this 
force of 5000 men, without ar¬ 
tillery, Montcalm formed his 
army into three columns, and 
advanced with a cloud of skir¬ 
mishers in front ; but these were 
compelled to fall back by the in¬ 
trepidity of the light infantry, 
and a light six-pounder, which 
the sailors dragged up about 8 
o’clock. The enemy came on 
with great determination soon after 
ten, with the intention to gain the 
left flank ; but this design was 
effectually frustrated by Brigadier 
Townshend advancing the 15th 
regiment, and placing it en potence. 
The French opened their fire as 
soon as they arrived within mus¬ 
ket-shot, but the British reserving 
theirs, until within thirty yards of 
their opponents, repeated it so 
quickly, that the enemy gave way 
at all points, closely pursued by 
their victorious antagonists. It 
was at this moment that Wolfe *, 
at the bead of the Louisbourg 
grenadiers, received his third and 
fatal wound. Colonel Carleton, 
quartermaster-general, was dan¬ 
gerously wounded in the head ; 
and shortly afterwards, Brigadier 
Monckton, at the head of the 47th 
regiment, was shot through the 
body. Part of the French stood 
for a while ; but the charge of 
28th and 47th regiments threw 
them into entire disorder. Then 
the highlanders, supported by 
the 58th regiment, took to their 
broad-swords, driving a portion 
of tbe fugitives into the town, and 

* Carried a little way to the rear, 
and laid down, hearing an officer near 
him exclaim, “See how they run,” 
the dying hero asked, with some emo¬ 
tion, “ Who run ? ” The officer replied, 
“The French, — they, give way every¬ 
where ! ” “ Then God be praised,” 

said Wolfe, “ 1 die happy.” 

















270 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 14. 


part to their works at the bridge 
over the river St. Charles ; nor 
did they retire, until fired upon 
by the cannon on the ramparts. 
The loss of the British was only 
57 killed and 607 wounded; 
whilst the French lost 1500 in 
killed, wounded, and prisoners. 
Gen. Montcalm, as well as the se¬ 
cond and third in command, De 
Senezergue and Baron de St. 
Ours, were mortally wounded and 
carried off the field. 

1762. Attack or St. John’s. 
— The French having possessed 
themselves of St. John’s, New¬ 
foundland, two battalions under 
Col. Amherst were detached from 
Halifax, and landed in Torbay, 
about three leagues to the north¬ 
ward of St. John’s, on the 13th 
September. After a march of 
four miles through a thick wood, 
they attacked the enemy, and 
after a slight resistance, com¬ 
pelled them to retreat. The 
troops then took post to the left 
of the inlet of Kitty-Vitty. Be¬ 
ing annoyed by the enemy’s fire 
from a neighbouring hill, the 
light infantry under Captain 
M‘Kenzie, supported by the gre¬ 
nadiers of the Royal, and 77th re¬ 
giments, attacked this strong posi¬ 
tion of the enemy, and drove 
them from the hill. In this attack 
Captain M‘Kenzie was mortally 
wounded. 

September 14. 

1402. Battle near Holme- 
don Hill. — Archibald, Earl of 
Douglas, made an irruption into 
the English marches at the head 
of 13,000 men, and, having ra¬ 
vaged the country for some time 
without opposition, was on his 
return to Scotland, but found 
himself intercepted by a strong 
body of English troops com¬ 
manded by the Earl of Northum¬ 


berland, his son Henry Hotspur, 
the Earl of Dunbar, and the 
Lord Greystoke. The Scots were 
drawn up on the declivity of 
Holmedon hill, near Wallowover, 
and in this exposed position suf¬ 
fered severely from the English 
archers. Douglas, perceiving 
their advantage, advanced his 
men-at-arms; but the English, 
retiring, still kept up a discharge 
of arrows, until that body of 
Scots became fatigued with the 
weight of their armour ; and the 
rest of their army, left exposed 
to the English archery, could no 
longer stand the shock, and 
fled with great precipitation. In 
this battle, which was fought on 
Holy-rood day, 7000 Scots were 
left dead upon the field, and a 
great number perished in the 
Tweed. The Earl of Douglas, 
who lost an eye in the engage¬ 
ment, was taken prisoner, together 
with the Earls of Fife, Murray, 
and Angus, Lords Montgomery 
and Erskine, and fourscore 
knights of distinction. 

1543. Surrender of Bou¬ 
logne. —The Emperor Charles 
entered into a league with 
Henry VIII. against France, that 
each party should march 40,000 
men, which were to unite in the 
neighbourhood of Paris. Had 
this design been executed, that 
city, and all the country as far as 
the Loire, would have been en¬ 
dangered ; for the French army 
did not amount to more than 
40,000 men. But, instead of 
pursuing their original plan of 
operations, their forces were em¬ 
ployed in tedious sieges. Charles 
sat down before St. Didier, and 
Henry before Boulogne, on the 
26th of July, 1544. Although 
the siege of that place was pushed 
with all imaginable vigour, the 
garrison did not surrender until 
the 14th of September. The 






September 14. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 271 


Dauphin made some ineffectual 
attempts to retake the place ; and 
Henry from this period began to 
distrust his ally: but both had 
infringed the treaty. Charles con¬ 
cluded a separate compact ; and 
Henry returned to England, ex¬ 
pecting that the French would 
invade in their turn. By the 
treaty made at Outreau, 24th of 
March, 1550, Boulogne was sold 
to the French monarch for 4000 
crowns of gold. 

1711. Bouchain surren¬ 
ders.— On the 12th of Septem¬ 
ber, about noon, the besieged, 
seeing that the breaches made 
in the upper town were of 
sufficient extent, and that all 
things were preparing for a ge¬ 
neral assault, beat the chamade, 
and, hostages being exchanged, 
terms of capitulation were pro¬ 
posed ; but Marlborough refusing 
to accede to any other stipulation 
than an unconditional surrender, 
the hostages returned to the 
town. The governor still holding 
out, the batteries renewed their 
fire with such increased fury that 
the besieged hung out a white 
flag. On the 14th, new hostages 
were exchanged, the governor 
proposing that the garrison should 
surrender as prisoners of war, to 
be conducted to France, and be 
regularly exchanged. This being 
likewise refused, and the cannon¬ 
ade resumed with vigour, the 
garrison, now reduced to half 
their original number, surren¬ 
dered on the conditions proposed 
by the Duke of Marlborough, and, 
on the following day, marched 
out with the honours of war. 

1751. Successful Sortie 
from Arcot. — Clive, finding 
himself invested in Arcot by a 
powerful and increasing force, 
and anxious for the safe arrival 
of two 18-pounders, resolved to 
attack the besiegers. On the 


night of the 14th of September 
he made a successful sortie, the 
enemy being defeated with con¬ 
siderable loss; and the convoy 
entered the fort in triumph. 

1854. Expedition to the 
Crimea. —In the early part of 
August, the allied English, 
French, and Turkish army, com¬ 
manded by Marshal St. Arnaud 
and Lord Raglan, amounting to 
nearly 100,000 men, had en¬ 
camped near Varna. It being de¬ 
termined that an attack should 
be made upon Sebastopol, nume¬ 
rous men-of-war and transports 
began to assemble, and by the 
27th seventeen sail of the line 
were at anchor in the bay. The 
embarkation of the troops had 
now commenced; and on the 
31st the last division was on 
board. On the morning of the 
5th of September, the British got 
under way shortly after day¬ 
light, and joined the vast assem¬ 
blage at Baltschik Bay. Early 
on the 7th the signal was made 
to weigh ; and before seven 
o’clock the whole fleet proceeded 
towards its destination, the di¬ 
visions, formed in long lines, 
moving through the smooth water 
with all the precision of the 
movements of a battalion. On 
the 9th the expedition anchored 
near the island of Fidonisi, at the 
entrance of the Danube, where, 
being joined by the French and 
Turkish ships, there was to be 
seen the magnificent spectacle of 
four hundred sail conveying 
sixty thousand troops. The coast 
of the Crimea having been recon¬ 
noitred on the 10th and 11th, it 
was arranged to disembark the 
troops in the bays of Katcha and 
Alma, between Eupatoria and 
Old Fort; and on the 13th the 
fleet was again in motion, assisted 
by the powerful steamers, ex¬ 
tending along several miles of 












CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 15. 


coast. No enemy appearing to 
oppose the landing, the debarka¬ 
tion of the army commenced on 
the morning of the 14th; and 
before dark the whole had landed 
in admirable order,— the French 
in the bay below Old Fort, the 
English in the next bay, nearer 
to Eupatoria. 

September 15. 

1762. Defeat of the Enemy 
near St. John’s. — The French 
being strongly posted on the sum¬ 
mit of two hills, on the road to St. 
John’s, it was necessary to dis¬ 
possess them, before siege could 
be laid to the fort. Early on the 
morning of the 15th September, 
Capt. M’Donnel, with his light 
infantry, took the enemy by sur¬ 
prise; and, although three com¬ 
panies of grenadiers and two 
pickets, with a mortar and a six- 
pounder, were posted in this strong 
position, the enemy were driven 
at the point of the bayonet with 
such vigour, that they preci¬ 
pitately retreated, after sustaining 
considerable loss; and a captain, 
with thirteen men, were made pri¬ 
soners. 

1776. Capture of New York. 
—When the Americans abandon¬ 
ed their lines at Brooklyne, and 
retreated from Long Island, Gen. 
Howe moved the King’s army 
from Bedford, leaving two bri¬ 
gades of Hessians, under Major.- 
Gcn. De Heister, at Brooklyne, 
and one brigade of British at 
Bedford. Five other positions 
were taken up by the remainder of 
the force, and batteries erected 
against those of the enemy com¬ 
manding the passage at Hellgate. 
On the morning of the 15th Sep¬ 
tember, the first division of the 
army, under Lieut.-Gen. Clinton, 
consisting of the light infantry, the 
reserve, the Hessian grenadiers, 


and chasseurs, embarked on board 
the flat-boats, and proceeded down 
the creek to Keep’s Bay, where, 
under cover of the frigates, they 
made good their landing. The 
Hessians being in the advance, 
defeated a body of rebels as they 
were retiring from Stuvessant’s 
Cove. The whole army then ad~ 
vanced, and compelled the enemy 
to fall back to their main body on 
Morris’s heights, where General 
Washington had taken post with 
about 18,000 men; besides which, 
they had at least 4000 in New 
York, under Gen. Putnam, who, 
being aware of the danger he 
ran of having his retreat cut 
off, withdrew from the city with 
all possible expedition as the 
day closed, and joined Wash¬ 
ington before daybreak on the 
ensuing morning. As soon as it 
was known that the enemy had 
abandoned New York, Major- 
Gen. Robertson, with a brigade of 
infantry, was detached to take 
possession of the place. During 
the night of the 15th, the royal 
army had its right at Horen’s 
Hook and its left at the North 
River, near to Bloomingdale. 
The position of the rebel army 
embraced both sides of Kings- 
brid;ze, defended by strong and 
extensive works; and they held a 
redoubt on the Jersey side of 
North River. 

1793. Action near Menin.— 
On the morning of 15th Septem¬ 
ber, a French army, amounting 
to thirteen thousand men, attacked 
the advanced post on the left of 
Gen. Beaulieu’s army, posted at 
Bisseghem, with much spirit; but 
reinforcements quickly arriving 
up, they desisted from further at¬ 
tack. The French then en¬ 
deavoured to dislodge the Aus¬ 
trians from their position behind 
the Landerberg; but here they 
were again repulsed and com- 







September 16, CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


273 


pelled to give way by the fire of 
the Austrian artillery upon their 
left flank. Gen. Beaulieu, avail¬ 
ing himself of this advantage, 
resolutely charged the enemy in 
front, and entirely routed them. 
They retreated towards Menin, 
followed by the allied army, whose 
advanced guard was frequently 
and successfully engaged, even to 
the gates of the town. At four 
in the afternoon, Gen. Beaulieu, 
having brought up his whole force 
and assaulted the gate of Rouflaer, 
the French totally abandoned the 
place, and passed the Lys with 
precipitation, followed by Gen. 
Ehrbach’s corps and two English 
squadrons, who joined the Aus¬ 
trian hussars in the pursuit of the 
French towards Roncq. In this 
action the allies lost about 100 
men killed and wounded. The 
loss of the French was about 400; 
and above 200 prisoners, with two 
pieces of cannon, were taken. 

September 16. 

1191. Richard I. of England, 
after reducing Acre, projected the 
siege of Ascalon; but Saladin 
having placed his army, amounting 
to 100,000, men under cover of 
the city, Richard on the 16th of 
September gave him battle. The 
right of the king’s army was com¬ 
manded by James of Avesnes; 
the left, composed of French 
troops, under the Duke of Bur¬ 
gundy; whilst the centre was di¬ 
rected by the king in person; and 
the whole force did not exceed 
40,000 men. The right wing com¬ 
menced the battle with great in¬ 
trepidity, but they were repulsed 
by the vast superiority of the 
Turks, with the loss of their gal¬ 
lant commander. The French 
also made a vigorous attack, but 
having advanced in pursuit of the 
enemy, they became, surrounded 


by the troops of the Sultan, until 
Richard hastened to their relief 
and compelled the Turks to re¬ 
tire. By this time the right had 
rallied, and now took part with 
the left wing, under the Duke of 
Burgundy, in completing the 
overthrow of the infidels. Richard 
obtained a complete victory, with 
the loss of 4000 men; whilst the 
enemy are said to have lost 40,000. 
The king took possession of the city, 
and improved the fortifications. 

1773. Reduction of Tanjore. 
—Colonel Clive, in command of a 
force for the reduction of Tanjore, 
invested that place, and on the 
20th of August approaches were 
made to within 500 yards of the 
wall of the city. On the 24th 
the enemy made a determined 
sortie, but were driven back with 
great loss; on which occasion the 
grenadiers of the first Madras re¬ 
giment particularly distinguished 
themselves. On the 16th of Sep¬ 
tember, at 1 p. M., the troops ad¬ 
vanced to the assault; and though 
20,000 men were in the fort, fully 
prepared for its defence, yet the 
place was taken by surprise, and 
the rajah and his suite were among 
the prisoners. 

1776. Defeat near theNoetii 
River. — The British troops un¬ 
der Lieut.-Gen. Howe took up a 
position on the 15th of September 
near the north river, in front of 
the rebel army, amounting to 
20,000 men, commanded by 
Washington. On the morning of 
the 16th, the 2nd and 3rd bat¬ 
talions of light infantry, supported 
by the royal highlanders, attacked 
a large detachment of the enemy 
which had approached the ad¬ 
vanced posts, and drove them 
back to their intrenchments. 
Washington immediately marched 
a corps of three thousand men to 
their support; on which General 
Ilowe moved up the reserve, with 


T 












274 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September IS. 


two field-pieces, a battalion of Hes¬ 
sian grenadiers, and a company of 
chasseurs; but the light infantry 
and highlanders, with the aid of 
the chasseurs and field-pieces, had 
gallantly repulsed the enemy 
with considerable loss, and com¬ 
pelled them to retire within their 
intrenchments. On this occasion 
the Americans are reported to 
have lost a colonel and three hun¬ 
dred men, killed and wounded; 
whilst the king’s army had four¬ 
teen men killed and 78 wounded. 

1795. Reduction of Cape of 
Good Hope. — The troops and 
brigade of seamen and marines, 
amounting to about 1900 men, 
under Lieut.-General A. Clarke, 
which gained the heights of 
Muysenburg on the 7 th of Au¬ 
gust, marched from that post on 
the 14th of September, and having 
formed into two lines, supported 
by field-pieces, they advanced to 
attack the enemy; but as the 
Dutch retired, after experiencing 
some loss, the British halted for 
the night. At daylight on the 
15th, an officer arrived with a 
flag, and proposals of capitulation 
from Governor Sluysken; and on 
the 16th, the terms being ratified, 
the colony surrendered to His 
Britannic Majesty, the troops in 
garrison being prisoners of war. 

September 17. 

1762. Recovery of New¬ 
foundland. —In the Calendar of 
the 15th September we related 
the successful operations of the 
forces under Col. Amherst for the 
recovery of the colony of New¬ 
foundland. The enemy having 
abandoned the post on the hill 
commanding the entrance of the 
harbour of St. John’s, it was 
taken possession of, and the fort 
invested. During the thick fog 
that prevailed while Col. Amhei'st 


was taking measures for reducing 
the place, Commodore de Ternay, 
availing himself of the oppor¬ 
tunity, slipped his cables and 
stole out of the port with his 
squadron, consisting of Robuste, 
74, Eveille, 64, Garonne, 44, 
Licorne, 32, and a bomb. On 
the 17th, a mortar battery was 
opened against the fort, and bat¬ 
teries were erected for the can¬ 
non ; but, on the 18th, Colonel 
D’Haussonville having proposed 
terms of capitulation, which were 
ratified, the garrison, amounting 
to 683 persons, surrendered as pri¬ 
soners of war, to be conveyed to 
France as soon as transports 
could be conveniently procured. 

1791. Raymaughur surren¬ 
ders. — The hill-forts on the 
north-east of Bangalore inter¬ 
rupting the communication with 
the Nizam’s army, a corps was 
immediately formed to reduce 
them. The fourth battalion of 
Madras infantry, Gowdie’s bri¬ 
gade, and Capt. Reid’s detach¬ 
ment of native infantry, consist¬ 
ing of two battalions, likewise 
attached to Major Gowdie’s corps, 
were •appointed for this service. 
On 14th September the force 
was encamped within nine miles 
of Raymaughur, and on the 16th 
that place was invested. On the 
17th the batteries opened with 
great effect, and in a short time 
the fort surrendered at discretion. 

September IS. 

1415. Siege of IIarfleur.— 
Henry V. having succeeded his 
father in 1413, and a war break¬ 
ing out with France, he as¬ 
sembled an army of 6000 men- 
at-arms, with 24,000 archers, 
forming altogether 50,000 men. 
This force he embarked at South¬ 
ampton, and the whole fleet, con¬ 
sisting of not less than 1500 sail, 
conveyed them safely to the 








September 19. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


275 


coast of Normandy, where they 
landed without opposition, al¬ 
though the constable of France 
had a very large force in the 
neighbourhood. The first enter¬ 
prise of importance undertaken 
was the siege of Ilarfleur, which 
was strongly fortified and pro¬ 
vided with a numerous garrison, 
under the command of Comte 
Estouteville. Henry prosecuted 
the siege with such vigour that 
the town was breached in several 
places ; and the besieged, finding 
it impracticable to maintain their 
ground, capitulated on the 18th 
September, on condition of sur¬ 
rendering, if not relieved by the 
Sunday after Michaelmas. A 
body of French troops, which 
attempted to succour the place, 
being repulsed, and the term 
prescribed in the capitulation 
having expired, the garrison sur¬ 
rendered, and Henry took pos¬ 
session of Harfieur. 

1702. Siege of Venloo. — 
The investment of Venloo being 
completed, 32 battalions and 36 
squadrons were detached for the 
siege, under the Prince Naussau 
Saarbruck, and on 7 th September 
the attacks commenced on both 
sides the Meuse under the direc¬ 
tion of Cohorn. On the 13th, 
Marlborough took up a new po¬ 
sition, with his right at Satendal 
and his left at Lonaken. The 
breaches being rapidly pushed 
forward, the first attack was di¬ 
rected, on the 18th, against fort 
St. Michael, which was connected 
by a bridge of boats across the 
Meuse, and formed its principal 
defence. The party for the as¬ 
sault consisted mostly of English 
troops, under Lord Cutts ; whilst 
Lord Lome, Sir Richard Temple, 
and other distinguished volun¬ 
teers assisted in carrying the 
ravelin sword in hand. Elated by 
their success, the victorious as- j 


sailants forced their way over a 
bridge connecting the ravelin 
with the interior works, and car¬ 
ried the fort itself by storm, mak¬ 
ing 200 prisoners. 

1759. Surrender of Quebec. 
—Brigadier-General Townshend, 
having succeeded to the com¬ 
mand of the army after the death 
of the lamented Wolfe on the 
13th September, took immediate 
measures of following up the 
advantage that had been so glori¬ 
ously obtained. He encamped the 
army in a defensive position, and 
erected redoubts, whence a con¬ 
stant cannonade was kept up 
against the town. The ground 
having been well reconnoitred, the 
engineers commenced erecting 
batteries, on which cannon and 
mortars were speedily mounted. 
But before the completion of these 
operations, Gen. De Ramzay, on 
the 17th, offered to surrender the 
town ; and on the 18th the terms 
of capitulation being settled, 
Brigadier-General Murray, at the 
head of three companies of gre¬ 
nadiers and a detachment of artil¬ 
lery with a field-piece, marched 
in, and took possession of the 
upper town, where the British 
colours were hoisted. At the 
same time, Capt. Palliser and a 
detachment of seamen took pos¬ 
session of the lower town. The 
garrison, amounting to 6000 men, 
inarched out with the honours of 
war, and were embarked for 
France. 

September 19. 

1356. Battle of Poitiers.— 
In 1355, Edward III. w^ent. over 
to France, and having ravaged 
the Boulonnois and Artois, re¬ 
turned to England, which was at 
that time threatened with an in¬ 
vasion from Scotland. Prince 
Edward having refreshed the 
troops after a severe campaign, 












276 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 19. 


began his march from Bordeaux 
on 6th July, 1356, at the head of 
2000 men-at-arms, 6000 archers, 
and 4000 infantry. After ravag¬ 
ing several provinces, and taking 
6000 men prisoners, he encamped 
on Saturday, 17 th September, 
between Beauvoir and Mauper- 
tuis, within two leagues of Poi¬ 
tiers. The French king coming 
up with an army of 60,000 men, 
resolved on attacking the En¬ 
glish the next morning ; but in 
consequence of the intercession of 
Cardinal Perigort, to prevent hos¬ 
tilities, the Prince of Wales ex¬ 
pressed himself disposed to ac¬ 
cept terms consistent with the 
honour of his country ; and of¬ 
fered to restore all the places and 
prisoners he had taken, and ab¬ 
stain for seven years from carry¬ 
ing arms against France, if al¬ 
lowed to return unmolested to 
Bordeaux. But John insisting on 
the surrender of Edward and 100 
knights, and in that case the army 
might retire to Bordeaux, the 
Prince declared that he would 
never be taken but in the field, and 
made dispositions accordingly. 
On the morning of the 19th, the 
French appeared in order of 
battle ; the right commanded by 
the Duke of Orleans, the left under 
the Dauphin, whilst the king in 
person commanded the reserve. 
Edward drew up his handful of 
troops in three divisions, formed 
in close order, with his flanks 
protected by a mountain on one 
side and a morass on the other. 
About nine o’clock, the elite men- 
at-arms entered the lane leading 
to the English position, but they 
were so galled by the archers, 
that many had fallen before the 
party reached the main body, 
where they were cut to pieces by 
Lord Audley.. The . force under 
Marshals Clermont and Andre- 
ham, harassed in their advance 


by the bowmen, on reaching 
the van, were valiantly opposed 
by the Earl of Warwick ; whilst 
Salisbury and Suffolk, moving up 
from the rear, completed their 
confusion. Both marshals being 
among the slain, the enemy be¬ 
came disconcerted, fell into dis¬ 
order, and then fled with preci¬ 
pitation, The Prince of Wales 
now advanced at the head of his 
men-at-arms and attacked the 
division commanded by king 
John. The battle was maintained 
with great vigour, until Gauchet 
de Brienne, Constable of France, 
was killed. His brigade then 
gave way, and victory declared 
in favour of the English. King 
John, finding himself deserted by 
all his followers, surrendered, and 
was conducted to the victorious 
Prince of Wales. The captive 
monarch, with other distinguished 
pi’isoners, Avere conveyed to Lon¬ 
don by Prince Edward in Mav, 
1357 ; Avhen the king was enter¬ 
tained in the most sumptuous 
manner, and provided Avith an 
apartment in the royal palace 
until the Savoy could be fitted 
for his reception. 

1812. Siege or Burgos.— 
The castle of Burgos and its 
Avorks enclosed a rugged hill, 
betAveen which and the river the 
city Avas situated. An old Avail, 
Avith a new parapet constructed 
by the French, offered the first 
line of defence ; the second line, 
Avhich Avas Avithin the other, Avas 
of the nature of a field retrench¬ 
ment, and well palisaded. The 
third Avas of similar construction, 
and contained the two most ele¬ 
vated points of the hill; and on 
the highest Avas a heavy case- 
mated Avork, called the Napoleon 
battery. Within three hundred 
yards on the north side of the 
city Avas a second height called 
St. Michael, scarcely less elevated 









September 20. CALENDAR 


than that of the fortress, and was 
defended by a large hornwork 
and counterscarp. Nine heavy 
guns, eleven field-pieces, and six 
mortars were mounted on the 
works; and the garrison consisted 
of 1900 men, under Gen. Dubre- 
ton. On the 19th September, the 
first division of the British army 
having effected the passage of the 
Arlanzan, Major S. Cocks, sup¬ 
ported byPack’sPortuguese, drove 
in the French outposts on the 
hill of St. Michael ; and during 
the night, reinforced by the 42nd 
regiment, assaulted the horn- 
work. The storming columns 
against the front were repulsed 
with loss, but the gallant leader 
of the 79th succeeded in forcing 
an entrance by the gorge. 
The garrison was thus actually 
cut off; but Major Cocks not 
being closely supported, the 
French, still 500 strong, broke 
through his men and escaped. 
The British lost about 400 men, 
while the loss of the enemy was 
less than 150. 

September 20. 

1417. Caen Taken. — The 
town of Caen in Normandy 
having been besieged by the En¬ 
glish under Henry V., was taken 
by assault on 20th September ; 
and it continued in the hands of 
the English nearly thirty years. 

1643. Battle of Newbury. 
— After the fruitless expedition 
of King Charles into Gloucester¬ 
shire, he returned towards Lon¬ 
don, and the Earl of Essex, who 
commanded the army of the Par¬ 
liament, moved in the same di¬ 
rection. Prince Rupert was im¬ 
mediately detached to intercept 
his march, and harass him until 
the king in person should arrive 
up with the infantry. This service 
was performed with much expe¬ 


OF VICTORY. 277 


dition; and before the enemy had i 
reached Newbury, their rear was j 
so effectually attacked, that they 
halted at Hungerford on 16th of 
September. On the following 
day the monarch occupied New¬ 
bury with his infantry ; while 
Essex, after passing the night in 
the open field, made preparations 
to give him battle upon Bigs-hill, 
within a mile of the town. After 
some skirmishing on the morning 
of the 20th, on the part of the 
royal army, the horse charged 
with such vigour, that they rout¬ 
ed those of their opponents, but 
as they could make no impres¬ 
sion on the foot, their cavalry ral¬ 
lied behind them, as they were 
put into confusion. The London 
trained-bands, in particular, op¬ 
posed themselves like a rampart, 
against the efforts of the royal¬ 
ists, and managed their pikes 
with such dexterity, that Prince 
Rupert could make no impression 
upon them with his choice squa¬ 
drons. The battle was fought 
with equal obstinacy on both 
sides, and night parted the com¬ 
batants, before either could claim 
the victory. On the following 
morning the Earl of Essex pur¬ 
sued his march towards Reading, 
which he entered with his cannon 
and baggage, after having been 
severely handled by Prince Ru¬ 
pert. Though the number of the 
slain was not excessive, Charles 
had to mourn the loss of several 
nobles of distinction, and among 
that number Lord Viscount 
Falkland, secretary of state. 

1810. Third Invasion of Por¬ 
tugal.— In order to prevent Mas- 
sena gaining the main road from 
Oporto to Coimbra, Gen. Spencer, 
with the first division, moved 
upon Milheada, and Trant was 
directed to join him by a march 
through San Pedro cle Sulto 
Sardas. Meanwhile, Leith ar- 














278 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 20. 


rived on the Alva, and General 
Hill was only one day’s march 
behind ; for, on learning that the 
French boats on the Tagus had 
had been destroyed, he directed 
his artillery by Thomar, and, put¬ 
ting his troops in motion, reached 
Espisnal on 20th September, 
where he was joined by General 
Lecor, who with great judgment 
had brought the Portuguese bri¬ 
gade by long marches from 
Fundao. Thus, the two corps of 
the allied army were united on 
the same day that the main body 
of the enemy entered Viseu; and 
the bridges having been destroyed 
by Gen. Pack, the project of 
surprising Coimbra was baffled. 
Massena had not failed to expe¬ 
rience other evil consequences 
from adopting that line of march, 
and had been obliged to repair the 
road from day to day for his ar¬ 
tillery, which was still twenty 
miles from Viseu on the 19th. 
Col. Trant, aware of this, formed 
the hardy project of destroying 
it ; and quitting Moimenta de 
Beira in the night, with a squa¬ 
dron of cavalry, two thousand 
militia, and five guns, on the 
20th surprised a patrol of ten 
men, from whom he learnt that 
the convoy was at hand, and that 
Montbrun’s cavalry was close in 
the rear. The defiles were, how¬ 
ever, narrow, and Trant, charging 
the head of the escort, took a hun- 
di'ed prisoners and some baggage. 
The convoy then fell back, fol¬ 
lowed by the militia; but the 
enemy having rallied and re¬ 
pulsed the Portuguese cavalry, 
disorder prevailed. Trant, seeing 
that nothing more could be ef¬ 
fected, returned to Moimenta de 
Beira, and thence marched to 
Lamego with his prisoners. The 
French, ignorant of the number 
and quantity of their assailants, 
fell back, and did not finally 


reach Viseu until the 23rd ; by 
which circumstance Massena lost 
two most important days. 

1854. Battle of the Alma. 
—The allied English, French, and 
Turkish forces, under the command 
of Marshal St. Arnaud and Lord 
Raglan, amounting to about 
50,000 men, which quitted Varna 
on the 7th September, effected a 
landing in the bay of Eupatoria, 
in the Crimea, on the 14 th and 
15th, and remained encamped 
near the place of debarkation 
until the morning of the 19th. 
Long before daybreak, the 
whole camp was in motion, pre¬ 
paratory to an advance upon Se¬ 
bastopol; but it was not until 9 
o’clock that the army commenced 
its march. Having bivouacked 
for the night on the left bank of 
the Bulganac, early on the morn¬ 
ing of the 20th the army resumed 
its march towards the Alma, on 
the banks of which river the Rus¬ 
sians were intrenched in great 
strength. Their formidable posi¬ 
tion crossed the great road about 
three miles from the sea, and the 
bold and precipitous range of 
heights, at an elevation of 350 to 
400 feet, formed their left. Turn¬ 
ing thence, round a wide valley 
terminating at a salient pinnacle, 
their right x'ested, and whence the 
descent to the plain was more gra¬ 
dual. This was the key of the ene¬ 
my’s position, and consequently 
strongly defended; and the whole 
front was about two miles in ex¬ 
tent. Half way down the height 
was a trench extending some hun¬ 
dred yards, affording cover against 
| an advance up the steep slope of 
the hill; whilst on the right a 
powerful covered battery flanked 
the whole of the right of the po¬ 
sition; and artillery was posted 
at the best points commanding 
the passage of the river. More- 
| over, dense masses of infantry were 













September 20. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


279 


1 




placed on the slopes, while the 
heights above were crowned by the 
great reserve, and the whole force 
amounted to nearly 40,000 men. 
It was arranged that the French 
should assault the enemy’s left by 
crossing the river at its junction 
with the sea and immediately 
above it, their remaining divisions 
moving up the heights in their 
front; whilst the English army 
bore upon the right and centre of 
the enemy’s position. As the 
army advanced, 7000 Turkish in¬ 
fantry, under Suleiman Pasha, 
moved along the sea-side; next 
to them came the French divi¬ 
sions of Gens. Bosquet, Canrobert, 
Forey, and Prince Napoleon, 
whilst their right was covered bv 
the fleet, which moved in a pa¬ 
rallel course, and in magnificent 
order. The British advanced in 
contiguous double columns, with 
the front of two divisions, co¬ 
vered by light infantry and a 
troop of horse artillery, — the 2nd 
division under Lieut.-General 
Sir de Lacy Evans forming the 
right, and touching the 3rd divi¬ 
sion of the French under Prince 
Napoleon, whilst the light division 
under Lieut.-Gen. Sir George 
Brown formed the left :—the 
former being supported by the 
3rd division under Lieut.-Gen. Sir 
Richard England, and the latter 
by the 1st division, commanded 
by II. R. H. the Duke of Cam¬ 
bridge. The 4th division, under 
Lieut.-Gen. Sir George Cathcart, 
and the cavalry, under Major-Gen. 
the Earl of Lucan, were held in 
reserve, to protect the left flank 
and rear against the numerous 
cavalry of the enemy. The ships 
of war coasting along as the 
troops advanced, opened an effec¬ 
tive fire on the Russians, at 
about half-past 12 o’clock; and 
shortly afterwards, the French 
columns were seen struggling up 


the acclivity, covered by a cloud 
of skirmishers. The moment Lord 
Raglan could satisfy himself of 
the development of the French 
attack, he directed the whole 
line to advance. As the British 
neared the enemy, whose fire had 
become very destructive, the two 
leading divisions deployed into 
line, and advanced to attack the 
front, whilst the supporting co¬ 
lumns followed the movement. 
No sooner had this taken place, 
than the village of Bouliouk, im¬ 
mediately opposite the centre, was 
fired by the enemy at all points, 
rendering a passage through it 
impossible. Two regiments of 
Adams’s brigade, forming part of 
Gen. Evans’s division, had in con¬ 
sequence to pass the river at a 
difficult ford to the right, under 
a sharp fire; whilst the first bri¬ 
gade, under Major-Gen. Penne- 
father, and the remaining regi¬ 
ments of Adams’s brigade, crossed 
to the left of the conflagration. 
Meanwhile, the light division, 
under Sir George Brown, effected 
the passage of the Alma in their 
immediate front, despite the seri¬ 
ous obstacles that obstructed their 
progress, which rendered every 
species of formation, under a gall¬ 
ing fire, nearly impossible. Ne¬ 
vertheless, that gallant officer 
overcame all opposition; and the 
1st brigade, under Major-General 
Codrington, aided by the judi¬ 
cious co-operation of Brigadier- 
Gen. Buller and the advance of 
four companies of the rifle brigade 
under Major Norcott, succeeded 
in carrying a redoubt. But the 
heavy fire of grape and musketry 
to which the troops were exposed, 
and the severe losses sustained by 
the 7th, 23rd, and 33rd regiments, 
compelled this brigade partially 
to relinquish the advantage they 
had gained. The brigade of 
guards under the Duke of Cam- 










280 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 21. 


bridge having by this time 
crossed the river, and moved up 
in support, a brilliant advance 
under Major-Gen. Bentinck drove 
the enemy, and secured posses¬ 
sion of the work. The highland 
brigade, under Major-General Sir 
Colin Campbell, co-operating 
with the guards, advanced in ad¬ 
mirable order and steadiness up 
the high ground to the left; whilst 
Major-General Pennefather’s bri¬ 
gade, which had been connected 
with the light division, forced the 
enemy to abandon the position 
they had taken such pains to de¬ 
fend and secure. The 95th re¬ 
giment, immediately on the right 
of the fusilier brigade, suffered 
equally with that corps an im¬ 
mense loss. The light and the 
2nd division crowned the heights 
as the Russians withdrew from the 
scene of action about 3 o’clock, co¬ 
vered by their cavalry, leaving 
three generals, two guns, and 800 
wounded prisoners on the field of 
battle. Thus terminated the san¬ 
guinary, but glorious battle of the 
Alma, which has established the 
decided superiority of the allied 
armies over the best troops which 
Russia can oppose to them. And 
although not for the first time 
that the soldiers of England and 
France have fought side by side, 
and mingled the banners of the 
two nations in one trophy, yet 
the event is both welcome and 
memorable, as it affords to Eu¬ 
rope the surest pledge of the 
union of the two countries. The 
loss of the British amounted to 26 
officers, 317 rank and file, killed; 
73 officers, 1539 rank and file, 
wounded, and 18 missing; mak¬ 
ing a total of 1955 killed, wound¬ 
ed, and missing : the loss of the 
French in killed and wounded, not 
exceeding 1700, produces a grand 
total on the part of the allies of 
3655 hors de combat. The brunt of 


the action having been sustained 
by the 1st, 2nd, and light divi¬ 
sions, their loss was as follows:— 



Killed. 

Wounded. 


Officers. 

Rank & 

file. 

Officers. 

Rank & 

file. 

1st division 

2 

45 

16 

376 

2nd „ 

9 

60 

25 

452 

Light „ 

12 

206 

29 

742 

Total of! 





the three 
divisions J 

23 

311 

70 

1570 


September 21. 

1753. Action of the Golden 
Rock. —Major Lawrence, having 
determined to attack the enemy 
in their strong intrenchments,— 
extending 500 yards from the 
Sugar-loaf Rock towards the rock 
on their left, — the better to mask 
his intentions, he marched, on the 
20th of September, out into the 
plain, and cannonaded their camp, 
with an 18-pounder. Early on the 
morning of the 21st, he formed 
his column of attack. The 12th 
Madras regiment, 600 strong, was 
in three divisions; the sepoys fol¬ 
lowed in the rear to the right and 
left of the divisions; the Nabob 
and Monagre, with their cavalry, 
brought up the rear, and the 
artillery were divided on each 
flank of the Madras regiment. 
The leading division being or¬ 
dered to carry the Golden Rock, 
approached within a few yards 
before they were perceived. The 
enemy were so much surprised 
that they even forgot to fire their 
two pieces of cannon, and the in¬ 
fantry fired their muskets at ran¬ 
dom. The rock was carried in an 
instant, its defenders flying with 
precipitation towards the French 
camp: little time was spent in dis- 



























September 22. CALENDAR 


mounting the guns and securing 
the post. The leading division 
then attacked the enemy’s camp, 
which they entered by the un¬ 
finished works on its left. The 
enemy had by this time drawn up 
to receive them, and as the day 
dawned the British advanced to 
where the French troops were 
formed in line, having on their 
left a large body of sepoys. Both 
these corps were speedily driven 
back; and the English sepoys 
having pushed on outside the in¬ 
trenched works to the right of 
the French regiment, carried the 
Sugar-loaf hill in gallant style. 
In the meantime the Madras re¬ 
giment having formed in line, at¬ 
tacked the French battalion with 
such vigour, that after a short 
resistance they fled in great dis¬ 
order, having sustained a loss of 
100 men killed, and 100 wounded 
and prisoners. The enemy were 
defeated at all points, and aban¬ 
doned their camp, leaving eleven 
pieces of artillery, with ammuni¬ 
tion and baggage. 

1777. Defeat of the Rebels. 
— Sir William Howe being ap¬ 
prised that the American Gen. 
Wayne, with 1500 men and 4 
pieces of cannon, was about three 
miles distant, in the woods in 
rear of the British army, detached 
Major-Gen. Gray, late at night 
on the 20th of September, with 
the light infantry, the 42nd and 
44th regiments ; and, to prevent 
alarm, their muskets were not 
loaded. Driving in*the outposts 
of the enemy, the British gained 
the left of their position in Brandy¬ 
wine creek about one o’clock on 
the 21st, and, rushing in with the 
bayonet, killed and wounded not 
less than 300 men, and made 
above seventy prisoners. The re¬ 
mainder fled in great disorder, and 
owed their safety to the darkness 
of the night. The loss of the 


OF YICTORY. 2S1 


British was one captain and 
three men killed, and four men 
wounded. 

1793. Siege of Toulon. — On 
the 20th of September a detach¬ 
ment of 350 Spaniards under Col. 
Eschavuru, and 150 British troops 
commanded by Captain Brereton, 
having embarked at Toulon dur¬ 
ing the night, landed at two o’clock 
on'the morning of the 21st at Fort 
Balaguier. The detachment im¬ 
mediately marched to the heights 
De Grasse, consisting of a ridge 
divided at the top by three dis¬ 
tinct knolls, covered with wood, 
and terminating with a rapid de¬ 
scent at the western extremity, 
which commanded a complete 
view of the whole extent of the 
enemy’s position to the westward 
of Toulon. It was then deter¬ 
mined to take post on the lowest 
and easternmost knoll, which was 
about 500 yards from the landing- 
place. At about five o’clock in 
the afternoon, 700 of the enemy 
advanced along the upper knolls 
of the Hauteur de Grasse, and 
having driven in the pickets, com¬ 
menced an attack under cover 
of the woods, forming themselves 
in three lines, upon a steep ascent 
in front of the post. The firing 
continued for about an hour, when 
the enemy were repulsed with a 
loss of twelve killed and twenty- 
four wounded; and on the part 
of the allies, of 2 killed and 10 
wounded. 

September 22. 

1781. Capture of Fort Fa- 
loor. —The army under Sir Eyre 
Coote fell back on the 29th Au¬ 
gust, for provisions, to Tripassore, 
where, with the utmost difficulty, 
supplies were brought from Ma¬ 
dras. On the 21st September, the 
army moved towards Tritany; and 
on the following day, the small 






2S2 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 23. 


fort of Paloor was taken from 
the enemy, and, what was of the 
greatest consequence, sufficient 
grain for two days’ consumption 
was found in it. 

1790. Capture of Paulghaut- 
ciierry. — After the reduction 
of Dindigul, Col. Stewart was 
ordered against Paulghautcherry, 
which, from the siege it withstood 
in 1783, was considered a place 
of great strength. Reinforce¬ 
ments, particularly of artillery, 
were ordered to join him on the 
21st September, under the super¬ 
intendence of Lieut.-Col. More¬ 
house, Madras artillery. Two 
batteries within 400 yards were 
opened, and in less than two 
hours the fire of the fort was 
silenced, and before night, a 
practicable breach effected. A 
broad and deep ditch had to be 
crossed: nevertheless, a place of 
arms in the covered-way was 
seized, and before daylight on 
the 22nd, the enemy signified 
that they would surrender on 
terms, which were soon agreed 
upon ; and shortly after sunrise, 
the place was taken possession of, 
and found to mount sixty pieces 
of cannon. 

September 23. 

1702. Surrender of V enloo. 
— Fort St. Michael having been 
gallantly carried by Lord Cutts, 
as related in our Calendar of 18th 
September, the attack against the 
town of Venloo was prosecuted 
with additional vigour and effect. 
Batteries were raised in the cap¬ 
tured fort, and on the 23rd 
a tremendous fire was opened 
upon the defences of the place. 
Before midday, an accessible 
breach being effected, the garri¬ 
son became discouraged, and the 
burghers clamoured for a sur- 
render. At this moment the news 


of the reduction of Landau hav¬ 
ing reached the camp, the salute 
fired on the occasion being con¬ 
sidered by the besieged as the sig¬ 
nal of assault, flags of truce were 
hoisted on the walls ; and before 
the close of day, a capitulation 
was arranged. The garrison, 
quitting the breach with the 
honours of war, were conducted 
to Antwerp. 

1705. Reduction of Barce¬ 
lona. — The Earl of Peter¬ 
borough having landed 2500 men, 
exclusive of the marines and the 
600 Dutch, he strongly invested 
Barcelona on 3rd September. 
The trenches were opened on the 
9th, and batteries raised for 50 
guns and 20 mortars; and the 
bomb-vessels threw 412 shells 
into the town in one day. On 
the 23rd the Viceroy desired to 
capitulate. On the 28th the terms 
were signed, and the bastion of St. 
Angelo was taken possession 
of by the British troops. 

1708. Siege of Lisle. —Dur¬ 
ing the confinement of Prince 
Eugene, in consequence of the 
wound he received in the assault 
of the counterscarp, on the 20th 
September, Marlborough super¬ 
intended the siege with the ut¬ 
most vigilance, riding daily from 
the head-quarters to the ap¬ 
proaches, and not returning until 
the evening. On the 23rd, in 
particular, he was in the trenches, 
when a grand attack was made 
on the tenaillon on the left, and 
part of the counterscarp. He is¬ 
sued the necessary orders, ani¬ 
mated the troops by his presence, 
witnessed their successful lodg¬ 
ment in the covert-way, and did 
not retire till they were masters 
of the whole of the tenaillon. 

1803. Battle of Assaye. — 
The Mahratta chief Scindiah and 
the Rajah of Berar on the 29th 
August entered the Nizam’s ter- 












September 24. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


283 


ritory by the Adjunlee pass, with 
an immense army of cavalry, with 
the intention of ravaging the coun¬ 
try and marching upon Hyder¬ 
abad ; but Major-Gen. Wellesley 
placed his force between them 
and that city. About the middle 
of September, Scindiah, reinforced 
by sixteen battalions of infantry, 
under French officers, and a large 
train of artillery, together with 
the troops of the rajah, had as¬ 
sembled on the banks of the 
Kaitna, and on the 23rd this 
army amounted to upwards of 
50,000 men, with a hundred pieces 
of artillery. Early on that day, 
Scindiah and the rajah moved 
off their myriads of horse, and the 
infantry were about to follow; 
when Wellesley, sending a mes¬ 
sage to Col. Stevenson, then about 
eight miles off with the Nizam’s 
auxiliary force, to join him with 
all expedition, moved forward 
with the 19th light dragoons and 
three regiments of native cavalry, 
followed by his infantry, consisting 
of only two British and five sepoy 
battalions, — his whole strength 
not exceeding 4500 men. After 
an advance of four miles, the 
whole Mahratta army was seen 
encamped on the north side of 
the Kaitna ; their right, consist¬ 
ing of cavalry, extended to Bo- 
kerdon, and their loft, composed 
of infantry and artillery, with 90 
guns, lay near the village of As- 
saye. In order to attack the left 
and rear of the infan try, Wellesley, 
leaving the Mysore and irregular 
cavalry to watch the Mahratta 
horse, crossed the river, and, under 
a sharp lire of artillery from the 
enemy, drew up his little army in 
three lines, the cavalry forming 
the third. The enemy made a 
corresponding change in his line, 
the infantry now resting its right 
upon the river, and its left upon 
Assaye and the Juah stream, 


which flowed parallel with the 
Kaitna. Finding his artillery could 
not be brought up, the general or¬ 
dered the infantry to move forward 
with the bayonet, and their steady 
advance so overawed the Mali- 
rattas that their infantry gave way 
and abandoned all their formid¬ 
able artillery. The cavalry, con¬ 
sisting of the 19th light dragoons 
and 4th Madras horse, then dash¬ 
ing forward with loud shouts, to 
which the infantry responded,— 
the very wounded cheering as 
they passed,—drove the enemy at 
all points, and every attempt of 
the enemy to form beyond the 
Juah was defeated by those gal¬ 
lant horsemen; and the battle was 
completely decided. This splendid 
victory was not obtained without 
suffering severe loss,—the British 
having twenty-two officers and 
386 rank and file killed ; 57 offi¬ 
cers and 1526 rank and file wound¬ 
ed. Excluding the irregular ca¬ 
valry, which remained on the other 
side of the river, and had not 
been engaged, the total killed 
and Avounded amounted to one- 
third of the British force. 

September 24. 

1751. Sortie from Argot.— 
Chunda Saib, having detached 
4000 men from Trichinopoly un¬ 
der his son Rajah Saib, and 
being reinforced by 150 French 
troops from Pondicherry, assailed 
Arcot on 23rd September, and, 
in conjunction with the army 
already assembled there, pro¬ 
ceeded to tighten the chain of 
investment. But the rajah 
soon found that he had no com¬ 
mon adversary to deal with. At 
daybreak on the 24th, Clive di¬ 
rected a sortie to be made in two 
columns, with a view rather to 
impress the besiegers with the 
conviction of their own inferiority 










284 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 25. 


as soldiers, than for the purpose 
of driving them from a large 
open town. Then leading one 
of the columns, the enterprise 
was conducted with so much gal¬ 
lantry that the rajah was struck 
with amazement. However, it 
cost the garrison dearly: up¬ 
wards of thirty Europeans fell in 
the conflict, while not a single 
gun, though several were at one 
moment in their possession, -was 
carried off by the daring as¬ 
sailants. 

1752. Sortie from Fort St. 
David’s. —The Regent of Trichi- 
nopoly, on hearing of the victory 
of Bahoor, sent to Pondicherry 
for a French reinforcement; and, 
although professing to be the ally 
of, and at peace with the English, 
continued to seize and carry into 
his camp all supplies entering the 
city. Capt. Dalton having received 
instructions from Madras to treat 
him as an enemy, marched out 
of fort St. David’s on 23rd Sep¬ 
tember, with a large detachment 
of Europeans and sepoys. Cross¬ 
ing the river, they entered the 
enemy’s camp, bayoneted the 
sentries and advanced pickets, 
whom they found asleep, and, 
continuing their advance in 
double files from the centre, pene¬ 
trated well in among the tents 
unperceived, and then commenced 
a fire on both flanks from front 
to rear. Nothing -was heard on 
all sides but the cries of the 
wounded, the noise of the af¬ 
frighted animals that had broken 
loose, and parties firing upon 
one another in mistake. A few 
blue lights being burnt, only 
served to show' the enemy more 
distinctly, and the firing was 
continued until every opponent 
outside the pagoda had disap¬ 
peared. The enemy, who lined 
its walls, then commenced firing, 
and in a short time 20 men were 


killed and wounded. The sepoys 
having effectually secured a 
number of horses and baggage, 
the troops leisurely retired towards 
the city before the break of day. 

1803. Reduction of Alighur. 

— Gen. Lake, having been in¬ 
vested with the same powers in 
Ilindostan which Gen. Wellesley 
possessed in the Deccan, ad¬ 
vanced from Cawmpore against 
Scindiah’s northern armies, which 
were commanded by M. Perron, 
a French officer of some ability 
and unquestionable valour. The 
first operation of the campaign 
was the storming of Alighur on 
24th September, a post which 
might easily have been made im¬ 
pregnable. 

September 25. 

1597. Surrender of Amiens. 

— The city of Amiens, having 
been surprised and taken from the 
French, by the Spaniards on 10th 
March, Biron, with 20,000 men, 
was sent against it, and England 
being at that time in league with 
France, 4000 British troops formed 
part of the attacking force. Whilst 
the Archduke endeavoured to re¬ 
lieve the place, the enemy made 
several sorties; and on the 19th 
September, the governor, having 
fallen in a gallant attempt to 
raise the siege, the garrison capi¬ 
tulated, on condition that, if the 
Archduke did not relieve the city 
by the 25th, it should be delivered 
to the French King. The place 
was accordingly surrendered on 
that day, after a siege of fifteen 
weeks. 

1707. Siege of Mons. — On 
the 25th September, the trenches 
were opened at 9 o’clock in the 
evening, and two attacks in pre¬ 
paration against the gates of Ber- 
tamont and Havre. This opera¬ 
tion was interrupted by a sally of 







September 26. CALENDAR 


the garrison, on which occasion 
Gen. Cadogan was dangerously 
wounded. Meanwhile, reinforce¬ 
ments were drawn from the 
neighbouring garrisons, and the 
siege vigorously prosecuted, not¬ 
withstanding the marshy nature 
of the ground, deluged by succes¬ 
sive days of heavy rain. 

1811 . Combat of El Bodon. 
— On 24th September, 600 ca¬ 
valry, with four divisions of in¬ 
fantry, crossed the hills to the 
north-east of Ciudad Rodrigo. 
On the 25th, fourteen squadrons 
of the Imperial Guards drove the 
outposts of the left wing from 
Carpio across the Azava, followed 
by some lancers; but these were 
soon driven back by two squa¬ 
drons of the 14th and 16th light 
dragoons, who reoccupied the post 
at Carpio. During this skirmish, 
fourteen battalions of infantry 
thirty squadrons of cavalry, and 
twelve guns, under Montbrun, 
having passed the Agueda by the 
bridge of Rodrigo, marched to¬ 
wards Guinaldo, and, driving in 
the British, commenced the action. 
The position of the 3rd division 
was completely turned by this 
movement. Wellington therefore 
ordered up a brigade of the 4th 
division from Guinaldo; but, in 
the meantime, drew up the 75th 
and 5th British and 21st Portu¬ 
guese regiments, with two bri¬ 
gades of artillery, on the hill over 
which the road to Guinaldo 
passed, supporting their flanks 
with Alten’s three squadrons. 
Montbrun’s horsemen, spite of the 
artillery and musketry, charged 
up the height; but they were 
checked by the daring spirit of 
the cavalry, who maintained their 
position until the general, bring¬ 
ing up his artillery and his 
horsemen, gaining ground in the 
centre, captured the guns. But 
Major Ridge, leading the 5th re¬ 


OF VICTORY. 285 


giment, retook the artillery, which 
again opened its fire; and nearly 
at the same time, the 77 th, sup¬ 
ported by the 21st Portuguese, 
repulsed the enemy on the left. 
Montbrun still pressed onwards 
with fresh masses against the left 
of the allies, while other squa¬ 
drons penetrated between the 
right flank and the village of El 
Bodon. The position being no 
longer tenable, Wellington di¬ 
rected both Picton and Colville 
to fall back and unite in the 
plains below; but whilst this 
movement was performing, the 
British as well as the Portuguese 
having retired, the 5th and 77th, 
formed into one square, were quite 
exposed; and in an instant the 
French cavalry came thundering 
down upon them, but all their 
efforts were in vain. Picton now 
effected his junction, and the 
whole retired over the plain to 
the position at Guinaldo, about 
six miles distant. The French, 
although reluctant to renew the 
close attack, followed, and plied 
the troops with shot and shell 
until about 4 o’clock in the 
evening, when the intrenched 
camp was gained. 

September 26. 

1767. Battle of Trinomal- 
lee. — Col. Smith being rein¬ 
forced by Col. Wood on the 8th 
of September, the united corps, 
consisting of 1400 Europeans, 
1000 Nabob’s cavalry, and 9000 
sepoys, with thirty-four field- 
pieces, moved on the 9th to the 
southward to procure provisions, 
leaving the sick and the military 
stores at Trinomallee This place 
was attacked by the enemy on 
the 15th, just as the army return¬ 
ed to its relief. Several thou¬ 
sands of Hyder’s cavalry, drawn 
up to cover the removal of his 










28G 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 27. 


battering train, were driven with 
considerable loss; and his army 
encamped about six miles off, 
where they strongly intrenched 
themselves. On the 25th Sep¬ 
tember, Col. Smith moved out his 
whole force, and encamped out of 
gunshot, on the left wing of the 
enemy, who were intrenched; and 
in a chain of redoubts, along it, 
numerous guns were mounted. 
The flanks were secured in the 
same manner, and further pro¬ 
tected by an impassable morass, 
extending along the whole front 
of the position. About noon on the 
26th, the enemy marched out in 
force, and cannonaded the British 
left with sixteen guns. Smith 
instantly moved to his left to at¬ 
tack them; but finding himself im¬ 
peded by the morass, passed off 
rapidly from his right, with the 
intention of rounding a hill in 
front. Hyder seeing the British 
moving off so suddenly towards 
the rear, concluded they were in 
retreat towards Arcot, and the 
Nizam’s and Hyder’s forces were 
accordingly in motion towards 
the hill. The nature of the 
ground entirely concealed the 
movements of the rival armies. 
The British pushed on rapidly to 
turn the hill and fall upon Hy¬ 
der’s corps, before it could retire 
within its intrenchments. The 
advanced guards of both, round¬ 
ing the base of the hill at the 
same time, suddenly came in con¬ 
tact ; and the enemy were re¬ 
pulsed in their endeavour to gain 
the hill by the leading native 
regiment commanded by Capt,. 
Cooke, who seized that position. 
Some rocks on the plain at a 
little distance, on the left, form¬ 
ing a point of considerable 
strength, were occupied by the 
enemy; who were however dis¬ 
lodged from them, after a gallant 

resistance, by three battalions of 

7 •/ 


sepoys, under Capts. Cooke, Cos- 
bv, and Buillie, supported by a 
strong detachment of the first 
Madras European infantry. The 
rest of the army arriving up, 
formed in line, its right rest¬ 
ing on the hill and its left on 
the rocks whence the enemy had 
just been driven. They were now 
formed on some heights at a short 
distance parallel to the British ; 
their cavalry divided on each 
flank, forming a crescent which 
enveloped both wings of their 
opponents. Thirty guns were in 
position, but seventy were com¬ 
ing up. The thirty fieid-pieces, 
moving along in front of the 
British line, kept up a steady and 
destructive fire, and, after driving 
the enemyfrom one strong position 
to another, covered the field with 
flying masses of cavalry. Hyder’s 
guns were, however, drawn off', 
covered by the infantry, but 
nine of Nizam Ali’s were cap¬ 
tured. The British remained on 
the field of battle, and occupied 
the ground whence the enemy 
had been driven. 

1777. Philadelphia taken. 
— The British army under Gen. 
Howe marched on the 25th of 
September from their encamp¬ 
ment, near the Schuylkill river, 
to Germantown, about six hides 
from Philadelphia, and there en¬ 
camped. On the morning of the 
26th, Lord Cornwallis, with the 
British grenadiers and two bat¬ 
talions of Hessians, took posses¬ 
sion of that city. 

September 27. 

1781. Hyder defeated.— 
About noon, the British army, 
consisting of 11,500 men, under 
Sir Eyre Coote, arrived in front 
of Hyder, with 60,000 men, who 
was encamped in a strong posi¬ 
tion at the pass of Sholingur. 













September 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


287 


The 2nd brigade, flank companies 
of the 73rd, all the cavalry, and 
22 pieces of artillery moved for¬ 
ward to gain the enemy’s flank. 
The rest of the line advanced 
steadily, and were received by a 
heavy but ill-directed fire front 
70 pieces of artillery. The entire 
cavalry of the enemy made a 
furious charge on two parts of 
the line, but were driven back 
after sustaining a heavy loss. 
The pursuit was continued until 
dark, and it was not until mid¬ 
night that the English army re¬ 
assembled on the field of battle. 
Their loss was no more than 100 
men killed and wounded ; whilst 
that of Hvder’s army exceeded 
5000. 

1810. Battle of Busaco.— 
Before daybreak on 27th Sep¬ 
tember, the French, under Mas- 
sena, were formed in five columns 
of attack; three under Ney, op¬ 
posite to the convent of Busaco, 
situated on a high ridge, and 
two under Reynier, at St. An¬ 
tonia de Cantava,—these points 
being about three miles asunder. 
The allies resisted vigorously, 
and six guns played along the 
ascent with grape ; but in less 
than half an hour the French 
were close upon the summit, 
having scaled the mountain with 
astonishing swiftness and resolu¬ 
tion, overthrowing everything 
that opposed their progress. The 
right of the third division was 
forced back ; the 8th Portuguese 
regiment was broken to pieces, 
and the hostile masses gained the 
highest part of the crest just 
between the 3rd and the 5th di¬ 
visions. The leading battalions 
immediately established them¬ 
selves amongst the crowning 
rocks, and a confused mass 
wheeled to the right, intending 
to sweep the summit of the 
sierra; but at that moment Wel¬ 


lington caused two guns to open 
with grape upon their flank, and 
the 45th and 88tli regiments, 
after pouring in some volleys of 
musketry, charged so furiously 
that the enemy were driven back, 
and both parties, mingling to¬ 
gether, went down the moun¬ 
tain’s side, — the dead and dying 
strewing the way even to the 
bottom of the valley. Mean¬ 
while the French, who had first 
gained the summit, re-formed 
their ranks, with the right resting 
upon a precipice overhanging 
the reverse side of the sierra; 
and thus the position was in fact 
gained, if any reserve had been 
at hand. Being partly concealed 
by the mist, which capped the 
summit, the enemy was only seen 
by Gen. Leith, who had put his 
first brigade in motion to his own 
left, as soon as he perceived the 
impression made on the 3rd di¬ 
vision. In the meantime Colonel 
Cameron formed the 9th regi¬ 
ment into line, and, without re¬ 
turning a shot, ran in upon and 
drove the grenadiers, pouring 
upon them a destructive fire. 
The victory was now secure. 
Hill’s corps edged in towards the 
scene of action, the second bri¬ 
gade of Leith joined the first; 
and a fresh mass of troops were 
thus concentrated, while Reynier 
had neither reserves nor guns to 
restore the fight. Ney's attack 
had no better success. The as¬ 
cent was steep, and Crawfurd, 
placing the 43rd and 52nd regi¬ 
ments in line, with guns in front, 
and behind them a brigade of 
German infantry, had planted 
the whole face of the hill with the 
rifle corps and the two ca^adore 
Portuguese battalions. But Si¬ 
mon’s brigade of Loison’s division 
moved up the ascent in spite of 
every exertion, until overturned 
by the vigorous charge of the 







288 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 23. 


two British regiments ; both their 
flanks were lapped over by the 
English wings, and three terrible 
discharges at five yards’ distance 
completed their deroute. The 
enemy made some dispositions to 
renew the attack ; but these being 
met with ready opposition, no¬ 
thing further took place; and be¬ 
fore two o’clock, Crawfurd hav¬ 
ing assented to a momentary 
truce, both parties were mixed 
amicably together, searching for 
the wounded men. In this des¬ 
perate conflict the French sus¬ 
tained a loss of 4500 men, killed 
and wounded, while that of the 
allies did not exceed 1300. 

September 23. 

1705. Reduction of Barce¬ 
lona. —The Earl of Peterborough, 
with 5000 troops, in a fleet under 
Sir Cloudesly Shovel, arrived at 
Lisbon from Portsmouth on the 
20th of June, and, uniting with the 
squadrons of Admiral Leake and 
the Dutch Admiral Allemonde, 
the combined force, amounting to 
forty-eight sail of the line, sailed 
from Altea bay on the 28th of 
July, to make a descent on Bar¬ 
celona, in support of the claims 
of Charles of Austria to the Spa¬ 
nish throne. The expedition hav¬ 
ing been reinforced at Gibraltar 
by three regiments, the army 
landed in the bay of Barcelona 
on the 22nd of August. 2500 
marines were also landed, and 
the siege continued until the 23rd 
of September, when the viceroy 
desired to capitulate; and on the 
28th the place surrendered. In 
the course of a few days King 
Charles made a triumphal entry 
into the city. 

1708. Battle of Wynendale. 
— A convoy having left Ostend 
on the 27th of September to pro¬ 
ceed to Lisle, Major-Gen. Webb 


desired 1600 infantry to strengthen 
the corps posted at Oldenburgh. 
Meanwhile, the horse under Gen. 
Cadogan, had reached Hoghlede; 
and Count Lotum, with 150 dra¬ 
goons, was sent forward to join 
the escort. Approaching Ichle- 
ghem, he discovered several 
French squadrons, and returned 
to Tourout with information of 
their approach. Upon this, Gen. 
Webb moved forward with the 
infantry, while Count Lotum 
with his small party of cavalry 
formed, the advanced guard, and 
on reaching Wynendale the 
enemy was seen in the opening 
of the plain. The quarter-mas¬ 
ters and grenadiers were instantly 
formed, and posted in the coppice, 
while Gen. Webb, with 150 horse, 
advanced to reconnoitre. As the 
infantry arrived, they were posted 
in order of battle, in the opening 
between the wood of Wynendale 
and the coppice. Scarcely had 
six battalions formed, before the 
enemy commenced a heavy can¬ 
nonade. The troops were posted 
in two lines; the left wing extend¬ 
ing beyond the coppice, to prevent 
the enemy turning their left flank, 
and the right resting on the wood 
and castle of Wynendale. The 
regiments which escorted the con¬ 
voy formed a third line, as they 
arrived; and besides two regi¬ 
ments in ambuscade, some light 
troops were thrown into the cop¬ 
pice on the left. Count De la 
Motte, hastened to intercept the 
convoy in the defile of Wynen¬ 
dale, but finding himself antici¬ 
pated by the allies, whom he dis¬ 
covered at five o’clock in the 
afternoon, he opened a cannon¬ 
ade, which lasted two hours. In 
the interval, he formed his troops 
in several lines, the cavalry being 
in the rear, and then advanced in 
full confidence to overwhelm a 
force which did not amount to 













September 29. CALENDAR, 


one-half his oAvn. As they ap¬ 
proached, they were received by 
such a fire from the troops in 
ambuscade in the wood, that the 
left wing fell back upon the 
centre; and a volley from the 
opposite cover threw their whole 
line into confusion. The enemy, 
however, still advanced, and 
broke two battalions; but rein¬ 
forcements arriving up, they were 
repulsed. They made a third 
attempt, but the fire in front 
and flank again compelling their 
wings to fall back on the centre, 
the enemy retired in great dis¬ 
order. Neither the threats nor 
the example of their officers could 
induce them to return to the 
charge ; and after some distant 
and ineffectual firing, they relin¬ 
quished the contest. The loss of 
the allies was 912 men killed 
and wounded. That of the enemy 
above 6000. 

1760. Defence of Arianco- 
pang. —The enemy having aban¬ 
doned the fort of Ariancopang on 
the 27 th of September, a small 
detachment of the first Madras* 
European regiment, under com¬ 
mand of Ensign Cosby, together 
with some native troops, were 
placed in possession. On the 
morning of the 28th, four hun¬ 
dred men of the battalion of Lor¬ 
raine, with two field-pieces, ad¬ 
vanced from the glacis of Pondi¬ 
cherry to recover the fort; but 
their various attempts were re¬ 
pulsed with a loss of many men 
killed, and twenty-one wounded. 
Ensign Cosby retained the com¬ 
mand of this important post dur¬ 
ing the remainder of the siege. 

September 29. 

1364. Battle of Aurav.— 
Charles de Blois and Jean de 
Montfort were competitors for 
the Duchy of Bretagne. The for¬ 


OF VICTORY. 289 


mer, in order to gain the favour 
of the King of France, opposed 
the Navarrois in Normandy, and 
defeated them at Cocheret. But 
De Montfort being joined by John 
de Chandos, constable of Guienne, 
with some English men-at-arms 
and archers, pushed on to Auray, 
a sea-port town in Britany, 16 
miles SW. of Port Louis, and 
invested it. De Blois having ap¬ 
plied to the king for assistance to 
relieve that place, the monarch or¬ 
dered the famous Bertrand de 
Guesclin, with the counts Auxerre 
and Joigny, to join him. The 
united forces advanced towards 
Auray, and on 29th September 
drew up their army in the plain 
opposite to the enemy. Lord 
Chandos having the disposition of 
De Montfort’s army, posted Sir 
Robert Knowles opposite' the right 
wing under De Guesclin; Olivier 
de Clisson opposite the left, under 
the Count of Auxerre; while he 
himself, with the Count de Mont¬ 
fort, commanded the main body; 
and Sir Hugh de Calverly directed 
the reserve. Charles de Blois at¬ 
tacked with such impetuosity that 
De Montfort’s main body gave 
way ; but Calverly, advancing 
from the rear, kept Charles in 
play till the centre rallied. Mean¬ 
while, D’Auxerre being wounded 
in the eye and taken prisoner, 
his men were discouraged and 
fell back. Olivier de Clisson im¬ 
mediately charged with redou¬ 
bled vigour, and soon routed them 
with great slaughter. Calverly, 
seeing that the main body of the 
enemy was without support, ad¬ 
vanced through a field of broom, 
and attacked it in flank with such 
fury, that it was soon broken, and 
they dispersed, after the Count 
de Blois had been run through 
the mouth, and left dead on the 
spot. De Guesclin still kept his 
ground and fought desperately 


u 










290 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 30. 


until severely wounded, when he 
was compelled to yield himself a 
prisoner to the Lord Chandos, 
who thus obtained a complete 
victory; and on the following day 
Auray surrendered. The noblesse 
of Britany, who had espoused 
the claim of Charles, now came 
over to De Montfort; and the King 
of France proposing peace, the 
dispute was amicably settled. 

1710. Reduction of St. Ve¬ 
nant _St. Venant and Aire, on 

the river Lys, were so situated as 
to admit of a simultaneous invest¬ 
ment. Having reconnoitred the 
army of Villars, the confederate 
generals, after a march of three 
days, took post to cover the in¬ 
tended operation: the right, under 
Prince Eugene, stretching to the 
Lys, near Terouenne, and the left, 
under Marlborough, to Lilliers 
on the Lave; and both places 
were invested on the 6th. The 
attack of St. Venant, was con¬ 
ducted by the Prince of Orange, 
with 20 battalions and 5 squa¬ 
drons ; that of Aire by the Prince 
of Anhalt, with 40 battalions and 
40 squadrons. The small town 
of St. Venant, garrisoned by 
2700 men, was protected by ram¬ 
parts of earth, which nearly form¬ 
ed a regular hexagon; but it was 
rendered difficult of approach, 
by marshes and inundations. 
Aire, a place of greater strength, 
having regular bastions, half¬ 
moons, and horn works, and 
ditches inundated by the river 
Lys, was garrisoned by 14 bat¬ 
talions and 3 regiments of dra¬ 
goons; and further protected by 
the fort of St. Francis. While 
the two generals were anxiously 
looking for the arrival of the 
convoy with supplies, they learnt 
that it had fallen into the hands 
of the enemy: nevertheless St. 
Venant was in a few days reduced 
to extremity, and surrendered on 


the 29th of September ; but Aire 
held out until 10th November. 

September 30. 

1710. Annapolis Royal.— 
Acadia, or Nova Scotia, situated 
on the western side of the river 
St. Lawrence, was first peopled 
by the French, in 1614; but these 
were compelled to depart by 
order of the Governor of Virginia. 
In 1621, Sir William Alexander 
obtained a grant of some lands 
in the colony from James I.; and 
from him it obtained the name of 
Nova Scotia. In 1623, Charles I. 
ceded Acadia to France ; but in 
1627 it was taken from the 
French by Sir David Kirk. In 
1632 it was again ceded to 
France by the treaty of St. Ger¬ 
main, but retaken in 1654 by 
Oliver Cromwell ; yet King 
Charles II. ceded it once more to 
France, by the treaty of Breda, 
in 1662. The inhabitants of New 
England, taking advantage of 
the war with France, sent Sir 
William Phipps, with 700 men, 
to dislodge the French from Port 
Royal, which having surrendered, 
he took possession, in the name 
of King William and Queen Mary, 
on the 13th of May, 1690. fn ‘ 
1697 the colony w r as again ceded 
to France by the treaty of Rys- 
wick; but during the war in 
Queen Anne’s reign, the French 
disturbed the British settlers to 
that extent that it Avas thought 
advisable to dispossess them of 
their settlements in the colony; 
and for that purpose a squadron, 
under Captain Martin, with 2000 
troops commanded by Colonel 
Nicholson, arrived off Port Royal 
on the 24th of September, 1710. 
On the following morning Cols. 
Vetch and Reading, with fifty 
men each, went on shore to as¬ 
certain where a landing might be 


J 






October 1. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 291 


effected. Soon afterwards Col. 
Nicholson, with the remainder of 
the troops, disembarked ; and on 
the 26th the cannon and ammu¬ 
nition reached the shore in safety. 
The bomb-vessels having thrown 
shells into the town with effect, 
the enemv were soon induced to 
capitulate. On the 30th of Sep¬ 
tember, the governor, hi. Suber- 
case, submitted terms of capitu¬ 
lation, which being agreed upon, 
the garrison marched out with 
the honours of war; and our 
troops, taking possession, hoisted 
the British colours. In honour 
of Her Majesty, the name of 
the town was changed from 
Port Royal to Annapolis Royal. 

1793. Siege of Toulon. — In 
the night of 30th September, a 
very important post above fort 
Pharon, occupied by the enemy 
with 1900 men, was surprised by 
a column of British and Pied¬ 
montese troops under the direc¬ 
tion of Lord Mulgrave, and gal¬ 
lantly led by Lieut. Graham. The 
enemy were attacked with such 
determination, that most of those 
who escaped the musketry and 
the bayonet broke their necks in 
tumbling headlong over the pre¬ 
cipices, in their flight from the 
assailants. 

October 1. 

1719. Vigo reduced. — On 
the 21st of September, a squa¬ 
dron under Vice-Adm. Mighells, 
conveying 6000 troops com¬ 
manded by Viscount Cobham, 
sailed from St. Helen’s, and on 
the 29th entered the port of 
Vigo. The troops were landed, 
without opposition, in a bay 
about three miles from the cita¬ 
del. On the 1st of October the 
army moved nearer to the town, 
and encamped at a strong post 
near the village of Boas, with its 
left to the sea, and its right ex¬ 


tending towards the mountains. 
The menacing position of the Bri¬ 
tish created so much alarm, that 
the Spanish garrison spiked the 
cannon on the fortifications of the 
town, and burnt the carriages, 
with the resolve of retiring 
intol the citade. Whereupon Lord 
Cobham summoned the town to 
surrender, which meeting a ready 
compliance, Brigadier-Gen. Ho- 
neywood, with 800 men, took 
post in the town and the con¬ 
tiguous fort of St. Sebastian, 
which the enemy had also aban¬ 
doned. 

1746. Battle of Roucoux.— 
The confederates, finding them¬ 
selves unable to raise the siege of 
Maestricht, resolved to give the 
enemy battle, and took up a po¬ 
sition in the villages of Roucoux, 
Liers, and Warem. The action 
commenced about noon, by a 
heavy cannonade on the part of 
the French under Marshal Saxe ; 
and at two o’clock the left of the 
confederates, under the Prince of 
Waldeck, was assailed with great 
fury, and, after an obstinate re- 
sistence, ovei-powered by numbers, 
was obliged to give way. The 
villages occupied by the allies 
were successively carried; and 
the army retreated towards Maes¬ 
tricht, with the loss of 5000 men 
and 30 pieces of cannon. The 
victory, however, cost the French 
general a much greater number 
of lives, and was attended with 
no solid advantage. Sir John Li- 
gonier and the Earls of Crauford 
and Rothes, Brigadier Douglas, 
and other officers of British 
troops, distinguished themselves 
by their gallantry, particularly 
the Earl of Crauford. 

1760. Siege of Pondicherry. 
—To the north of Pondicherry, 
and in view of the Madras re¬ 
doubt, within the boundary hedge, 
was a considerable village, built 










292 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 2. 


by the French East India Com¬ 
pany for storing and bleaching 
their cloths, and from that cir¬ 
cumstance was called La Blan- 
chiere. As, in the event of this 
redoubt being taken, the village 
would afford cover to the enemy, 
the French commenced its demo¬ 
lition on the 30th of September. 
On the same day, however, Col. 
Coote made a reconnaissance to¬ 
wards that quarter, and, having 
advanced along the north beach, 
he penetrated through an un¬ 
guarded opening, and gained the 
rear of the intrenchments. Form¬ 
ing his detachment into two di¬ 
visions, one attacked the Madras 
redoubt in front, while the other 
proceeded along the inside of the 
works, and took all the different 
posts in reverse; and on the 
enemy abandoning the Madras 
redoubt, it was instantly occupied 
by British sepoys. During the 
night, whilst the pioneers were 
fortifying its gorge, the redoubt 
was suddenly attacked by 400 of 
the battalion of India and 600 
French sepoys, who drove the 
British from it. Soobadar Covin 
Sing, however, quickly rallying 
his men, gallantly led them to 
the attack, and gained a footing 
inside the work. He then kept 
up so hot and well-directed a fire 
that the enemy, supposing them¬ 
selves attacked by a superior 
force, began hastily to retire; and 
a party of Europeans detached 
from each British regiment, ar¬ 
riving up early on the morning 
of the 1st of October, effectually 
secured the post. This acqui¬ 
sition completed the entire invest¬ 
ment of Pondicherry on the land 
side, to the river Ariancopang 
on the south-west, between which 
and the sea-shore to the south,there 
remained an opening, secured by 
the redoubt of St. Thomas, situ- I 
ated on a small island on the I 


river, about 500 yards due south 
of the city fortifications. 

October 2. 

1763. In the Calendar of the 
4th of September, we related the 
particulars of a successful attack 
on the troops of Cossim Ali 
Cawn before Auda Nulla. That 
chief retired with the principal 
remains of his army to Patna, 
leaving a garrison of 2000 sepoys 
at Mongheer, placing 4000 horse 
and 1000 matchlocks to harass 
the British ; but on the approach 
of the latter, they retired to 
Carrickpore, about eleven coss 
distant, in the hills. On the 
2nd of October, two battalions of 
sepoys, with two pieces of can¬ 
non, drove the enemy from their 
position without sustaining any 
loss. 

1799. Battle of Bergen.— 
The allied army, commanded by 
the Duke of York, amounting to 
nearly 40,000 men, moved for¬ 
ward from their position before 
daylight on the 2nd of October, 
to attack the French under Gen. 
Brune, amounting to 25,000 men, 
a small portion only of that force 
being Dutch troops. The ad¬ 
vanced guard, composed of the 
1st battalion of grenadiers of the 
line, 1st battalion of light in¬ 
fantry, 23rd and 55th regiments, 
drove the enemy from Campe 
and from the sand-hills above 
that village, continuing its march 
upon the ridge of those hills, but 
inclining a little to the left. The 
brigade of Major-General Coote, 
following, turned to its left at 
Campe, and, advancing to Groete, 
cleared the road for the Russian 
column of Major-General Van 
Essen, who was joined by the 
corps of Major-Gen. Sedmortsky 
on the enemy abandoning Groete. 
The French, now formed in con- 

















October 3. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


293 


siderable force from Schorel to 
Schoreldam, kept up a heavy fire 
from the artillery posted along 
their line. The corps of Von 
Essen proceeded along the road 
upon Schorel, as Coote’s bri¬ 
gade drove the enemy from the 
sand-hills behind that village; 
whilst Col. McDonald’s corps had 
moved considerably to the right 
in order to connect itself with 
the right column, and continued 
warmly engaged. After some 
delay, about eleven o’clock, the 
enemy were driven by the Rus¬ 
sian troops and Major-General 
Burrard’s brigade from Schorel 
to Schoreldam. The brigades of 
Coote and Chatham, after forcing 
the enemy from the sand-hills, 
formed in line, and taking post 
on the heights, repulsed the at¬ 
tempts made to dislodge them. 
At half-past three o’clock, a 
general attack was made, and 
the enemy totally driven from 
their position. This was the last 
event that took place on this side 
of Bergen. The division under 
Sir Ralph Abercromby, which had 
been partially engaged during the 
early part of the day, was op¬ 
posed by a considerable force, 
occupying Egmont-op-Zee. The 
engagement was most obstinately 
maintained during several hours, 
and the enemy repulsed in eveiy 
attempt on the British position. 
Late in the evening, their cavalry 
being defeated by Colonel Lord 
Paget, they were compelled to 
fall back neai'ly to Egmont-op- 
Zee. The French being entirely 
defeated, with the loss of seven 
pieces of cannon, retired during 
the night from their positions on 
the Lange dyke, the Koe dyke 
at Bergen, and upon the exten¬ 
sive range of sand-hills extending 
to Egmont. Their loss amounted 
to 4000 men killed and wounded; 
that of the British to 237 men 


killed, 1000 wounded, and 206 
missing. Among the wounded 
was Major-Gen. Moore, in two 
places. 

October 3. 

1777. On 3rd October, Lieut.- 
Gen. Sir William Howe sent the 
23rd regiment to Philadelphia, 
with orders to proceed the next 
day to Chester, where they were 
to be joined by the 10th and 
42nd regiments, on their return 
from Billing’s Point, and to form 
an escort for a convoy of provi¬ 
sions to the army. Gen. Wash¬ 
ington, having been reinforced 
with 1500 men from Peek’s-kill 
and 1000 from Virginia, and 
having received intelligence of 
the reduced state of the force 
under Sir William Howe, occa¬ 
sioned by detachments being 
sent to Philadelphia, Jersey, and 
other places, determined to at¬ 
tack him in his present position 
before these corps could have 
time to rejoin his army. This 
measure was suddenly adopted, 
and conducted with great se¬ 
crecy, in the hope of surprising 
the royal army in their camp at 
Germantown, about sixteen miles 
from Skippoch creek, behind 
which the enemy’s army was 
then encamped. Accordingly, 
Gen. Washington put his troops 
in motion at six o’clock in the 
evening of 3rd October, and pro¬ 
ceeded towards Germantown. 
This village formed for two miles 
one continued street, which the 
line of the British encampment 
crossed at right angles, near a 
mile from the head of it, where 
the second battalion of light in¬ 
fantry and the 40th regiment 
were posted as an advanced corps. 
Lieut.-Gen. Knyphausen, with 
seven British and three Hessian 
battalions, and the chasseurs in 
front, were on the left of the vil- 













294 CALENDAR 


lage extending to the Schuylkill 
river; Major-General Grant, with 
the corps of guards, six line- 
battalions, and two squadrons of 
dragoons, were upon the right; 
the first battalion of light in¬ 
fantry and the Queen’s American 
rangers being advanced in front 
of this wing. 

1809. Surrender of Zante. 
—The island of Zante, with the 
rest of the islands forming the Io¬ 
nian Republic, were subject to Ve¬ 
nice prior to the Erench Revolu¬ 
tion ; but the whole were ceded 
to France by the treaty of Campo 
Forrnio, Oct. 17th, 1797. They 
were taken by a Russian and 
Turkish fleet, and formed into 
an independent republic, by the 
name of the Seven Islands, in 
1799. In course of the succeed¬ 
ing year they fell into different 
hands, being surrendered to the 
Erench by the Russians, together 
with Ragusa, on 14th August, 
1807 ; but on 3rd October, 1809, 
the Ionian islands submitted to 
a British army under General 
Oswald. In the arrangements 
of the Congress of Vienna, in 
1815, they were placed under 
the protection of Great Britain. 
The treaty was ratified at Paris 
for this purpose between Great 
Britain and Russia, 5th Novemb. 
1815, and the new constitution 
was ratified by the Prince Re¬ 
gent 22nd February, 1817. 

October 4. 

1700. Reduction of Ath.— 
Notwithstanding the advance of 
the season, Marlborough would 
not close the long and active 
campaign without some new and 
signal enterprise. The various 
detachments being recalled, the 
army passed the Scheldt; and 
Overkirk, with a competent force, 
on the 16th September, invested 


OF VICTORY. October 4. 


Ath, a small but important place 
on the Dender. Marlborough in 
person occupied the position of 
Leuze, and established his head¬ 
quarters at Grametz. The 
trenches were opened on the 
22nd, and the covert-way having 
been carried on the 29th, the 
batteries played with decisive 
effect on the interior defences. 
The garrison, in consternation, 
compelled the governor to beat 
a parley on the 1st October. The 
terms offered by the assailants 
being deemed too severe, the 
attack recommenced ; but the 
renewal only served to convince 
the besieged of their hopeless 
situation. On the 4th they sub¬ 
mitted to their fate, and 800 
men, the only effective remains 
of a garrison of 2000, marched 
out as prisoners of war and pro¬ 
ceeded to Berghen-op-Zoon. 

1768. Defeat of Hyder.— 
On 4th October, the army under 
Col. Wood, having marched to 
recover the fort of Mulwugul, 
was attacked by Hyder with very 
superior numbers. A succession 
of charges on every part of the 
British position were steadily re¬ 
pulsed, and the day closing on 
his ineffectual efforts, left the 
British in the possession of the 
hard-fought field of battle. Hy- 
der's loss exceeded 1000 killed; 
that of the British 307, and mostly 
Europeans. 

1777. Defeat of the Rebels 
at Germantown. — At three 
o’clock on the morning of the 
4th October, the patrols of the 
British army, as described in the 
preceding column, discovered the 
approach of the Americans, and 
the troops were immediately un¬ 
der arms. The fog which pre¬ 
vailed was very favourable to 
the enemy; but although their 
plan of attack was for a consider¬ 
able time concealed, the resist- 





October 5. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 295 


ance of the royal troops was so 
vigorous and spirited that before 
any general measures for repel¬ 
ling them could be determined 
upon, the battle had been de¬ 
cided. Soon after daybreak, the 
second battalion of light infantry 
and the 40th regiment, posted at 
the head of Germantown, were 
attacked, and, being at length 
overpowered by numbers, they 
retired into the village. Lieut.- 
Col. Musgrave, arriving with six 
companies of the 40th regiment, 
threw the detachment into a 
large storehouse, and, though 
surrounded by a brigade of the 
enemy, aided by four pieces of 
cannon, it was gallantly defended 
until Major-Gen. Grey, at the 
head of three battalions of the 
third brigade, supported on his 
left by Brigadier-Gen. Agnew 
with the fourth brigade, by a 
vigorous attack and with great 
slaughter, repulsed the corps 
which had penetrated into the 
upper part of the town. The 
5th and 55th regiments from the 
right, engaging them at the same 
time on the other side of the vil¬ 
lage, completed their defeat in 
that quarter. About the time 
the Americans abandoned the 
village, Major-General Grant, on 
the right, moved up the 49th, 
with four pieces of cannon, to the 
left of the 4th regiment; then 
advancing with the right wing, 
the enemy’s left gave way, and 
were pursued several miles 
through a defensible country. 
Earl Cornwallis arriving at 
Germantown from Philadelphia, 
with three battalions, just as the 
enemy had been forced out of 
the village, placed himself at the 
head of the troops, and followed 
the Americans eight miles on 
the Skippoch road ; but the ene¬ 
my continued retiring nearly 
twenty miles by several roads 


towards Perkyomy creek. Their 
loss amounted to 200 killed, 1600 
wounded, and 400 prisoners; 
that of the British, to 100 killed 
and 400 wounded. 

1794. Surrender of Fort 
Bommel. —The fortress of Bom- 
mel, near Arnheim, surrendered 
to the British troops on 4th Oc¬ 
tober, 1794, in consequence of 
the severe frost which enabled 
the enemy to cross the river. 

October 5. 

1762. Action at Villa Velha. 
— Col. Burgoyne, on learning 
that the Spaniards had left six 
pieces of artillery, a detachment 
of cavalry, and some pickets of 
infantry encamped upon two 
small eminences in the plain of 
Villa Velha, on the confines of 
Portugal, determined to surprise 
the post. Accordingly, on the 
5th October, a party was detached 
under Col. Lee, consisting of 100 
cavalry, 100 grenadiers, and 200 
royal volunteers. About two 
o’clock on the 6th, the enemy’s 
camp, was surprised; and, after 
burning the magazines and spik¬ 
ing four guns, Colonel Lee re¬ 
turned with some prisoners and 
a quantity of valuable baggage. 
Some hours after daylight, find¬ 
ing the enemy had retired to the 
castle, and all the rest of the 
mountain abandoned, an officer 
with thirty men crossed the river 
to recover a gun, which had been 
left there after the capture of the 
castle. The party succeeded in 
recovering the cannon, and 
brought it off in sight of 2000 of 
the enemy, who were marching 
from the camp of Castel Branco, 
and had reached the mountain 
before the boat got over, without 
being able to intercept it. In 
this dashing enterprise the Bri¬ 
tish sustained no greater loss 






296 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 6. 


than three men killed, and ten 
wounded, 

1777. Expedition against 
Forts Montgomery and Clin¬ 
ton. — No sooner had General 
Clinton returned to New York, 
from an expedition up the Jer¬ 
seys, than he took measures for 
giving aid to the army under 
Lieut.-Gen. Burgoyne, which he 
supposed to be approaching the 
Hudson river from Lake George. 
Embarking upwards of 3000 men, 
he proceeded to the attack of 
forts Montgomery and Clinton, 
situated about sixty miles above 
New York, on the west side of 
the Hudson, and separated by 
a creek, over which there was a 
bridge of communication. Com¬ 
modore Hotham having made 
the necessary naval arrangements, 
the flat-boats and bateaux pro¬ 
ceeded from New York, on 3rd 
October, to Spikedevil creek, in 
three divisions, under the direction 
of Capt. Pownall. A body of 
troops, embarked that evening, 
proceeded to Tarrytown, where 
they landed at daybreak, and oc¬ 
cupied the adjoining heights. A 
second division of equal force 
marched at the same time from 
King’s Bridge; and, moving 
across the country, formed a 
junction with the division which 
had gone by water. The third 
division, which embarked in 
transports, sailed from New York 
on the morning of the 4th, and 
arrived at Tarrytown on the 
same day. During the night, all 
the troops here assembled em¬ 
barked and reached Vere Plank’s 
Point at noon on the 5th. The 
force immediately landed with¬ 
out opposition, the enemy having 
retired as they approached, with¬ 
out firing a shot, and leaving 
a twelve-pounder behind them. 
By daybreak on the 6 th, all 
the troops, except about four 


hundred, left to secure Vere- 
Plank-neck, were disembarked 
on the opposite shore, at Stoney 
Point, from which they had to 
march about twelve miles, through 
a mountainous and rugged road, 
to forts Clinton and Montgo¬ 
mery. The men-of-war and 
transports then moved still higher 
up, and anchored opposite to 
Peek’s-kill landing. In the after¬ 
noon, the advanced squadron and 
the two frigates got under sail, 
and opened a fire upon fort Mont¬ 
gomery, to cause a diversion in 
favour of the attack which had 
then commenced, as related in the 
next page. 

October 6. 

1702. Reduction of Rure- 
mont. —The attack on Ruremont 
commenced on the 2nd October, 
by the Prussians on one side of 
the river, and the English on 
the other. The batteries opened 
on the 6th ; the besieged beat a 
parley on the same afternoon, and 
on the ensuing day the garrison 
capitulated, and were conducted 
to Louvain. 

1777. Assault of Forts 
Montgomery and Clinton. — 
As soon as the troops were landed 
on Stoney Point, Lieut.-General 
Clinton arranged them in the fol¬ 
lowing order :—52nd and 27th 
regiments, Loyal Americans, New 
1 ork volunteers, and Emmerick’s 
provincial chasseurs, amounting 
to 900 men, under Lieut.-Colonel 
Campbell, forming the advance, 
marched to occupy the pass at 
Thunder-hill, and passing by a 
circuit of seven miles round it, 
got close to the rear of fort Mont¬ 
gomery. The centre division, 
composed of the grenadiers and 
light infantry, 26th and 63rd re¬ 
giments, a company of the 71st, 
a troop of dismounted dragoons 







October 6. CALENDAR 


and the Hessian chasseurs,making 
a total of twelve hundred men, 
under Major-General Vaughan, 
moved to cover the corps of Col. 
Campbell, and then placed itself 
close in the rear of fort Clinton. 
The rear division, consisting of 
the royal fusiliers and Trombach’s 
Hessian regiment, under Major- 
Gen. Tryon, to occupy the pass of 
Thunder-hill, and keep open the 
communication with the fleet. 
From the many impediments the 
first division had to encounter on 
its march, it was 5 o’clock in the 
evening before it reached its des¬ 
tination. The corps of General 
Vaughan being in readiness, the 
attack immediately commenced ; 
and the enemy being also fully 
prepared, they made an obstinate 
resistance; but nothing could 
withstand the ardour of the royal 
troops, and every corps came in 
for its share of glory. While 
Colonel Campbell assaulted fort 
Montgomery on the land side, it 
was attacked by the galleys on the 
other. That gallant officer hav¬ 
ing fallen, he was succeeded by 
Lieut.-Col. Robinson, who, emu¬ 
lating the example of his chief, 
persevered in the attack, until he 
became master of the place. Gen. 
Vaughan led on his men to the 
attack of fort Clinton with such 
determination, that although it 
was defended by ten pieces of 
cannon, with an abatis extend¬ 
ing nearly four hundred yards, 
the bravery of his division over¬ 
came every difficulty ; and being 
supported by the corps of Major- 
General Tryon, by eight o’clock 
both forts were in possession of 
the assailants. The Americans 
sustained a loss of one hundred 
killed and wounded, and two 
hundred and fifty made prisoners. 
On the part of the British 40 
were killed, 142 wounded, and 5 
missing. 


OF VICTORY. 297 


1799. Battle of Limmen.— 
After the action of the 2nd Oc¬ 
tober, the enemy having taken up 
the position between Benerwyck 
and Wyck-op-Zee, it was deter¬ 
mined to force him thence, before 
he had an opportunity of stength- 
ening, by works, the short and 
very defensible line he occupied; 
and to compel him still further to 
retire, before he could be joined 
by the reinforcements which were 
upon their march. Preparatory 
to a general movement, the ad¬ 
vanced posts at Egmont-op-Hoof 
and at Egmont-op-Zee were 
pushed forward on the morning 
of the 6th. At first little opposi¬ 
tion was shown, and the allies 
gained possession of the villages 
of Schermerloorn, Archer Sloot, 
Limmen, Baccum, and of a posi¬ 
tion on the sand-hills near Wyck- 
op-Zee. The Russians under 
Major-Gen. D’Essen being vigor¬ 
ously opposed in their endeavour 
to gain possession of a height in 
front of Baccum, Sir Ralph Aber- 
cromby moved up his reserve to 
support them; upon this, the 
enemy advanced their whole 
force, and the action became ge¬ 
neral from Limmen to the sea, 
and was maintained with great 
obstinacy on both sides until 
night, when the enemy retired, 
leaving the allies masters of the 
field of battle. The loss of the 
British amounted to 91 killed 
Major-Gen. Hutchinson and 729 
wounded, and 603 missing. On 
the part of the Russians 382 
killed, 735 wounded. The loss 
of the enemy was very severe, 
and many prisoners taken; of 
that number, 200 were captured 
in a gallant charge made by Col. 
Clephane, with four companies of 
the 3rd, and one of the Coldsrream 
guards, and driving two battalions 
of the enemy from the post of 
Archer Sloot. 










298 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 7. 


October 7. 

1778. Defeat of the Rebels 
at Chesnut-neck. —Capt. Fer¬ 
guson, of the 70th regiment, with 
a detachment of troops, embarked 
on hoard a small squadron under 
Capt. Collins, to attack Egg- 
harbour, situated on the boundary 
between East and West Jersey, 
North America. As the enemy 
had been informed of the intend¬ 
ed attack, and were making pre¬ 
parations for their defence, it was 
determined to push up in the 
boats and small craft, without 
waiting for the arrival of the 
ships. After a difficult navigation 
of twenty miles, the boats arrived 
at Chesnut-neck, where several 
vessels were lying. There the 
rebels had erected a work, with 
embrasures for six guns on a 
level with the river, and another 
upon a commanding eminence, 
with a platform for guns en bar¬ 
bette. Captain Collins, passing 
within musket-shot with the gal¬ 
leys, to cover the landing of the 
troops, soon silenced the enemy’s 
lire; and the detachment landing 
without further opposition, drove 
the rebels into the woods. On 
its return, the troops made two 
descents, penetrating some miles 
into the country, where they de¬ 
stroyed three saltworks and bm'nt 
the storehouses. 

1810. French defeated at 
Coimbra.— The British army con¬ 
tinued its retreat, the right by 
Thomar and Santarem, the centre 
by Batalha and Rio Mayor, the 
left by Altobaga and Obidos, 
and at the same time a native 
force, under Col. Blunt, was 
thrown into Peniche. Massena 
followed in one column by the 
way of Rio Mayor; but mean¬ 
while an exploit, as daring and 
hardy as any performed by a 


partisan officer during the war, 
convicted the marshal of bad ge¬ 
neralship. Intending to form a 
junction with Wilson and Miller, 
Col. Trant had reached Milheada; 
and although these corps were 
still distant, and believing his 
own arrival to be unknown at 
Coimbra, he resolved alone to 
attack the French in that city. 
Having surprised a small post at 
Fornos, early in the morning of 
the 7th October, he sent his ca¬ 
valry at full gallop through the 
streets of Coimbra, with orders 
to pass the bridge, and cut off all 
communication with the French 
army, of whose progress he was 
ignorant. At the same time his 
infantry penetrated at different 
points into the principal parts of 
the town, and the enemy, as¬ 
tounded, made little or no resist¬ 
ance. The convent of Santa 
Clara surrendered at discretion; 
and thus, on the third day after 
the Prince of Esling had quitted 
the Mondego, his depots and hos¬ 
pitals, and nearly five thousand 
prisoners, amongst whom was a 
company of marines of the Im¬ 
perial Guards, fell into the hands 
of a small militia force. The 
next day Miller and Wilson ar¬ 
riving, spread their men on all the 
lines of communication, and pick¬ 
ed up above three hundred more 
prisoners, whilst Trant conducted 
his captives to Oporto. 

1813. Passage of the Bi- 
dassoa. —As all the tents were 
left standing, the enemy could 
perceive no change in the camp of 
the allies on the morning of the 
7th of October; but at seven 
o’clock, the 5th division and Lord 
Aylmer’s brigade, emerging from 
their concealment in the ditch of 
Fuenterabia, crossed the sands in 
two columns, the left pointing to¬ 
wards the French camp of Sans 
Culottes, and the right against the 


L 







October 8. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


299 


ridge of Andaya, when they 
passed the fords of the low-water, 
channel, covered by the fire of the 
guns and howitzers at St. Mari- 
cal; and seven columns could be 
seen at once attacking on a line of 
seven miles,— those above the 
bridge fiercely attacking the 
enemy, while those below it were 
seen in the distance winding 
over the heavy sands. The French, 
completely surprised, permitted 
even the brigades of the 5th divi¬ 
sion to gain the right bank, and 
form their lines, before a musket 
was fired. Soult, on hearing the 
cannonade at Espelette, hurried 
to his right; but his camps on the 
Bidassoa, were lost before he ar¬ 
rived. The columns of the first 
division passed the river; one 
above the bridge, preceded by 
Wilson’s Portuguese, one below 
preceded by Halkett’s light 
troops, who, aided by the guns 
of St. Marical, drove back the 
enemy’s advanced posts, and 
gained the heights which formed 
the key of their position. The 
Germans met a check, but Col. 
Cameron timely arriving, the 9th 
regiment rushed forward with 
the bayonet, and the ridges of the 
Croix des Bouquets were gallantly 
won, as far as the royal road. 
Reille, thus beaten, and his flank 
turned, retreated in great disorder 
along the royal causeway and 
the old road of Bayonne. Soult’s 
arrival, however, with part of 
Villatte’s reserve and many guns, 
restored order. The French lost 
eight guns and 400 men; the allies 
six hundred, of which half were 
Spaniards. 

October 8. 

1709. Siege of Mons. —On 
the 3rd of October, the weather 
becoming fair, the besiegers 
obliged the enemy to quit a small 


redoubt on the right of the gate 
of Havre, and continued their ap¬ 
proaches, with very little loss in 
both attacks, until the 8th, when 
they were not above ten paces 
from the counterscarp of the horn- 
work at the gate. This they at¬ 
tacked on the same day, and, after 
half an .hour’s resistance, lodged 
themselves on the covered-way, 
with the loss of only sixty men 
killed and wounded; and among 
the latter Col. O’Hara, of the 
English artillery, and Capt. Petit, 
of the guards. The allies per¬ 
fected their approaches, lodged 
themselves on the covered-way of 
the hornwork at the gate of Ber- 
tamont, and began to batter the 
face of that work from two bat¬ 
teries of twelve pieces of cannon 
on each. 

1776. Rebels driven from 
Montresor Island.- — On the 
8th of October, about six in the 
morning, the rebels made an at¬ 
tempt to surprise the king’s troops 
stationed at Montresor island, 
near New York, which might be 
regarded as an outpost of the 
army. About three hundred and 
fifty men under Colonel Jackson, 
with two field-pieces, came down 
from Harlem river, in five flat- 
bottomed boats. They were first 
observed by the Brune frigate, 
anchored off the island, which 
opened a well-directed fire, and 
sunk one of their boats full of 
men. The others made good 
their landing on the island, and 
attacked the troops posted there, 
who consisted only of a company 
of the 71st regiment. But they 
were met with courage and firm¬ 
ness, and quickly driven back to 
their boats, having a major and 
and several men killed, and leav¬ 
ing on the field a major and 
twenty-two men wounded. The 
loss of the British was four killed 
and six wounded. 


i 






300 CALENDAR 


1810. French driven from 
Alcoentre.— The disasters re¬ 
sulting to the enemy from the gal¬ 
lant exploit performed by Col. 
Trant at Coimbra on the 7th Oc¬ 
tober made no change in Massena’s 
dispositions. The marshal con¬ 
tinued his march, and on the 8th 
his advanced guard drove the ca¬ 
valry pickets out of Rio Mayor. 
Gen. Slade, who commanded, 
took no heed of this; and the 
enemy, pushing rapidly on, was 
like to have captured the brigade 
of artillery in Alcoentre. Much 
confusion ensued, but the royals 
and the sixteenth drove the 
French out of the town, sabred 
many, and made twelve prisoners. 

1813. Combat of Vera.— 
Soon after seven o’clock on the 
morning of the 8th of October, 
the isolated ridge, called by the 
soldiers the “Boar’s Back,” was 
simultaneously assaulted; and in 
a short time the French were 
swept off the top by the riflemen. 
This was the signal for a general 
attack; and it was not long before 
the slopes of the mountain were 
covered with men. The French, 
compared with their assailants, 
seemed few and scattered, and 
Kempt’s brigade soon forced its 
way without a check through all 
the retrenchments on the main 
pass. The ca 9 adores and riflemen 
of Colborne’s brigade, attempting 
to storm the star redoubt above 
the Bayonette, being from their 
uniform mistaken for entirely 
Portuguese, the French attacked 
them with such violence as to 
drive them over the rocky edge 
of the descent. But the sudden 
appearance of the 52nd startled 
the enemy, who then fled to their 
intrenchment; and the 52nd fol¬ 
lowing hard, entered the works 
with them, and drove them to their 
second intrenchment. The exult¬ 
ing cheers of Kempt’s brigade, 


OF VICTORY. October 9 . 


now echoed along the ravine, and, 
with renewed vigour, the men 
continued to scale the craggy 
mountain, fighting their toilsome 
way to the top of the Puerto. 

October 9. 

1544. Siege of Boulogne 
raised. — The Dauphin having 
beleaguered Boulogne, recently 
taken by the English, and having 
got possession of the lower town, 
Sir Thomas Poynings, made a 
sally with 200 men, beat back 
the French with great loss, and 
drove them out of the lower town. 
The Dauphin, thus defeated, and 
sickness assailing his camp, soon 
raised the siege and withdrew his 
force. 

1779. Siege of Savannah.— 
At a little before daylight on the 
9th of October, the enemy at¬ 
tacked the British lines, the prin¬ 
cipal corps led by D’Estaing in 
person, with the elite of the 
French and American army. Un¬ 
der cover of a swampy hollow, 
they advanced in three columns, 
and for some time obstinately 
contested the point. Two stands 
of colours were actually planted 
upon the parapet; but the enemy 
met with so determined a resist¬ 
ance, and the fire of the three sea- 
men-batteries and the field-pieces 
taking them in almost . every 
direction, was so severe, that they 
were thrown into some disorder. 
At this critical moment, Major 
Glassier of the 60th, with the 
grenadiers of that regiment and 
the marines, advancing rapidly 
from the lines, charged with such 
determination, that in an instant 
the ditches of the redoubt, with a 
battery to its right, were cleared, 
and the enemy driven in confusion 
over the aba tis and into the swamp. 
On the advance of the grenadiers, 
three companies of the second bat- 








October 10. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


301 


talion of the 71st regiment were 
ordered to sustain them; hut so 
precipitate was the retreat of the 
enemy, that the detachment could 
not close with them. A consider¬ 
able column, more to the left, was 
likewise repulsed by the brisk 
and well-directed fire of the se¬ 
veral batteries. It was now day¬ 
light, but the fog continuing very 
dense, no further attempt was 
made upon the enemy, except 
from our artillery. The loss of 
the British amounted to 16 killed, 
and 39 wounded. The French 
acknowledge a loss of 44 officers 
and 700 men, and the rebels above 
400. 

1793. Siege of Toulon.— 
During the night of the 8th of 
October, an attack was made on 
the enemy’s batteries, opposite to 
the Hauteur de Grasse, at the 
Hauteur des Moulins, and two to 
the southward on the Hauteur 
Regnier. A detachment, com¬ 
posed of the British troops on the 
post, amounting to 225 men, un¬ 
der Captain Brereton of the 26th 
regiment, the Spanish grenadier 
company of the regiment of Hi¬ 
bernia, 50 men under Brevet 
Lieut.-Col. Nugent (the officer in 
command of the sortie), a com¬ 
pany of Piedmontese, and 50 
Neapolitans. This corps marched 
at half-past twelve at night, and 
at one o’clock on the morning of 
the 9th, being joined by 50 chas¬ 
seurs and a captain and 50 Bri¬ 
tish marines, the advanced guard 
surprised the first battery, drove 
the enemy with the bayonet, and 
pursued them into the second. 
The main body of the assailants 
taking different positions of at¬ 
tack, the French were routed in 
all directions. Having rendered 
the guns useless, the British re¬ 
turned to their quarters at six 
o’clock, with two officers, and 
twenty-three men, prisoners. 


October lO. 

1198. The French, under Philip, 
having come to the relief of Curs- 
seilles and Gisors on the 10th 
October, finding the castle Avon, 
and being set upon by the En¬ 
glish under Richard I., they were 
forced to flee into Gisors; and 
the French King was in danger 
of being droAvned in the river 
Geth. Of the 400 knights, besides 
numerous men-at-arms engaged 
in this action, 100 knights Avere 
taken and slain. 

1719. Citadel of Vigo sur¬ 
renders. — A fleet under Vice- 
Adm. Mighells, having on board 
6000 troops, commanded by Lord 
Cobham, entered the harbour of 
Vigo on 29th September, and 
effected a landing on the same 
day. On the 1st October, the 
tOAvn Avith the adjacent fort of 
St. Sebastian surrendered, and 
Avere taken possession of by Bri¬ 
gadier IIoneyAvood, Avith 800 men. 
On the 3rd and 4th, several pieces 
of cannon, landed from the fleet, 
Avere added to the artillery of St. 
Sebastian, to bombard the citadel 
of Castro, situated on an eminence 
commanding the town and har¬ 
bour. Finding themselves re¬ 
duced to an extremity, the fortress 
capitulated; and on the 10th 
October, the garrison, consisting 
of 469 men, marched out, having 
had above 300 killed or Avounded 
during the bombardment, with a 
trifling loss on our side. There 
Avere in the tOAvn sixty large 
pieces of cannon, which were 
spiked and rendered useless ; and 
in the citadel forty-three pieces, 
of Avhich fifteen were brass, and 
two large mortars. 

1777. Continental Village 
destroyed. —Early in the morn¬ 
ing of the 10th of October, Gen. 
Clinton detached Major-General 
Tryon,Avith Emmerick’s chasseurs, 












302 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 11. 


fifty yagers, the royal fusiliers, 
and the regiment of Tromback, 
with two three-pounders, to de¬ 
stroy one of the enemy’s settle¬ 
ments called Continental Village. 
The general succeeded in this 
expedition ; and having burnt 
barracks for 1500 men, and se¬ 
veral storehouses and loaded 
waggons, he rejoined the lieut.- 
general by 10 o’clock the same 
night. 

1803. Capture of Cuttack. 

— On the breaking out of the 
Mahratta war in 1803, the force 
under Col. Harcourt, destined for 
the capture of Cuttack, and even¬ 
tually, after forcing the pass of 
Bermuth, to co-operate with Ma¬ 
jor-General Wellesley, entered 
Nursingapatam on the 17th Sep¬ 
tember. On the 20th the force 
advanced towards Ahmudpoor, 
through a country rendered al¬ 
most impassable by the heavy 
rains ; and by the 4th October 
reached Muckundpoor. There 
had been repeated skirmishing, 
and, near the latter place, a sharp 
affair between the advance-guard 
and the enemy, who were dis¬ 
persed with some loss. On the 
10th, the town of Cuttack, the 
capital of the province, was given 
up; and, immediately afterwards, 
preparations were made for the 
siege of the strong fort of Barra- 
butee, about a mile from Cuttack. 

1840. Reduction of Beyrout. 

— The city of Beyrout, which 
was colonised from Sidon, having 
been destroyed by an earthquake 
in 566, was rebuilt ; and, after 
being alternately possessed by the 
Christians and Saracens, fell into 
the power of Amurath IV. Since 
that period it remained with the 
Ottoman Empire up to the revolt 
of Ibrahim Pacha in 1832. The 
Egyptian army, was totally de¬ 
feated by the allied British, 
Turkish, and Austrian forces, 10th 


October, 1840,—the Egyptians 
losing 7000 in killed, wounded, 
and prisoners, and twenty pieces 
of cannon. 


October 11. 

1761. Capture of French 
Boats. — Three French frigates 
cruising near Belleisle on the 11th 
of October sent six large boats 
to capture a ship lying in the 
roads. Upon this being observed 
by the garrison, a detachment of 
85 men, composed of Morgan’s 
light infantry and marines, em¬ 
barked in five boats, and attacked 
the enemy so resolutely, that 19 
men were killed and 19 wounded; 
and the victors returned to Belle- 
isle, bringing with them four of 
the captured boats. 

1763. Reduction of Mon- 
gheer. — On the 4th of October, 
Major Adams having invested 
Mongheer, three batteries were 
ready by the 8th to open on the 
fort; one of two 18-pounders, at 
350 yards distance, to batter the 
south curtain near the river; an¬ 
other of one 12-pounder, to enfi¬ 
lade the east face; and a third of 
one 18-pounder, to enfilade the 
south face of the fort. The 
enemy’s fire was soon silenced by 
these batteries, which swept the 
whole curtains where their can¬ 
non were mounted,—their bastions 
being so small as not to admit 
guns of any consequence. On 
the 9th the two 18-pounders 
opened to breach the curtains; 
and on the 10th, two eight-inch 
howitzers bore with such effect, 
that before night the breach was 
practicable. Another gun being 
added, to fire on the demi-bastion 
of the fourth gateway, the enemy 
on the morning of the 11th sur¬ 
rendered at discretion; and the 
garrison, consisting of 2000 men, 







October 12. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 303 


soon afterwards marched out of 
the fort. 

17 80. Capture of Forts Anne 
and George. — A detachment 
under Major Carleton proceeded 
from Crown Point, in the early 
part of October, to attack fort 
George and fort Anne. At the 
same time, a party of 100 men, 
accompanied by Mohawk Indians, 
crossed Lake Champlain with this 
detachment, to co-operate with Sir 
John Johnson; and another party 
of two hundred Canadian Indians, 
under the command of Lieut. 
Houghton of the 53rd regiment, 
marched at the same time to- 
wards Connecticut river. This 
expedition was conducted with 
such secrecy and despatch, that 
the garrisons of fort Anne and 
fort George surrendered pri¬ 
soners of war, after a slight op¬ 
position. The party under Sir 
John Johnson met with equal 
success, and destroyed the settle¬ 
ments of Schoary and Stoney 
Arabia, and laid waste a great 
extent of country. 

1799. French defeated at 
Lemmertown. — At five o’clock 
on the morning of the 11th of 
October, the enemy made a ge¬ 
neral attack upon Lemmertown, 
West Friesland, their advance 
party attempting to storm the 
north battery. The British force, 
consisting of seamen and marines, 
amounting altogether to 157 men, 
getting the enemy between two 
fires, soon compelled them to lay 
down their arms. No sooner had 
they secured 30 prisoners, than 
they were attacked by the main 
body of the French; and, after a 
contest of upwards of four hours, 
the enemy gave way in all direc¬ 
tions, with the loss of eighteen 
killed and twenty wounded. 
Lieuts. Wyburn, Gardner, Howell, 
and Higginson, of the marines, 
distinguished themselves on this 


occasion, as did Lieut. Norman 
of the navy. 

October 12. 

1702. Reduction of Vigo.— 
On the 11th of October, an expe¬ 
dition under Sir George Rooke, 
consisting of 1G0 sail, having on 
board 9663 English, and 4138 
Dutch troops, anchored in the 
Bay of Vigo. On the 12th the 
Duke of Ormond, with 2500 men, 
landed in a sandy bay on the 
south side, about two leagues dis¬ 
tant from the town. Meeting 
with no opposition, the grenadiers 
under Lord Shannon and Colonel 
Pierce marched directly to the 
fort which guarded the passage 
into the harbour, having a boom 
across the entrance. Meanwhile 
the duke, with the rest of the 
troops, took post on the hills, to 
sustain the detachment, which 
having driven the enemy from 
the fort, made themselves masters 
of the lower platform, mounting 
thirty-eight pieces of cannon. 
Hereupon Lieut.-Gen. Churchill’s 
regiment advanced on the left, 
and took a position near it. The 
enemy retiring into an old tower, 
kept up a brisk fire for sometime; 
but the grenadiers plyed them 
roundly with their hand-grenades 
as they appeared on the wall. 
Capt. Lorel, of the French navy, 
who commanded the fort, having 
encouraged his men to make a 
daring push for their lines, opened 
the gates to force his way through 
the assailants; but the grenadiers 
rushing into the castle, made 
themselves masters of the post, 
taking 300 French seamen and 
50 Spaniards, pr soners. 

1758.—On the 12th October, a 
body of French and Indians, 
amounting to 1100 men, com¬ 
manded by M. de Vetri, attacked 
the English post at Hanning or 







304 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 13. 


Hannon, North America, during 
the space of four hours. They 
were, however, eventually re¬ 
pulsed with severe loss; the En¬ 
glish having only 12 killed, 18 
wounded, and 31 missing. 

1809. Surrender of Cerigo. 
The island of Cerigo (one of the 
Ionian cluster) surrendered, and 
was taken possession of by a Bri¬ 
tish force under Brigadier Oswald. 

October 13. 

1803. Reduction of Barra- 
butee. —At the commencement of 
the Mahratta war, a force under 
Col. Harcourt marched to Gan- 
jam, to co-operate with Major- 
Gen. Wellesley. On the 10th of 
October, the town of Cuttack, the 
capital of the province, was given 
up, and shortly afterwards sur¬ 
rendered. Col. Harcourt then 
prepared for the siege of the fort 
of Barrabutee, about amile hence. 
It was strongly built of stone, and 
surrounded by a deep wet ditch, 
varying from 35 to 135 feet in 
breadth; having only one entrance, 
with a very narrow bridge leading 
into it, over the ditch. Batteries 
were completed during the night 
of the 13th, five hundred yards 
from the south face of the fort, 
and commenced firing early on 
the morning of the 14th. By 
eleven o’clock, all the defences 
had been destroyed, and the guns 
of the fort silenced. A storm¬ 
ing party, consisting of a de¬ 
tachment of H. M.’s 22nd regi¬ 
ment, the Madras regiment, 400 
sepoys from the Bengal native 
infantry, and the Madras 9th and 
19th regiments, with some artil¬ 
lerymen and a 6-pounder to blow 
open the gate, advanced to the 
attack. The bridge was quickly 
passed, under a heavy fire from 
the fort, but it was nearly forty 
minutes before the wicket was 


blown sufficiently open to admit 
one man. The Europeans, how¬ 
ever, passed in singly, and with 
such rapidity that notwithstand¬ 
ing the resistance at the inner 
gates, they rushed in with the 
garrison, who, after a severe loss, 
abandoned the fort; and its cap¬ 
ture was followed by the entire 
submission of the province of Cut¬ 
tack. The conduct of the storm¬ 
ing party, was distinguished by 
the greatest gallantry; and the 
cool intrepidity of Capt. Francis 
Thompson of the Madras regi¬ 
ment, major of brigade, was par¬ 
ticularly noticed. 

1812. Action at Queens¬ 
town. —Major Derenzy, with 560 
men of the 41st and 49th regi¬ 
ments, 300 militia, and some In¬ 
dians, altogether about 1000 rank 
and file, defeated an American 
force of 1560 men, under Gen. 
Smith, in their attack on Queens- 
town, on Lake Erie. The enemy 
sustained but a short conflict ere 
they fled with precipitation to¬ 
wards the point of their disem¬ 
barkation, and many were drown¬ 
ed in their eagerness to regain 
their own shore. Seventy-tw'o 
officers and eight hundred and 
fifty-eight rank and file were 
made prisoners. 

1812. Skirmish at Monas¬ 
tery. —On the 13th of October, 
a skirmish took place on the 
stream beyond Monasterio, v r here 
Capt. Perse of the sixteenth dra¬ 
goons was twice forced from the 
bridge, and twice recovered it in 
the most gallant manner, main¬ 
taining his post until Col. F. 
Ponsonby, who commanded the 
reserves, arrived up; and both 
these gallant officers were wound¬ 
ed. This demonstration was fol¬ 
lowed by various others, until 
the evening of the 18th, when 
the whole French army was 
united, and the advanced guard 






October 14. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 305 


captured a picket of the Bruns- 
Avickers, which, contrary to orders, 
had remained at St. Olalla. This 
sudden movement apparently pre¬ 
vented Wellington from occupy¬ 
ing the position of Monasterio, 
his outposts fell back on the 19th 
to Quintarapola and Olmos; and 
on the ridges behind those places, 
he drew up his army in order of 
battle. 

October 14. 

1066. Battle of Hastings. 
— The Duke of Normandy hav¬ 
ing, on 1st October, effected his 
landing at Pevensey, in Sussex, 
with 50,000 men, without opposi¬ 
tion, marched along the shore to 
Hastings, and then published a 
manifesto, declaring that his mo¬ 
tive for invading England was 
to revenge the murder of Prince 
Alfred, brother to King Edward, 
to restore the Archbishop of i 
Canterbury, and to assist the En¬ 
glish in punishing Harold, who 
had usurped the crown. Each 
army spent the night of the 13th 
in its camp, the English in all 
kinds of jollity and mirth, the 
Normans in prayer and prepara¬ 
tion for battle. On the morning 
of the 14th, the invaders ad¬ 
vanced in three lines, singing the 
ballad of their famous Duke 
Rollo : their first line commanded 
by Montgomery and Fitz Osburn, 
having the Pope’s standard borne 
at its head ; the second led by 
Geoffrey Martel; the third, being 
mostly cavalry, forming a reserve, 
headed by the duke in person. 
The English advanced in two 
lines, principally composed of 
infantry,—the Kentish-men, com¬ 
manded by Gurth, taking the 
lead according to their privilege 
since the Saxon heptarchy ; and 
in front of the main body ap¬ 
peared Harold, armed with tar¬ 


get, poleaxe, spear, and scimi¬ 
tar. At nine o’clock the Nor¬ 
mans commenced the battle with 
a shower of arrows, which pro¬ 
duced some confusion among the 
English; but they soon com¬ 
pelled the assailants to retire in 
disorder. The Kentish-men, 
forming a complete phalanx, re¬ 
sisted every attack, and never 
did the English exhibit nobler 
proofs of courage, nor perhaps 
were ever charges more vigo¬ 
rously made and more bravely 
repulsed. The contest continued 
five hours without an inch of 
ground being gained by either 
party. The duke, finding he 
could not break the ranks of his 
opponents, feigned a retreat, and 
fell back in apparent disorder. 
The English, supposing the ene¬ 
my routed, followed them in 
haste and confusion, until the 
duke, having soon rallied his 
army, attacked them with an 
impetuosity they were far from 
expecting. Harold then assem¬ 
bled all the fugitives he could 
collect on an eminence, and, 
exhorting them to consider that 
the fate of the kingdom de¬ 
pended on the victory, awaited 
the attack, and gave the enemy 
such a determined reception that 
they were repulsed with consider¬ 
able loss. But William, resolved 
to be either victorious or totally 
conquered, made another vigor¬ 
ous effort. In this attack, Harold 
having received an arrow over the 
left eye, which pierced the brain, 
his troops, seeing their leader fall, 
made a precipitate flight, in con¬ 
sternation and dismay. The 
Normans pursued, and, with a 
cruelty inspired by their leader, 
made terrible slaughter, giving 
no quarter. Many were, how¬ 
ever, spared by the vigilance of 
Morcar and Edwin, brothers-in- 
law to Harold, who were ac- 







306 CALENDAR OE VICTORY. October 15. 


quainted with the ground, of 
which the Normans were igno¬ 
rant. The English army amount¬ 
ed to 40,000 men ; of that num¬ 
ber they are supposed to have 
lost from 14,000 to 15,000. 
With Harold were slain his bro¬ 
thers Gurth and Lewin, and the 
flower of the English nobility. 
Of the Normans 6000 were killed. 
When the battle had terminated, 
the conqueror ordered the whole 
army to kneel and give God 
thanks for the victory they had 
obtained. 

1719. Reduction of Ponte 
Vedra. —The castle of Castro, 
which commands the town of 
Vigo, having capitulated on 10th 
October, Lord Cobham ordered 
Major-Gen. Wade to embark, 
with 1000 men, on board four 
transports, and proceed to the 
upper part of the bay. On the 
14th, a landing was effected at 
Ponte Vedra without opposition. 
In this place were taken 16 brass 
and 70 iron pieces of cannon, 
which, with the exception of four 
24-pounders, were brought away, 
together with a quantity of ord¬ 
nance stores. On the 24th, Lord 
Cobham re-embarked the army, 
and on 27th the fleet sailed for 
England. 

1810. Skirmish at Monte 
Agra^a. — The 71st regiment, 
forming the advance-guard of 
the division of Lieut.-Gen. Sir 
Brent Spencer, was attacked on 
14th October near Sobral de 
Monte Agra 9 a, by a corps of 
French infantry supported by 
artillery. The British detach¬ 
ments, with Lieut.-Cols. the Hon. 
H. Cadogan and Reynell at their 
head, charged the enemy and 
drove them into the town. 


October 15. 

1775. Defeat at Kingston. 
— On the 14th October, Major- 
Gen. Vaughan, with a body of 
troops, embarked in bateaux , 
escorted by the squadron of Sir 
James Wallace, moved up the 
river, and arrived at Kingston, or 
Esopas, on the morning of the 
15th. Finding that the rebels 
had thrown up trenches and made 
every disposition for defence, the 
general decided on an immediate 
attack before they could have 
time to strengthen their works. 
He therefore landed his force, 
assailed their batteries; and, hav¬ 
ing driven them from their works 
and destroyed their guns, ad¬ 
vanced directly to the town, at 
the entrance of which he found 
a body of infantry and artillery 
drawn up to oppose him. In¬ 
stantly dashing at the enemy, they 
were soon routed and their cannon 
captured. The troops on enter¬ 
ing the town, being fired upon 
from the houses, the general gave 
orders to set the place on fire; 
and it was entirely consumed, to¬ 
gether with a considerable quan¬ 
tity of military stores. The troops 
were then re-embarked; and the 
ships, having dropped down the 
river, returned to New York. 

1778. Expedition to Egg(- 
harbour. — An expedition un¬ 
der Capt. Ferguson of the 70th 
regiment, detached from Staten 
island by Sir Henry Clinton, ar¬ 
rived on the 5th of October off 
the bar of Egg-harbour, situated 
on the boundary between East 
and West Jersey. On the 8th, 
the troops having embarked in 
flat-boats and gun-boats, pro¬ 
ceeded up the river; but their 
progress was impeded by the 
shallow water and the intri¬ 
cacy of the navigation. The 
Granby and Greenwich, armed 








October 16. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 307 


sloops, grounded, and could not 
be got off; the remainder of the 
flotilla, however, arrived opposite 
Chesnut-neck about four o’clock. 
During that evening and the fol¬ 
lowing morning, several of the 
enemy’s vessels and storehouses 
were destroyed. The flotilla then 
dropped down the river, and by 
great exertion succeeded in float¬ 
ing the two grounded vessels. 
Having obtained information that 
a party of the rebel troops, con¬ 
sisting of three companies of in¬ 
fantry, with a field-piece, and 
three troops of horse, were in a 
position that might be attacked 
with a prospect of success, it was 
resolved to make the attempt. 
Accordingly, on the evening of 
the 14th, two hundred and fifty 
men were embarked, and after 
rowing ten miles, landed at four 
o’clock on the morning of the 
15th within a mile of a bridge, 
which Captain Ferguson happily 
secured. Leaving fifty men for 
its defence, he rushed forward 
upon the infantry of Polaski’s 
legion, who were cantoned in 
three different houses, and almost 
cut them to pieces. Fifty were 
found dead, and among them a 
lieutenant-colonel and two other 
officers. It being a night attack, 
little quarter could be given; so 
that there Avere only a few pri¬ 
soners secured. As a large rebel 
force was in the neighbourhood, 
Capt. Ferguson retreated to the 
boats, and re-embarked Avithout 
opposition. 

October 16. 

1709. Siege op Mons. —From 
the 8th to the 16th of October, 
nothing happened worthy of no¬ 
tice, beyond the continued bom¬ 
bardment of the place. On the 
morning of the 16th, 400 grena¬ 
diers, sustained by 500 fusiliers, 


and 700 AA'orkmen, attacked the 
second counterscarp of the horn- 
Avork at the gate of Havre, which 
the enemy quitted after a short 
resistance. Thereupon the allies 
made a good lodgment, and 
removed their batteries to the 
palisades to batter the hormvork 
in breach. At seven in the 
morning, they commenced, by a 
hea\w discharge of bombs and 
grenades, to attack the horn- 
Avork of Bertamont, by which the 
enemy Avere so much annoyed, 
that, Avhen the besiegers had 
mounted the breach, they found, 
to their great amazement, both 
the ravelin and the hormvork 
deserted. The assailants then 
lodged themseRes therein, and 
also took possession of a little 
outwork on the right of the horn- 
Avork, Avithout sustaining much 
loss. 

1781. Siege of Yorktoaatst. 
—After the enemy had finished 
their second parallel, Earl Corn¬ 
wallis clearly saAv, from the 
ruined state of his works, that 
they could not stand many hours 
against the batteries of the as¬ 
sailants, unless some means should 
be devised to retard their opera¬ 
tions. He therefore directed the 
fire of all his cannon and mortars 
upon the enemy’s approaches; 
and a little before daybreak, on 
the 16th October, a sortie was 
made by three hundred and fifty 
men under Licut.-Colonel Robert 
Abercromby, to attack tAvo bat¬ 
teries which appeared to be in a 
state of fonvardness. The lieu- 
tenant-colonel diA’ided his corps 
into two bodies : one, consisting 
of a detachment of the guards 
and the grenadier company of 
the 80th regiment, Avas com¬ 
manded by Lieut.-Col. Lake, of 
the guards ; and the other, com¬ 
posed of some companies of light 
infantry, Avas led by Major Arm- 


x 2 
















308 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 17. 


strong, of the 17th regiment. 
Each corps was successful, and 
they not only took the batteries, 
but also the redoubts that co¬ 
vered them. Eleven guns were 
spiked ; and having killed about 
one hundred French troops, they 
retreated within their own works 
with very little loss. This gal¬ 
lant enterprise proved of little 
avail, for, by the uncommon ac¬ 
tivity of the enemy, the guns 
were replaced in the batteries be¬ 
fore dark, and the whole parallel 
appeared once more to be nearly 
complete. The strength of the 
combined forces was not more 
conspicuous than the weakness 
of the British ; for at this time 
there was no part of the front 
attacked in which they could 
show a single gun, and their 
shells were nearly expended. 
Things were now come to such 
a crisis that the brave Earl of 
Cornwallis seemed to regard his 
fate as certain. 

1781. Reduction of Sumatra. 
— Soon after the servants of the 
East India Company at Ben- 
coolen were apprised of the rup¬ 
ture with the Dutch, five British 
ships from China opportunely 
arrived at fort Marlborough, in 
the island of Sumatra. This ac¬ 
cession of naval force induced 
the gentlemen of that factory to 
plan an enterprise against the 
Dutch settlements on that island. 
Mr. Botham, one of the council, 
was appointed to conduct the 
military, and Capt. Clements, 
the senior officer of the five ships, 
was commodore of the naval 
force, on board which one hun¬ 
dred troops were embarked. On 
16th October they appeared be¬ 
fore Pulang, and having artfully 
deceived the governor with re¬ 
spect to their strength, terrified 
him into a surrender of the place. 
All the other Dutch settlements 


on the western coast of Sumatra 
fell successively into their hands. 

October 17. 

1347. Battle of Nevil’s 
Cross. —Philip of France, finding 
his endeavours to divert Edward 
Ill's, intention to proceed with 
the siege of Calais had failed, 
prevailed on David, king of Scot¬ 
land, to invade England with an 
army of nearly 50,000 men. 
Queen Philippa heading the En¬ 
glish forces, marched towards the 
invaders, and offered them battle. 
David was no less eager to 
engage, imagining it an easy task 
to overcome undisciplined troops 
commanded by a woman. In 
this he found himself deceived; 
for on the 17th October his army 
was completely routed, with the 
loss of from 15,000 to 20,000 
slain, and himself taken prisoner. 
Although this valiant monarch 
had two spears hanging in his 
body, and was severely wounded 
in the legs, be disdained captivity, 
provoking the English by the 
most opprobrious language to ter¬ 
minate his sufferings. 

1778. Reduction of Pondi¬ 
cherry. — Major-Gen. Hector 
Munroe encamped the army under 
his command, on the 8th August, 
about four miles from Pondi¬ 
cherry, and on the 25th laid siege 
to that place. Ground was broke 
on the north and south sides of 
the town, on the 6th and 7th Sep¬ 
tember, and on the 18th, the bat¬ 
teries opened a fire from 28 pieces 
of cannon and 27 mortars. A 
gallery being carried into the 
ditch from the southward, a 
breach made in the bastion of 
L’Hopital, and the faces of the 
adjacent bastions being also de¬ 
stroyed, it was resolved to pass 
the ditch by a bridge of boats and 
assault the place. As the bat- 






I 

October 18. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 309 


teries on tlie north side had also 
been successful, a float was pre¬ 
pared for passing troops in that 
direction. The storming of the 
town was to have taken place on 
15th October, but an accident 
having occurred to the gallery, 
the attack was postponed. On 
the 16th, terms of surrender were 
proposed by the governor M. De 
Bellecombe, and on the 17th the 
garrison, consisting of 3000 men, 
marched out with the honours of 
war. 

1779. An expedition, consist¬ 
ing of detachments of the Loyal 
Irish, the marines of the Charon, 
Lowestoff, Pomona, and Porcu¬ 
pine frigates, and 250 armed 
slaves, the whole commanded by 
Capt. Dalrymple, amounting to 
500 men, sailed on the morning 
of the 10th October, from Traxillo 
bay, and arrived at Porto Cavallo 
bay on the 11th. In the evening of 
the 16th, the troops were landed, 
and marched with the intention of 
attacking Port Omoa that night; 
but the roads proved so intricate 
and rugged, that they did not 
arrive until after daybreak. 
After a short halt, they again 
moved forward, but had still to 
encounter passes and defiles simi¬ 
lar to those which had obstructed 
their progress on the preceding 
night, the Indians skirmishing 
along the paths. Learning from 
some prisoners that the enemy 
were drawn up to resist an attack, 
it was immediately arranged that 
the Loyal Irish and marines, 
should force the pass in column, 
and then advance rapidly, sup¬ 
ported by the reserve. The defile 
was instantly forced, and the 
Spaniards, after a scattering dis¬ 
charge of musketry, fled, some to 
the forts, others to the woods and 
the town. From the heights on 
which the troops were drawn up 
there was a full view of the fort, 


situated about half a mile distant 
from Port Omoa, at the bottom of 
the hills; and as the enemy kept 
firing from the town, Capt. Dal¬ 
rymple was under the necessity of 
destroying the place. While it 
was in flames, the squadron came 
into the bay and endeavoured to 
take up a position to batter the 
fort, the land forces seconding 
their efforts; but the scaling lad¬ 
ders not arriving in time, pre¬ 
vented an effective co-operation 
on the land side. Owing to the 
calm state of the weather, the 
Lowestoffe took the ground, and 
received material injury from the 
enemy’s shot, and the Charon also 
suffered severely from the same 
cause. 

1803. Reduction op Agra.— 
Before the breaking out of the 
war, the garrison of Agra was 
commanded by the European 
officers who had been confined by 
their own troops on the com¬ 
mencement of hostilities. Seven 
battalions of Scindiah’s regular 
infantry were encamped on the 
glacis; hut the garrison was 
afraid to admit them into the fort, 
lest they should plunder a rich 
treasury, which they wished to 
reserve for themselves. On the 
17th October, these battalions 
wei'e attacked by Gen. Lake, 
who defeated them with a loss of 
twenty-six guns. A few days 
afterwards, the garrison liberated 
their officers, and capitulated, on 
condition of being permitted to 
retire with their property. The 
treasury and the arsenal, with 
one hundred and sixty-two pieces 
of cannon, fell into the hands of 
the victors. 

October 18. 

1776. Skirmish near Pell’s 
Point. —The strong positions 
which the enemy had taken on 











310 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October IS. 


New York Island, and forti¬ 
fied with incredible labour, de¬ 
termined Sir W. Howe to get 
upon their principal communica¬ 
tion with Connecticut, in order 
to compel them to quit the 
strongholds in the neighbourhood 
of King’s-bridge, and, if possible, 
to bring them to action. On the 
12th of October, the army, with 
j the exception of three brigades 
under Lieut.-Gen. Earl Percy, to 
cover New York, embarked in 
flat-boats and other craft, and, 
pressing through the dangerous 
navigation of Hell-gate in a dense 
fog, landed on Frog’s Island. 

On the 18 th, several corps 
re-embarked in flat-boats, and 
j landed on Pell’s point, at the 
entrance of Hutchinson’s river; 
after which the main body, cross- 
ing, near the entrance, to the 
same place, immediately ad¬ 
vanced, and lay that night upon 
j their arms, with their left upon a 
creek opposite to East Chester, 
and the right near to Rochelle. 
On the march to this ground, a 
skirmish ensued with a small 
corps of the enemy posted to de¬ 
fend a narrow causeway. They 
were pursued for a mile, when a 
considerable body appearing in 
front, behind stone walls and in 
woods, some companies of light 
infantry and a party of the chas¬ 
seurs were despatched to dislodge 
them. This sendee was effec¬ 
tually performed, with the loss of 
3 men killed, Lieut.-Col. Mus- 
grave and Captain Eselyn (the 
latter mortally) and 20 wounded. 

1791. Assault of Nundt 
Durgum. — On the night of the 
18th of October, the army under 
Lord Cornwallis, encamped about 
four miles from Nundy Durgum, 
carried by assault, with incon¬ 
siderable loss, that strong hill- 
fort. The second killidar and a 
few of the garrison were killed; 


but the greater part of it escaped 
by scrambling down the rocks at 
the back of the fort. 

1812. Siege of Burgos.— 
On the 17th of October, the 
battery of the hornwork being 
renewed, the fire of the eighteen- 
pounders cleared away the ene¬ 
my’s temporary defences at the 
breach, the howitzers damaged 
the rampart on each side, and a 
small mine was sprung on the ex¬ 
treme right of the lower parallel, 
with a view to take possession 
of a cavalier or mound which the 
French had raised, and from 
which they had killed many men 
in the trenches. The attack was 
successful, and a lodgment ef¬ 
fected ; but the enemy soon 
returned in force, and obliged 
the besiegers to abandon it. 
However, on the 18th the new 
breach was rendered practicable, 
and Wellington ordered it to be 
stormed. The explosion of the 
mine under San Roman w r as to 
be the signal that the church was 
also to be assaulted; and at the 
same time a third detachment 
was to escalade the works in 
front of the ancient breach, and 
thus connect the attacks. At 
half-past four o’clock the spring¬ 
ing of the mine at San Roman 
broke down a terrace in front of 
that building, yet with little in¬ 
jury to the church itself. The 
latter was, however, resolutely 
attacked by Col. Browne, at the 
head of some Spanish and Por¬ 
tuguese troops; and though the 
enemy sprung a countermine, 
which brought the building 
down, the assailants lodged them¬ 
selves in the ruins. Meanwhile 
two hundred of the foot-guards, 
with strong supports, poured 
through the old breach in the 
first, and escaladed the second 
line ; beyond which, in the open 
ground between the second and 














October 19. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 311 


third lines, they were encountered 
by the French, and a sharp mus¬ 
ketry fight commenced. At the 
same time the new breach was 
carried by 200 of the German 
legion. Unhappily, at neither of 
these assaults did the supports fol¬ 
low closely; and Gen. Dubreton, 
who held his reserves well in 
hand, came dashing like a tor¬ 
rent from the upper ground, 
and in an instant cleared the 
breaches. More than 200 British 
were killed or wounded in the 
combat. 

October 19. 

1719. Reduction of Mes¬ 
sina. — Admiral Byng, having 
embarked 6000 troops on board 
the British fleet, sailed from Vado 
bay on the 29th of September, 
and arrived before Messina on 
the 8th of October. The arrival 
of the expedition so elevated the 
spirits of the army, that Lieut.- 
General Wallis, with 5000 men, 
made a vigorous and successful 
attack upon the half-moon bat¬ 
tery, but with the loss of 103 
killed and 830 wounded. On 
the 17th, at ten in the morning, 
the Imperialists assaulted the 
counterguard, and mounted to 
the summit of the breach with 
great gallantry, but, after two 
hours’ fighting, were repulsed 
with the loss of 120 killed and 
617 wounded. The governor, 
having acquitted himself with 
great honour in this repulse 
as Avell as the general defence 
of the place, finding that he 
could no longer hold out, beat 
a parley on the 18th, and on 
the 19th 600 Imperial grenadiers 
took possession of a gate of the 
citadel. On the 21st, the Spanish 
garrison marched out through 
the breach, and were transported 
by sea to Augusta. Thus ended 


a siege of 91 days, which cost the 
Germans above 5000 men killed 
or wounded. 

1791. Reduction of Nundt 
Droog. —A corps under Major 
Gowdie, having been detached by 
Lord Cornwallis to attempt the 
reduction of the hill-forts of 
Rymenghur and Nundy Droog, 
the former (45 miles north-east 
of Bangalore) was taken posses¬ 
sion of without much difficulty ; 
but the latter (about 40 miles 
north of Bangalore) was so formi¬ 
dable that the general considered 
it expedient to send a consi¬ 
derable reinforcement, both of 
troops and guns, the army taking 
up a position to the northward of 
Bangalore to deter Tippoo from 
making any attempt to interrupt 
the siege. The steep and rug¬ 
ged acclivity on which the fort 
was built, and the two walls 
of masonry at the distance of 
about eighty yards from each 
other, with cavaliers and towers, 
with which the only accessible 
part of the hill was fortified, pre¬ 
sented no very encouraging ob¬ 
jects to the besiegers. After 
having, with a loss of men and 
excessive labour, constructed a 
battery of eight embrasures on 
the ascent of the hill, within less 
than 500 yards of the wall, and 
brought into it four heavy guns 
and four twelve-pounders, the 
the outer wall proved to be of a 
strength and thickness so much 
beyond all calculation, that prac¬ 
ticable breaches were only ef¬ 
fected in it after an incessant 
and well-directed fire of six days. 
The killidar refusing to listen to 
any terms of surrender, on the 
17th of October Gen. Meadows 
took the command of the besieg¬ 
ing corps ; and on the morning 
of the 18th, Lord Cornwallis 
moved the whole army near the 
fortress, in the expectation that 






312 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 20. 


its appearance might intimidate 
the garrison. Early on the morn¬ 
ing of the 19th, the judicious 
arrangements made by General 
Meadows for the assault were 
carried into effect: the assailants 
not only entered the breaches, 
but forced the gate of the inner 
wall; and the place was carried 
with inconsiderable loss on our 
side. The garrison consisted of 
about 700 men, several of whom 
were killed in the assault; but 
the greater number escaped over 
the precipices at the back of the 
fort. The first and second kil- 
lidars and the bucksliey were 
made prisoners. 

October 20. 

1709. Surrender of Mons. 
— On the 20th of October, at 
noon, the breaches at the gate of 
Havre being practicable, and the 
besiegers making preparations 
for the assault, the enemy beat a 
parley, proposing to capitulate ; 
and on the same night, 500 men 
of the confederate army took pos¬ 
session of the gate of Nimy. 

1779. Siege of St. Fernan¬ 
do de Omoa. — Reflecting that, 
by a protracted siege of the fort 
of Omoa, a vast artillery would be 
required, and eventually the place 
carried by storm, and as the ditch 
was found to be dry, it was deter¬ 
mined to escalade the fort. The 
Pomona was therefore towed 
close in, the heavier ships co-ope¬ 
rating in the attack. The Euro¬ 
peans were formed in four co¬ 
lumns in line, four guides at the 
head of each; two of the columns 
consisting of seamen, and two of 
marines, with a few Loyal Irish. 
At 3 o’clock in the morning of 
the 20th of October, this force, 
amounting to 150 men, moved 
down the hill, and there lay 
waiting an intimation from the 


Charon that she was under way, 
and would attack in twenty 
minutes. The signal being made, 
shortly after four o’clock, the 
party advanced, covered by their 
batteries and unperceived by the 
Spaniards, who directed their fire 
at our artillery on the hills and 
at the shipping. In profound 
silence, with trailed arms, the 
English approached the enemy’s 
sentries undiscovered; but at that 
moment, their drums beat to 
arms. The ladders being quickly 
planted against the wall, — in 
height twenty-eight feet,— on 
which was a battery of five guns, 
the seamen readily ascended, and 
being reinforced by the marines, 
the Spaniards fled to the case¬ 
mates ; nor could they recover 
their panic, notwithstanding the 
energetic example of their officers. 
About 100 Spaniards escaped 
out of a sallyport and over the 
walls on the opposite side. The 
governor and principal officers 
then delivered up tjieir swords to 
Capt. Dairymple, and the gar¬ 
rison, with the register-ships in 
the port, surrendered. The total 
loss of the British amounted 
to 6 killed, 14 wounded. Capt. 
Dalrymple, in his despatch, re¬ 
lates the following anecdote of 
magnanimity exhibited by a Bri¬ 
tish sailor : — “ Not contented 
with one cutlass, he scrambled 
up the walls with two; and 
meeting a Spanish officer un¬ 
armed, who had been roused out 
of his sleep, had the generosity 
not to take advantage, but, pre¬ 
senting him with one of the cut¬ 
lasses, observed, ‘ You are now 
on a footing with me.’ ” 

1794. Defeat of the Bo- 
hiulas. — Early in October. Sir 
Ralph Abercromby was a good 
way up the Ganges, intending to 
visit the Vizier at Lucknow, also 
for the purpose of reviewing the 







October 21. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


313 


troops. But hearing of the trea¬ 
cherous conduct of Goldum Ma¬ 
homet, Sir Ralph ordered the 
troops at Cawnpore and Futty- 
ghur to be ready to take the field. 
On the 20th October, the British 
army under that general’s com¬ 
mand was attacked by the Rohil- 
las ; but, after a severe contest, 
the enemy were totally defeated. 
The victory was, however, dearly 
purchased: 1 colonel, 1 major, 

4 captains, 14 subalterns, 64 
Europeans, and 500 natives, rank 
and file, killed ; 12 officers, and a 
great manv men wounded. 

October 21. 

1776. York Island. —On the 
21st of October, the right and 
centre of the British army under 
Lord Cornwallis moved to a po¬ 
sition about two miles to the 
northward of Rochelle, on the 
road to the White Plains, leaving 
Lieut.-General Heister, with two 
brigades of Hessians and one of 
British, to occupy the former 
ground. Lieut.-General Rogers, 
with his corps of rangers, was 
detached to take possession of 
Mamaroneck, where the careless¬ 
ness of his sentries exposed him 
to a surprise from a large body 
of the enemy; nevertheless, by 
spirited exertion, the Americans 
were compelled to retreat with 
loss of several killed and wounded 
and some prisoners. 

1781. Mahadapatam taken. 
—The 2nd battalion of the 1st 
Madras European regiment, un¬ 
der Colonel Braithwaite, attacked 
the strong position of Mahada¬ 
patam, defended by the elite of 
the enemy, with eight guns. 
These were completely dislodged 
and routed with very great loss, 
leaving two guns in the hands of 
the victors. The superiority of 
the Rajah of Tanjore having 


been thus re-established, the corps 
was ordered to march towards 
Nagore, and ultimately to the 
reduction of Negapatam. Col. 
Braithwaite, returning to the 
capital of the province, de¬ 
spatched all his disposable troops, 
considerably reinforced by Eu¬ 
ropeans, under command of 
Lieut.-Col. Nixon, who arrived 
before Nagore on the 21st of 
October; and, in sight of the 
fleet, the battalion particularly 
distinguished itself in a spirited 
and eminently successful attack 
on the enemy’s troops in the act 
of evacuating that place. The 
troops then proceeded to Nega¬ 
patam, where the commander-in¬ 
chief, Sir Hector Munroe, came 
on shore. On the same day, the 
admiral landed 400 marines and 
900 seamen, who, having joined 
the army, co-operated during the 
siege with their characteristic 
valour. 

1793. Enemy repulsed near 
Menin. —On the 21st of October, 
the enemy made an attack upon 
the advanced posts of the camp 
at Menin, particularly those of 
Werwick and Hallowin, and were 
everywhere repulsed; but on the 
following day their attack was 
successful, and they gained pos¬ 
session of Werwick. Menin being 
by these means exposed, Lieut. - 
Gen. Ehrbach found it necessary 
to evacuate the town and to re¬ 
tire, with his corps, upon Courtray. 
The enemy likewise attacked, on 
the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, the 
troops posted at the camp of 
Cisoing; but they were repulsed 
each day with loss. The Innis- 
killings and 16th light dragoons 
were particularly distinguished. 
The attacks of the enemy were 
chiefly directed against Nomain 
upon the left and Willem upon 
the right. Both places were for 
a time in the enemy’s possession; 















314 CALENDAR 


but they were driven from them 
by reinforcements arriving from 
the camp. 

October 22. 

1452. Siege of Castillon. 
—Charles VII., King of France, 
having withdrawn his army out 
of Guienne, the nobility, in con¬ 
cert with the inhabitants of Bor¬ 
deaux, resolved to recall their 
ancient masters the English. For 
this purpose, deputies were sent 
to London ; and, their proposals 
meeting the approval of the Go¬ 
vernment, it was determined to 
send a force under the Earl of 
Shrewsbury. Though nearly 80 
years of age, that nobleman, with 
his usual alacrity, immediately 
embarked with 700 men-at-arms, 
leaving the rest of the troops 
destined for the expedition to 
follow by the earliest opportunity. 
He landed at Bordeaux on the 
21st of October, and the next 
day, being introduced into that 
city by the burghers, surprised 
the garrison, and took the greater 
part prisoners. Being joined, in 
a few days, by the main body of 
the troops from England, he took 
the field at the head of 7000 men, 
and reduced Frontac and Cas¬ 
tillon, together with some other 
places, before he was compelled 
to put his army into winter 
quarters. 

1764. Defeat of the Na¬ 
bob of Oude. — Sir Hector Mun- 
roe had scarcely taken the com¬ 
mand of the army on the frontiers 
of Oude, when a whole battalion 
of sepoys, with their arms, went 
off to join the enemy. They were, 
however, overtaken, and twenty- 
four of the ringleaders sentenced 
to be blown from the mouths of 
cannon. When four of the un¬ 
happy men had thus suffered, the 
sepoys declared that they would 


OF VICTORY. October 22. 


not' permit the execution of any 
more. Nothing intimidated by 
this threat, Munroe ordered his 
field-pieces to be loaded with 
grape, and placed at intervals in 
the line of Europeans ; then, 
directing the sepoys to ground 
their arms, declared that if a 
single man stirred, he would give 
immediate orders to fire. Daunted 
by his firmness, the sepoys in¬ 
stantly obeyed, and the execution 
proceeded. After this exhibition 
of resolute determination, Munroe 
marched against the Nabob Vizier 
of Oude, and on the 22nd of Oc¬ 
tober completely routed his army 
near Buxar. 

1777. Attack on Fort 
Island.— The enemy’s, defences 
on Fort Island, a little below 
the entrance to the Schuylkill, 
consisted of an enclosed work, 
strengthened by four block¬ 
houses, and of two floating bat¬ 
teries mounting nine guns each, 
besides fourteen galleys with 
heavy cannon, and several fine 
ships. Opposite to this island, 
on the eastern shore, at Red-bank, 
they had also a sti'ong redoubt, 
with considerable outworks. In 
front of these defences, to the 
extent of half a mile, the channel 
was contracted to a breadth of 100 
fathoms ; and here several rows 
of chevaux-de-frise were sunk, 
to prevent the passage of ships. 
As an attempt could be made to 
remove the upper range of these 
frames, or otherwise clear the 
channel, Sir William Howe or¬ 
dered some batteries to be erected 
on the western shore, to dislodge 
the enemy from Fort Island. He 
at the same time detached Col. 
Donop, with three battalions of 
Hessian grenadiers, the regiment 
of Mirbach, and the infantry 
chasseurs, to attack the enemy at 
Red-bank, where they had 800 
men intrenched. On the 21st of 







October 23. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


315 


October the detachment crossed 
the Delaware in flat boats from 
Philadelphia to Cooper’s ferry, 
which lies directly opposite the 
city ; and on the 22nd, in the after¬ 
noon, they arrived before Red- 
bank. The colonel led them to 
the assault, and they gallantly 
carried an extensive outwork, 
driving the enemy into an interior 
intrenchment, which could not be 
attacked without ladders, being 
nine feet high, with a parapet 
boarded and friezed. After seve¬ 
ral attempts to dislodge the Ame¬ 
ricans, in which great loss was 
sustained, and Colonel Donop 
mortally wounded, the assailants 
were obliged to desist. 

October 23. 

1642. Battle of Edge Hill. 
—King Charles I. having learnt 
that Essex, with a superior force, 
had advanced to Kineton, a village 
on the borders of Warwickshire, 
drew up his army, not exceeding 
10,000 men, on Edge Hill, a ris¬ 
ing ground 8 miles west from 
Banbury, in Oxfordshire; and on 
Sunday, the 23rd October, gave 
the enemy battle. About three 
o’clock in the afternoon, Prince 
Rupert, commanding the cavalry 
of the right wing, advancing to 
charge the left of the enemy, being 
joined by Sir Faithful Fortescue, 
who with his whole troop had 
deserted from the corps of Ram¬ 
say, they charged their adver¬ 
saries with such fury that they 
were routed and pursued for two 
miles. Wilmot and Sir Arthur 
Ashton met with the same suc¬ 
cess against the right wing of 
Essex, and the reserve under By¬ 
ron joined in the pursuit, leaving 
the infantry on both sides to dis¬ 
pute the fortune of the day. Sir 
William Balfour, with the reserve 
of cavalry, fell upon the flank of 


the royalists, and did great exe¬ 
cution ; Sir W. Verney being 
slain, the royal standard fell into 
the hands of the enemy, but was 
recovered by the valour of Capt. 
John Smith. The king’s infantry 
was thrown into great confusion, 
and the troops under Prince Ru¬ 
pert were so fatigued and scat¬ 
tered, that they could not renew 
the charge. Night approaching, 
the fate of the day remained un¬ 
decided. About 5000 combatants 
lay dead on the field of battle, the 
greater part having been killed 
by the king’s cavalry. Besides the 
Earl of Lindsay and Sir William 
Verney, the king lost the Lord 
Aubigny, brother of the Duke of 
Richmond. 

1708. Reduction of Lille. 
— On the 16th October the be¬ 
siegers commenced the descent 
and passage of the principal ditch. 
The breaching batteries were now 
augmented, and no less than 
fifty-five pieces of heavy artillery, 
with thirty-six mortars and 
howitzers, were mounted, in the 
lodgments on the covert-way and 
outworks. Amidst a carnage 
which seldom occurs, even at a 
siege, the decisive moment ap¬ 
proached. On the 21st, crowds 
of volunteers carrying sand-bags 
and fascines, the enlargement of 
the trenches, the completion of 
tne passage across the ditch, and 
a tremendous fire of artillery for 
twenty-four hours, warned the 
garrison that the assault was 
about to take effect. On the 22nd 
October, after sixty days’ siege, 
Boufflers therefore beat a par¬ 
ley, at four in the afternoon; 
hostages were immediately ex¬ 
changed, and conferences held 
for the surrender. Prince Eugene 
treated the garrison with the ge¬ 
nerosity their brave defence so 
justly merited,—even allowing the 
heroic governor to regulate his 







316 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 24. 


own conditions. At midday on 
the 23rd, the allies took posses¬ 
sion of the gate De la Madelaine; 
and the remains of the garrison, 
amounting to 5000 men, retired 
into the citadel on the 25th. 

1709. Reduction of Mons. 
— The place having capitulated 
on 22nd October, the garrison 
marched out with the honours of 
war, granted to them by the terms 
of surrender; besides which, the 
confederates allowed them two 
pieces of cannon and one mortar, 
by way of compliment. The re¬ 
duction of this important fortress, 
after the memorable and san¬ 
guinary battle of Malplaquet, 
was a forcible demonstration that 
the allies obtained in that action 
something more substantial than 
the name of a victory ; since the 
enemy, who had hazarded a 
battle to prevent the siege of the 
town, did not make the smallest 
attempt to relieve the place, not¬ 
withstanding the assurance given 
by Villars and Boufflers to his 
Most Christian Majesty of their 
readiness to march towards the 
confederate army, if the king’s 
service required it. 

October 24, 

1415. Arthur of Bretagne, 
second son of Joanne, of Navarre 
(whose second husband was 
Henry IV.), boldly espoused the 
cause of France, and was the 
first who attacked the outposts of 
Henry’s camp near Agincourt, at 
the head of 2000 French cavalry. 
This fiery assault was made at 
midnight, on the eve of St. 
Crespin’s day, during a violent 
storm of wind and rain; but 
Arthur was repulsed by his royal 
step-brother, being desperately 
wounded and made prisoner. 

1793. Siege of Nieuport.— 
Nieuport was besieged by the 


French, in October 1793, who on 
the 24th made an attack on the 
place. A sharp action ensued; 
but the garrison, under Lieut.- 
Col. De Wurmb, made such a 
gallant defence, that the enemy, 
amounting to 8000 men, retired 
along the road to Dunkirk. 

1812. Affair at Muriel.— 
Wellington having crossed the 
Carion river, on the 24th of Oc¬ 
tober, at its confluence with the 
Pisuerga, took up a strong posi¬ 
tion, extending from Villa Muriel 
to Duchas. The troops occupied 
a range of lofty hills, descending 
with an easy sweep to the Carion, 
which covered the front; and the 
Pisuerga did the same by the 
right wing. Souham, excited by 
his success on the 23rd, followed 
from Villadrigo, early on the 
24th; and having passed the 
Pisuerga, directed Foy’s division 
upon Placentia, and ordered 
Maucune, with the advanced 
guard, to pursue the allies to the 
bridges of Banos, Isidro, and 
Muriel; halting himself at Magoz. 
Before the enemy appeared, the 
summits of the hills were crowned 
by the allies, all the bridges were 
mined, and that of San Isidro, 
was strongly protected by a con¬ 
vent filled with troops. The left 
of the position was equally strong, 
yet Gen. Oswald, who had just 
arrived from England, and taken 
the command of the 5th division 
on the instant, overlooked the 
advantages to be derived from the 
dry bed of a canal ivith high 
banks, which, on his side, ran pa¬ 
rallel with the Carion; and he had 
not occupied the village of Muriel 
in sufficient strength. In this 
state of affairs, Foy reached 
Placentia, and drove the allies 
from the town, and in such haste 
that all the bridges were aban¬ 
doned in a perfect condition. 
This untoward event obliged 







October 25. 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


317 


Wellington to throw back his 
left, composed of the 5th division 
and the Spaniards, at Muriel, 
thus offering two fronts, the one 
facing Placentia, the other the 
Carion. Oswald’s eiTor then 
became manifest; for Maucune, 
having dispersed the 8th caga- 
dores, who were defending a fort 
between Muriel and San Isidro, 
fell, with a strong body of infantry 
and guns, upon the allies at Mu¬ 
riel, and this at the moment when, 
the mine having been exploded, 
the party covering the bridge 
were passing the broken arch by 
means of ladders. The play of 
the mine, which was effectualf 
checked the advance of the 
French for an instant; but Mau- 
cune’s column, covered by a con- 
centrated fire, passed the fort and 
lined the dry bed of the canal. 

October 25. 

1415. Battle of Agtncourt. 
— Henry V. having resolved to 
invade France, sailed from South¬ 
ampton on 15th August, with a 
fleet of 1500 sail, conveying 
6000 lances, 24,000 archers, and 
20,000 common infantry; and 
having effected a landing at the 
mouth of the Seine, laid siege to 
Ilarfleur. During the reduction 
of that place, which surrendered 
on 22nd September, Henry lost 
nearly half his army by dysentery. 
His fleet having severely suffered 
and dispersed in a storm, and 
being threatened by an attack 
of the enemy in force, he de¬ 
termined on marching to Calais, 
though not a fourth of his army 
was fit for duty; and on the 6th 
October he commenced his march, 
with 9000 men. Having arrived 
at the ford of Blanche Taque, on 
the river Somme, he found it ren¬ 
dered impracticable, by sharp 
stakes driven into the bed of the 


river, and a strong body of archers 
posted on the opposite side. No¬ 
thing daunted by these obstruc¬ 
tions, Henry endeavoured to in¬ 
spire his followers by reminding 
them of the noble exploits of their 
ancestors, who had triumphed at 
Crecy and at Poitiers. After 
moving along the left bank until 
they reached Amiens, the army 
forded the river between St. Quen¬ 
tin and Peronne, and advancing 
to Blangi, saw the whole French 
army, under the Constable D’Al- 
bret, on their march towards 
Ruisseauville and Agincourt, a 
village of the district Ponthieu, in 
Picardy. In this perplexity he 
sent a message to D’Albret, offer¬ 
ing to restore Harfleur, and even 
to give a pledge never again to 
invade France, provided he was 
pennitted to proceed to Calais 
unmolested. Henry, like Edward 
III., when surrounded at Poitiers, 
indignantly refusing to surrender, 
D’Albret sent three heralds to 
defy him to battle ; to which the 
king replied, that, being harassed 
and fatigued, he did not seek an 
engagement, and being resolved 
to continue his route to Calais, 
if they thought fit to interrupt 
him, he would not shrink from 
the contest. On the 22nd October 
he received an intimation from 
D’Albret, that on Friday the 25th 
they would give him battle, be¬ 
tween Ruisseauville and Agin¬ 
court. Henry accepted the chal¬ 
lenge, and to the herald who 
brought the message he presented 
a rich robe and 200 crowns. 
During the interval, Henry took 
all the precautions of a diligent 
and experienced commander,being 
frequently on horseback making 
the necessary arrangements for 
the coming contest; whilst the 
French, confident in their own 
superiority, spent the time in lux- 

urv and riot. 

•/ 












318 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 25. 


On the 25th, at daybreak, 
the armies were drawn up in 
order of battle ; the French 
amounting to 60,000, whilst the 
English did not exceed 9000 
men. D’Albret injudiciously se¬ 
lected a position, flanked by a 
rivulet and a thick wood, by 
which his front was contracted 
into the same extent as Henry’s, 
and his superiority of number 
was thus rendered of no avail; 
but, on the contrary, eventually 
productive of mischief and con¬ 
fusion. They were formed into 
three corps, the first under D’Al¬ 
bret, the second led by the Duke 
D’Alen£on, and the third by 
Count Marie. In order to make 
his front equal to that of the 
enemy, Henry was obliged to 
draw up his army in one line, 
placing 400 lances in the wood 
flanking the enemy’s right, and 
250 choice archers in a hollow on 
their left. Their right wing, com¬ 
manded by the Duke of York, 
was a litlle in advance of the 
centre, led by the king in person, 
who wore a helmet of polished 
steel, surmounted by the royal 
crown, and the arms of England 
and France were embroidered in 
gold on his surcoat. The left, a 
little in the rear, formed in two 
divisions under command of the 
Duke of Exeter. Finding his 
opponents reluctant to commence 
the strife, he ordered Sir Thomas 
Erpingham, the commander of 
the archers, to throw up his trun¬ 
cheon as the signal for the attack, 
saying : “ My friends, since they 
will not begin, it is our business 
to open a passage ; let us charge 
them in the name of the ever 
blessed Trinity.” The whole line 
assented with a loud shout, as the 
Duke of York’s division advanced, 
and having planted their pickets, 
the archers did good execution on 
the compact body of the enemy ; 


and their cavalry having charged, 
was soon compelled to retire. 
The troops in ambush on their 
right now making a vigorous effort, 
completed the disorder ; and the 
duke following up his success 
with impetuosity, a terrible car¬ 
nage ensued. The Constable was 
slain ; and although the Duke 
D’Alen^on then headed the troops 
in resisting the charge, the English 
with their battle-axes continued 
to make incredible havoc. Henry 
arriving up with his division, ex¬ 
cited his followers by deeds of 
prowess rarely surpassed ; but at 
length overpowered by numbers 
and felled by a blow, he was op¬ 
portunely relieved by the arrival 
of the Duke of York, whose divi¬ 
sion, seeing the danger of their 
monarch, rushed forward with 
enthusiasm and bore all before 
them. D’Alenc^on, placing himself 
at the head of 300 volunteers, now 
made his way to where Henry 
exhibited prodigies of valour, and 
crying out, “ I am the Duke 
D’Alen^on,” inflicted a furious 
blow, which entered the helmet; 
but not being able to disengage his 
sword, Henry returned the stroke 
so effectually, that he brought 
his antagonist to the ground. The 
loss of D’Alen^on filled the French 
with consternation, and the whole 
army fled in disorder. At this 
moment, word having been brought 
that the enemy were in possession 
of the rear of his camp, Henry 
gave orders to put all the prison¬ 
ers to the sword; and thus 14,000 
unhappy persons suffered unne¬ 
cessarily,—for it was now ascer¬ 
tained that the plunderers were 
merely a body of fugitives. The 
French loss amounted to 10,000 
killed and wounded, and 14,000 
prisoners ; whilst the English loss 
did not exceed 400 men. Among 
the slain were the Duke of York 
and the Earl of Suffolk. The 






October 25. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 319 


next day, Henry proceeded on 
his march to Calais. 

1854. Action of Balaklava. 
— The allied forces, after remain¬ 
ing two days encamped on the 
formidable position, whence they 
had driven the Russian army un¬ 
der Prince Menschikoff in the 
glorious battle of the 20th Sept., 
moved towards Balaklava, and 
having taken up a position to se¬ 
cure a communication with that 
harbour, commenced throwing up 
works for the reduction of Sebas¬ 
topol. By the 16th Oct. the siege 
had so progressed, that at half-past 
six on the morning of the 17th, a 
lire was opened from upwards of 
one hundred pieces of cannon, 
which was well replied to by the 
Russians. About one o’clock the 
combined fleet, as related in our 
naval columns, took up positions 
to assail the forts at the entrance 
of the harbour; and one conti¬ 
nuous roar was kept up until 
dark. The cannonade was par¬ 
tially resumed on the following 
days, but nothing of consequence 
occurred until the 25th. At dawn 
of day, masses of the enemy were 
observed advancing to the rear of 
Balaklava, which, according to 
their own account, amounted to 
32,500 men. The low range of 
heights that run across the plain, 
at the bottom of which the town 
is situated, was protected by four 
small hastily contructed redoubts. 
Three hdd guns mounted; and on 
a higher hill, in front of the village 
of Camara, in advance of our 
right Hank, was a work of more 
importance. These redoubts were 
garrisoned by the Turks. The 
only British regiment in the plain 
was the 93rd highlanders, with 
the exception of a battalion of 
detachments and a battery of ar¬ 
tillery, whilst the heights were 
occupied by the marines; and the 
whole of this force was under the 


immediate orders of Major-Gen. 
Sir Colin Campbell. The enemy 
commenced their operation by at¬ 
tacking the first redoubt, mount¬ 
ing 7 guns, situated on a height 
near the village of Camara. After 
a short firing, the dastardly Turks 
ded down the hill in frightful dis¬ 
order, leaving the guns in posses¬ 
sion of the enemy. The other 
redoubts were alike abandoned, 
but in the three lesser ones the 
guns were spiked by the single 
English artilleryman in each. The 
Russian cavalry pursuing the fu¬ 
gitives, after cutting down great 
numbers, encountered the 93rd, 
under Lieut.-Col. Ainslie, who, dis¬ 
daining to form a square, awaited 
the attack in line ; and their well- 
directed fire so appalled the ene¬ 
my, that they wheeled off to the 
left. The larger mass having 
turned towards the British heavy 
cavalry, Brigadier-Gen. Scarlett 
gallantly charged with the Scots 
Greys and Enniskillens into the 
Russian column, which, though far 
superior in numbers, soon sought 
safety in fiight. At a little after 
ten, Gen. Sir G. Cathcart, with 
the 4th division, took up a posi¬ 
tion covering Balaklava ; and the 
guards joined the highlanders un¬ 
der Sir Colin Campbell. Mean¬ 
while, the enemy had established 
themselves in great strength in 
the valley with several heavy bat¬ 
teries, beyond which, were masses 
of cavalry. Opposite to this force 
were drawn up the 4th and 13th 
light dragoons, 8th and 11th hus¬ 
sars, and the 17th lancers, mus¬ 
tering together somewhat less than 
700 sabres. From some miscon¬ 
ception of the instruction to ad¬ 
vance, Lieut.-Gen. Lord Lucan 
considered that he was bound to 
attack at all hazards. He accord¬ 
ingly directed Major-General the 
Earl of Cardigan to advance with 
the light brigade. That officer im- 







320 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 26. 


mediately dashed forward under a 
murderous fire, cut down the gun¬ 
ners of a nine-gun battery, and 
then charged a strong body of 
horse; and here the slaughter 
was frightful. Assailed by a large 
body of infantry, the men fell fast, 
but they had yet to encounter the 
destructive fire of the Russian bat¬ 
teries. At length the remnant of 
these gallant hoi'semen re-entered 
the British lines; and when mus¬ 
tered, some hours later, there were 
no more present than 185 sabres. 
The loss amounted to 13 officers, 
156 men, killed or missing ; 21 
officers, 197 men, wounded: mak¬ 
ing the total of killed, wounded, 
and missing of the light cavalry 
brigade on this day, 387, out of a 
force of less than 700 men. 

October 26. 

1812. Passage of the Ca- 
kion. —In our relation of the pas¬ 
sage of Maucune’s division at 
Muriel, on the 24th of October, 
we omitted an instance of daring 
intrepidity on the part of a French 
dragoon, which enabled the enemy 
to pass the river. The effectual 
play of the mine had for an in¬ 
stant checked the advance of the 
French, when suddenly a horse¬ 
man, darting out at full speed from 
the column, rode down under 
a flight of bullets to the bridge, 
calling out that he was a deserter. 
He reached the edge of the chasm 
made by the explosion, and then 
violently checking his foaming 
steed, held up his hands, ex¬ 
claiming that he was a lost man, 
and, with hurried accents, asked 
if there were no ford near. The 
good-natured soldiers pointed to 
one, a little way off, and the gal¬ 
lant fellow having looked ear¬ 
nestly for a few moments, as if to 
fix the exact point, wheeled his 
horse round, kissed his hand in 


derision, and, bending over his 
saddle-bow, dashed back to his own 
comrades, amidst showers of shot 
and shouts of laughter from both 
sides. The next moment Mau¬ 
cune’s column, covered by a fire 
of artillery, passed the river at 
the ford thus discovered, made 
some prisoners in the village, and 
lined the dry bed of the canal. 
Lord Wellington, who came up at 
this instant, immediately turned 
some guns upon the enemy, and 
desired that the village and canal 
might be retaken; directing one 
brigade under Gen. Barnes to 
attack the main body, Avhile ano¬ 
ther brigade under Gen. Pringle 
cleared the canal, and at the 
same time strengthening the left 
with the Spanish troops and 
Brunswickers. Avery sharp fire 
of artillery and musketry ensued, 
and the allies suffered some loss, 
especially by canon-shot, which 
from the other side of the river 
plumped into the reserves. The 
Spaniards got into confusion, and 
were falling back, when their 
fiery countryman, Miguel Alava, 
running to their heads with ex¬ 
hortation and example (for, 
though wounded, he would not 
retire), urged them forward to the 
fight. Finally, the enemy was 
driven over the river, the village 
was re-occupied in force, and the 
canal lined by the allied troops. 
Wellington made no delay, but 
keeping good watch upon the left 
of the Pisuerga, and knowing 
that the roads on the right bank 
were good, sent his baggage in the 
night to Valladolid; and with¬ 
drawing the troops before day¬ 
break on the 26th, made a march 
of sixteen miles to Cabezon; 
whence passing to the left of the 
Pisuerga, he barricaded and mined 
the bridge. Then, sending a de¬ 
tachment to hold the bridge of 
Tudela on the Duero behind him, 











October 27. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 321 


he caused the 7th division, under 
Lord Dalhousie, to secure the 
bridges of Valladolid, Simancas, 
and Tordesillas. His retreat be¬ 
hind the Duero being thus as¬ 
sured, he again halted. 

1854. Sortie from Sebasto¬ 
pol repulsed. —The Russians 
came out of the town on the 
morning of the 26th of October, 
with a force of from 6000 to 7000 
men; and their masses, covered 
by skirmishers, advancing with 
much apparent confidence, at¬ 
tacked the 2nd division, com¬ 
manded by Lieut.-Gen. Sir De 
Lacy Evans. The British imme¬ 
diately formed line in front of 
their camp, the left under Major- 
Gen. Pennefather, and the right 
under Brig.-Gen. Adams; whilst 
the batteries opened fire upon the 
enemy. H.R.H. the Duke of 
Cambridge soon brought up to 
their support the brigade of 
guards, under Major-Gen. Ben- 
tinck,witha battery under Lieut.- 
Col. Dacres; and the guards took 
post in advance of the right of 
the 2nd division. With equal 
promptitude, and from a greater 
distance, Gen. Bosquet arrived 
with five French battalions; and 
Sir George Cathcart hastened up 
with a regiment of rifles, whilst 
Sir George Brown pushed for¬ 
ward two guns on the left. The 
enemy came on rapidly, assisted 
by their guns on the Mound-hill. 
Our pickets, chiefly of the 49th 
and 30th regiments, resisted them 
with much determination. Capts. 
Bayley and Atcherley,of the 30th, 
and Lieut. Conally, of the 49th, 
greatly distinguished themselves, 
and were among the wounded. 
Sergeant Sullivan also displayed 
at this point great bravery. Mean¬ 
while our eighteen guns in posi¬ 
tion were so well served, that in 
half an hour they forced their 
artillery to abandon the field. 


The batteries, now directed with 
equal vigour upon the enemy’s 
columns, which were also ex¬ 
posed to the close fire of our ad¬ 
vanced infantry, soon threw them 
into such complete disorder and 
flight, that they were literally 
chased by the 30th and 95th regi¬ 
ments over the ridges and down 
towards the head of the bav. 
They were similarly pursued on 
the right by four companies of 
the 41st, gallantly led by Lieut.- 
Col. Hon. P. Herbert,—the 47 th 
also contributing, whilst the 55th 
were held in reserve: 80 prisoners 
fell into our hands, and about 
130 were left dead on the field. 
Their total loss is computed at 
600 men. On the part of the 
English, 12 killed; 5 officers and 
70 men wounded. 

October 27. 

1644. Battle of Newbury. 
— The parliamentary forces re¬ 
solved to make themselves mas ers 
of Newbury; but the king, suspect¬ 
ing their intention, determined to 
prevent them, by intrenching 
himself there. The Earl of Essex 
thereupon marched from Reading, 
and on 27 th of October attacked 
Charles’s intrenchments at two 
different points. The action was 
maintained with great spirit from 
four o’clock in the aftenioon till 
night, when the assailants forced 
the lines in one place, and took 
several pieces of cannon ; but the 
darkness prevented their making 
use of that advantage. On the 
other side, they had been repulsed 
with considerable loss ; neverthe¬ 
less the king thought proper to 
retire during the night to Wal¬ 
lingford, leaving his artillery and 
baggage in the castle of Donning- 
ton, which the Earl of Manchester 
on the next day summoned to 
surrender. Charles retired un- 


Y 







CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 28. 


— 

322 


molested to Oxford, where, being 
joined by Prince Rupert, with the 
northern horse, as well as by the 
Earl of Northampton, and re¬ 
inforced by corps from different 
garrisons, he found himself at the 
head of 11,000 men, with whom 
he marched hack to Donnington, 
and drew up his army in order of 
battle between that castle and the 
town of Newbury. The enemy 
likewise appeared in battalia, but 
they did not think proper to at¬ 
tack the king, who happily re¬ 
turned to Oxford, with all his 
artillery, ammunition, and bag¬ 
gage. 

1771. Reduction of Tan¬ 
jore.— On the breaking out of 
hostilities with Tanjore, a force 
under Colonel Smith, of which 
the first European Madras regi¬ 
ment and all the grenadiers of 
that corps formed part, was as¬ 
sembled near Trichinopoly; and, 
having entered the enemy’s coun¬ 
try in September, reached the 
capital of Tanjore on the 29th of 
the same month. After some 
skirmishes with the garrison, the 
place was invested ; and by the 
27th of October a breach being 
practicable, the rajah came to 
terms, and the troops returned to 
Trichinopoly. 

1776. White Plains. — By 
the position of the king’s troops, 
they were masters of the lower 
road through Connecticut to 
Rhode Island and Boston ; but 
in order to dispossess the rebels 
of the upper road, General Howe 
determined to march to White 
Plains, to preserve which he was 
in hopes that General Washington 
would risk a battle. On the 25th 
October, the army moved in two 
columns, and took a position with 
the river Brunx in front, the right 
line being at the distance of four 
miles from White Plains. The 
rebels, on observing this, quitted 


their detached camps, between 
Kingsbridge and White Plains, 
and assembled their whole force 
at the latter place, where they 
took post behind the intrench- 
ments that had been thrown up 
by their advanced corps. In these 
intrenched posts, they presented a 
front equal to the line of march 
of the royal army, which had the 
deep and rapid river Brunx run¬ 
ning between it and the enemy, 
and the North River at some dis¬ 
tance in their rear ; while Wash¬ 
ington had hilly ground behind 
him, to which he could retreat, 
and where the ruggedness of the 
country was such as to render 
pursuit impracticable. Whilst the 
royal army was on its march, the 
enemy sent detachments across 
the Brunx to harass the king’s 
troops. This occasioned frequent 
skirmishes in which the rebels 
Avere uniformly repulsed, and 
compelled to shelter themselves 
behind the river. The further ope¬ 
rations of the respecthuj armies 
will be found in the following 
article. 

October 28. 

1776. Battle of White 
Plains.— Gen. Howe, having re¬ 
connoitred the position of the rebel 
army, proceeded to the execution 
of his plan. Early on the morn¬ 
ing of the 28 th October, the royal 
army, formed into two columns, 
marched towards the enemy,—the 
right led by Lieut.-Gen. Clinton, 
and the left by Lieut.-General 
Heister. Before noon all the ene¬ 
my’s advanced posts ivere driven 
back to their Avorks, by the light 
infantrv and chasseurs ; and the 
army Avas formed, Avith the right 
upon the road from Mamaroneck 
to White Plains, about a mile 
from the centre of the enemy’s 
lines, and the left to the Brunx, 








October 28. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 323 


nearly the same distance from the 
left flank of their intrenchments. 
A corps was posted on com¬ 
manding ground, separated from 
the right flank of Washington’s 
intrenchments by the Brunx, 
which, by changing its course 
nearly at right angles, also se¬ 
parated this corps in front from 
the left of the king’s army. Col. 
Rahl, who commanded a brigade 
of Hessians on the left, took pos¬ 
session of a height on the other 
side of the river, which com¬ 
manded the enemy’s left flank. 
A battalion of Hessians, sup¬ 
ported by the second brigade 
under Brigadier-Gen. Leslie, and 
the Hessian grenadiers, com¬ 
manded by Colonel Von Donop, 
passed the Brunx, to attack the 
enemy’s detached corps. Col. 
Rahl was to attack the enemy’s 
flank as the Hessian battalion ad¬ 
vanced in front. The 28th and 
35th regiments, having forded the 
river, formed on the opposite bank 
with alacrity, although exposed 
to a severe fire; and ascending 
the steep hill in defiance of all 
opposition, rushed upon the ene¬ 
my with the bayonet, and drove 
them back to their own works. 
These battalions were soon sup¬ 
ported by the 5th and 49th regi¬ 
ments. The Hessian grenadiers, 
were then moved forward on the 
heights within cannon-shot of the 
enemy’s intrenchments, the Brunx, 
from its winding course, being still 
between them and their right 
flank. The second brigade formed 
a little in rear of them, and the 
two brigades of Hessians on the 
left of the second, with their left 
upon the road leading from 
Tarrytown to White Plains. The 
right and centre of the British 
remaining in the same position, 
the troops lay upon their arms 
during the night, and, with little 
alteration, encamped on the fol¬ 


lowing day. The battalions en¬ 
gaged greatly distinguished them¬ 
selves, and the loss sustained was 
hut small, when we consider the 
strongly fortified position to 
which they were opposed, de¬ 
fended by the rapid river Brunx. 
It was Gen. Howe’s intention to 
have followed up his success and 
attack the enemy’s army on the 
morning of the 29th; but when 
daylight came, it was discovered 
that they had fallen back to 
another strongly fortified line of 
works. 

1811. French surprised at 
Aroyo Molino. — Information 
having reached Gen. Hill, that 
the French division of Girard, 
had halted on the 27tli October, 
at Aroyo Molino, he by a forced 
march reached Alcuesca in the 
night, being within a league of the 
former place. This village was 
situated in a plain, and behind it 
a sierra, or ridge of rocks, rose 
in the form of a crescent. At 
two o’clock on the morning of the 
28th, the troops formed into three 
bodies. The left column marched 
straight upon Aroyo, the right 
moved towards the extreme point 
of the sierra, and the cavalry 
kept its due place between them 
both. One brigade of Girard’s 
division having marched at four 
o’clock, was already safe; but 
Dombrowski’s brigade, and the 
cavalry of Briche, were still in 
the place. Girard was in his 
quarters, when two English officers 
galloped down the street. In an 
instance all was in confusion. A 
thick mist rolled over the craggy 
mountain, when, with a terrifying 
shout, came the 71st and 92nd 
regiments charging down. Then 
the French rearguard of cavalry, 
fighting and struggling hard, were 
driven to the end of the village; 
and the infantry hastily forming 
their squares, covered the main 


Y 2 







324 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 29. 


body of the horsemen, which 
gathered on their left. The guns 
soon opened upon the French 
squares; and whilst the 13th dra¬ 
goons captured their artillery, the 
9th dragoons and German hussars 
charged and routed their cavalry 
with great loss. Nevertheless 
Girard, although wounded, still 
kept his infantry together, and 
continued his retreat by the 
Truxillo road ; but being closely 
pursued, they dispersed in the 
mountains; and eventually 600 
men, the remains of 3000, 
joined Drouet on 9th November. 
The trophies of this victory were 
1300 prisoners, all their artillery, 
baggage, and commissariat. The 
loss of the allies was not more 
then seventy men killed and 
wounded. 

October 29. 

1710. Reduction of St. Ve- 
nant. — On the 6th October St. 
Venant was invested by the 
Prince of Orange, with 20 bat¬ 
talions and 5 squadrons. The 
heavy artillery and ammunition 
for the siege were embarked on the 
same morning at Mcnin, under a 
guard of several battalions from 
the neighouring garrisons, with a 
detachment of horse from the 
army ; and this convoy was to be 
landed at Marville. St. Venant, 
situated on the Lys, was small, 
and protected only by ramparts 
of earth, forming nearly a regu¬ 
lar hexagon, but rendered diffi¬ 
cult of approach by marshes and 
inundations. It was garrisoned 
by 2700 men, under Brigadier 
Selvo. While Marlborough was 
anxiously expecting the arrival of 
the convoy from Menin, he re¬ 
ceived information that it had 
been surprised and destroyed by 
the enemy. Notwithstanding this 
serious loss, and the difficulty of 


the approaches, St. Venant was 
in a few days reduced to extre¬ 
mity, and capitulated on 29th of 
October. 

1781. Siege of Negapatam. 
— Although the season for mili¬ 
tary operations had far advanced, 
and the shift of the monsoon was 
at hand, Sir Hector Munroe de¬ 
termined to invest Negapatam. 
On 21st October, 3200 of the 
Company’s troops were atNagore, 
and Vice-Admiral Sir Edward 
Hughes landed the marines of the 
squadron, amounting to 443 men, 
who immediately joined the army, 
which on the 22nd was reinforced 
by 827 seamen, under Capt. T. 
Mackenzie of the Active, with 
four 24-pounders, twelve 18- 
pounders, two 12-pounders, two 
10-inch, and six 5^-inch mortars. 
Sir Hector having invested the 
place in the best manner his 
scanty force would admit, deem¬ 
ed it expedient to allow the 
enemy as little time as possible to 
recover from the surprise and 
terror into which the arrival of 
the British fleet had thrown them. 
Having made all the proper ar¬ 
rangements on the night of the 
29th October, he stormed and 
carried the strong fortifications 
which the enemy had thrown up, 
flanked by redoubts, covering 
and defending the approach to 
the town. The subsequent opera¬ 
tions, which led to the reduction 
of the place, are related in the 
Calendar of 11th November. 

1791. Reduction of Deram- 
poury. —Reports of a force in the 
Baramaul having reached Lord 
Cornwallis, he no sooner possess¬ 
ed himself of the important for¬ 
tress of Nundy JDurgum than he 
moved with celerity to the east¬ 
ward, detaching Lieut.-Col. Max¬ 
well with three battalions, to be 
joined by a fourth at Rayacotta, 
into the Baramaul, with orders to 






October 30. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


325 


attack any force of the enemy he 
might find in that quarter. The 
Colonel, by forced marches, reach¬ 
ed Derampoury on the 29th Oc¬ 
tober, when the place instantly 
surrendered, the principal people 
and most of the garrison having 
fled upon the approach of our 
troops. 

October 30. 

1419. The town of Meulan, 
on the river Seine, 28 miles NW. 
of Paris, surrendered to Henry 
V. on the 30th October. The 
walls of the town having been 
rendered accessible to the be¬ 
siegers, the garrison, aware of 
this circumstance, agreed to de¬ 
liver up the place on the 30th 
of October, if not relieved before 
that period, and on that day, the 
English were put in possession of 
the place. 

1812. On the 28th October, 
Gen. Souham, with a view to 
dislodge the allies, by turning 
their left, endeavoured to force 
the bridges at Valladolid and 
Simancas on the Pisuerga, and 
that of Tordesillas on the Duero. 
The first was easily defended by 
the main body of the 7th division; 
but Halkct, finding the French 
strong at the second, destroyed it, 
and detached the regiment of 
Brunswick Oels to ruin that of 
Tordesillas. This was effected, 
and a tower behind the ruins was 
occupied by a detachment, while 
the remainder took post in a wood 
at some distance. The French 
soon arrived, and, in order to at¬ 
tack the post on the opposite 
bank, sixty officers and non-com¬ 
missioned officers, headed by Capt. 
Guingret, having formed a small 
raft to hold their arms and clothes, 
plunged into the stream, holding 
their swords with their teeth, and 
swimming, pushed the raft before 


them. Under protection of a 
cannonade, they thus < rossed this 
great river, though it was very 
cold weather ; and having reached 
the other side, naked as they were, 
stormed the tower, and remained 
masters of the bridge. Welling¬ 
ton, after destroying the bridges 
at Valladolid and Cabe 9 on, 
crossed the Duero at Tudcla and 
Puente de Duero on the 29th ; 
but scarcely had he effected this 
operation, Avhen intelligence of 
Guingret’s splendid enterprise at 
Tordesillas reached him. With 
the instant decision of a great 
captain, he marched by his left, 
and having reached the heights 
of Rueda and Tordesillas on the 
30th, fronted the enemy, and thus 
arrested further progress on that 
point. The bridges of Toro and 
Zamora were now destroyed, and 
the junction with Hill’s army en¬ 
sured. Drouet passed the Tagus 
on the 29th, at the abandoned 
fords of Fuente Duenas and Villa 
Maurique. Meanwhile Soult, 
whose divisions were coming fast 
up to Ocaria, restored the bridge 
of Aranjuez, and passed the 
Tagus also with his advanced 
guard. On the 30th, he attacked 
Gen. Cole, w r ho commanded at the 
Puente Larga, with several regi¬ 
ments, and some guns ; but 
though the mines failed, and the 
French attempted to carry the 
bridge with the bayonet, they 
were vigorously repulsed by the 
47th regiment, under Col. Sker- 
rit. After a heavy cannonade 
and a sharp musketry, which cost 
the allies sixty men, Soult relin¬ 
quished the attempt, and aAvaited 
the arrival of his main body. 
Had the Puente Larga been forced, 
the fourth division, which w r as at 
Anover, Avould have been cut off 
from Madrid; but the weather 
being thick and rainy, Soult could 
not discover Avhat supporting force 







326 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 31- 


was on the high land of Valde- 
moro, behind the bridge, and, 
therefore, was reluctant to move 
forward with precipitation. 

October 31. 

1752. Capture of Covelong 
and Chingleput. — After the 
victory of Bahoor in August, 
Major Law r rence recommended 
the reduction of Chingleput and 
Covelong. A force of 200 Eu¬ 
ropean recruits of the first Madras 
European regiment and 500 un¬ 
disciplined sepoys, was accord¬ 
ingly sent from Madras, and 
Clive volunteered to command 
them. On the 10th September, 
the party marched against Cove¬ 
long with four 24-pounders; but 
before the guns had been placed 
in battery, the place surrendered. 
On the next morning a party of 
the enemy advancing to the re¬ 
lief of the place, the detachment 
marched out to meet them, and, 
moving boldly to the attack, de¬ 
livered their fire with such pre¬ 
cision that upwards of one hun¬ 
dred men were knocked over by 
the first volley. The commanding 
officer, twenty-five Europeans, 
and 250 sepoys, with two field- 
pieces, being captured in a charge 
that instantly followed, the rest 
threw away their arms and fled 
towards Chingleput, whither Clive 
immediately followed them. On 
his arrival before that place he 
commenced to batter the walls, 
and, a brdfech having been made 
on 31st October, the fort sur¬ 
rendered. The capture of these 
two places, effected against a 
superior force by a handful of 
recruits and a few undisciplined 
sepoys, completed the reduction 
of all the country north of the 
Paliar river between Sadras and 
Arcot. The works at Covelong 
were blown up; but those of 


Chingleput being repaired, the 
fort was garrisoned by the Bri¬ 
tish. 

1763. Siege of Mongiieer.— 
Major Adams having encamped 
within four miles of Patna on 
25th October, ordered the neces¬ 
sary preparations for the siege 
of that place, in which Cossim 
Ali Cawn had left 10,000 men,— 
he himself, with a small army, 
being encamped at Bieram, about 
ten coss to the westward. On 
the 28th, the English forces were 
in a strong position on the con¬ 
fines of the suburbs of Patna, 
almost entirely surrounded by a 
high bank and ditch, within two 
miles of the walls of the city. 
On the night of the 30th, some 
shells were thrown to divert the 
enemy’s attention, Avhilst a bat¬ 
tery was erected on the bank of 
the river, to batter the curtain 
near the north-east angle towards 
the river. On the morning of the 
31st, the battery had just been 
completed, when the enemy made 
a sortie with a large force of 
sepoys, and advanced under cover 
of the mud walls and hollow ways 
very near to the battery before 
they were discovered. Our sepoys 
abandoning their post, the enemy 
took easy possession, and blew 
up the magazine. Capt. Smith, 
commanding the advanced posts, 
instantly repaired to the spot, and 
retook the battery. A detach¬ 
ment of fifty grenadiers, a bat¬ 
talion of sepoys, and two pieces 
of cannon also arrived in time 
to repel a second attack, which 
the enemy made with great de¬ 
termination ; and they were close¬ 
ly followed to the ditch, although 
the besiegers were exposed to a 
smart fire from the walls of the 
fortress. 

1791. Reduction of Pinagra. 
—Our flags of truce having been 
fired upon by the garrison of 







November 1 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 327 


Pinagra, it Avas determined to 
force the south gate. On the 
31st October, guns were brought 
up to the edge of the ditch, un¬ 
der the fire of a covering party, 
and three rounds discharged, but 
without effect. Ladders were 
therefore applied, and the first 
and second Avails escaladed, the 
assailants driving the enemy about 
300 paces from the works; and 
before the firing ceased, 150 of 
them Avere killed or wounded. 
The walls Avere then breached, 
so as to render the fort untenable. 
The only loss sustained by the 
detachment Avas six men wounded. 


November 1. 

1803. Battle of Lasavaree. 
— General Lake, having subdued 
Agra on the 17th of October, 
marched against the battalions 
sent by Scindiah from the Deccan, 
Avhich had been reinforced by the 
relics of Bourquin’s army. After 
a tedious pursuit, he came up 
Avith them at sunrise on the 1st 
of November, and, believing them 
to be in full retreat, ordered his 
cavalry to intercept their flight. 
But the Mahrattas, instead of re¬ 
tiring, had taken up a very strong 
position; their right resting on the 
fortified Tillage of Laswaree, their 
left on the village of Mohaulpore, 
and their front lined with seventy- 
fi\ r e pieces of cannon, chained to¬ 
gether so as to resist the charge 
of cavalry. Scindiah’s horse 
evinced the utmost reluctance to 
come into action, but the infantry, 
Avhich had been trained by French 
officers, fought with desperate 
bravery that nothing could sub¬ 
due. The greater part of these 
gallant fellows refused to surren¬ 
der, and fell Avhere they had 
stood, Avith arms in their hands. 
The battle of Laswaree cost the 


English more than eight hundred 
men, in killed and Avounded; but 
the victory completely destroyed 
Scindiah’s power in Northern 
India; Avhilst other British corps 
as completely reduced the dis¬ 
tricts of Kuttack and Bundle- 
cund. 

1811. Affair at Cape Pali- 
nuro. —Capt. Duncan of the Im- 
perieuse frigate, having made ap¬ 
plication to Lieut.-Gen. Maitland, 
commanding in Sicily, for a de¬ 
tachment of troops to co-operate 
Avith the naval forces in an attack 
on ten Neapolitan gun-boats, to¬ 
gether with a number of merchant 
vessels lying in the harbour of 
Palinuro, Major Darby, Avith two 
hundred and fifty men of the 62nd 
regiment, embarked for that ser¬ 
vice on the 28th of October. The 
prevalence of a south-west gale 
prevented the debarkation of the 
troops Avith the detachments of 
marines of the Imperieuse and 
Thames, together with a party of 
seamen, until the 1st of Novem¬ 
ber, Avhen the Avhole, under Capt. 
Charles Napier of the Thames, 
landed at the back of the harbour. 
The British then moved fonvard, 
and carried the height under a 
smart fire from the French, who 
had assembled in force to oppose 
them. Soon after dark the enemy 
made an effort to regain their po¬ 
sition, but were compelled to retire 
by the well-directed fire of the as¬ 
sailants. Capt. Duncan finding 
that nothing could be effected on 
the battery on the land side, and 
that a strong tower protected the 
vessels on the beach, Capt. Napier 
rejoined the Thames. On the 
morning of the 2nd, the frigates 
bore up at the commencement of 
the sea-breeze, and running along 
the line of gun-boats within half 
musket-shot, sunk two, and the 
rest surrendered. The ships then 
anchoring close to the fort, it was 









328 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 2. 


silenced in less than fifteen mi¬ 
nutes, and immediately taken 
possession of by a party of sea¬ 
men and marines, headed by 
Lieut. Travers, who had gallantly 
pushed down the hill on seeing 
the ships stand in. The guns of 
the fort being thrown into the 
sea, and the gun-boats and other 
vessels secured, which was not 
accomplished until the 3rd, the 
troops, who had remained in 
undisturbed possession of the 
heights, re-embarked, and the 
tower, together with two batteries, 
were blown tip. In effecting this 
dashing enterprise, the British 
sustained the loss of Lieut. Kay, 
of the 62nd, and 4 men killed; 
Lieut. Pipon, of the marines and 
10 men wounded. 

November 2. 

1803. Immediately after the 
capture of Barrabutee, a detach¬ 
ment composed of native infantry, 
with two 6-pounders, and a party 
of European artillery, under Ma¬ 
jor Forbes, was sent to force the 
pass of Bermuth, the only passage 
through the mountains which se¬ 
parate Cuttack from the Berar 
territories. Bermuth was forced 
on the 2nd of November, the 
enemy escaping with difficulty 
into Berar across the hills. The 
Rajah of Bood, and Ranah of 
Sonapore, at the same time sent 
to Major Forbes, offering submis¬ 
sion to the British government. 

1840. Defeat of Afghans. 
— Dost Mohammed, having es¬ 
caped from the clutches of the 
King of Bokhara, began to levy 
troops for the avowed purpose of 
expelling the English and Shah 
Soojah from Afghanistan. Ac¬ 
counts were received at the same 
time that Ivhelat, which had been 
so gallantly taken by Gen. Wilt¬ 
shire in the preceding year, had 


been retaken by the son of its 
late ruler, Mehrab Khan, and that 
the Beloochees were rising to join 
in an attack on the English. It 
was, however, difficult to obtain 
any correct information of the 
motions of the enemy, so com¬ 
pletely had the insurgents closed 
up every source of intelligence. 
On the night of the 17th of Sep¬ 
tember, Dost Mohammed actually 
slept within three miles of the 
English camp, and the knowledge 
of his proximity was derived from 
the appearance of some hundreds 
of Uzbeks on the heights, at the 
dawn of the following morning. 
Brigadier Dennie, who command¬ 
ed the detachment at Bameean, 
though his force did not amount 
to one thousand men, composed 
entirely of native corps, resolved 
at once to attack the enemy, 
whose army amounted to more 
than eight times his own. The 
Uzbeks dispersed at the first 
charge, and suffered severely from 
the active pursuit of the cavalry; 
and the baggage, standards, and 
their only piece of artillery, were 
captured. A series of petty ex¬ 
peditions against the chiefs en¬ 
gaged the attention of the British 
during the greater part of the 
summer, until intelligence was 
received that the khan had suc¬ 
ceeded in assembling a new army, 
and taken post at Purwan. On 
the 2nd of November, a detach¬ 
ment under Col. Salter, advanced 
against this position; and learn¬ 
ing that Dost Mohammed was 
endeavouring to escape through 
the hills, two squadrons were des¬ 
patched to intercept the fugitives, 
accompanied by the political agent 
Doctor Percival Lord. As the 
cavalry approached the enemy, 
an unexpected resistance being 
made, the men, seized with an un¬ 
accountable panic, galloped back 
to the rest, leaving their officers 







November 3. CALENDAR 


without protection. Dr. Lord and 
three officers were killed, and 
others severely wounded. In the 
confusion Dost Mohammed con¬ 
trived to effect his escape. 

November 3. 

1817. Brit is fiat Ivirkee. —As 
the position of the British canton¬ 
ments was very unfavourable, Mr. 
Elpliinstone moved the few forces 
he had at his disposal to the vil¬ 
lage of Ivirkee, which had been 
early pointed out by Gen. Smith as 
the best post that could be occu¬ 
pied, in case of the apprehended 
rupture. The Mahrattas believed 
that the British had withdrawn 
through fear, and were encou¬ 
raged by that persuasion. The 
abandoned cantonment was plun¬ 
dered ; an officer was attacked, 
wounded, and robbed in open 
day ; the language of the Peish- 
wa’s ministers became insulting; 
and parties of horse pushed for¬ 
ward to the British lines, as if 
in defiance. It was evident that 
hostilites could not be long de¬ 
layed; and on the 3rd November, 
Mr. Elphinstone directed the 
light battalion, and a body of 
auxiliary horse, stationed at Se- 
roor, to march upon, Poonah. 
When this intelligence reached 
the Peishwa, he resolved that his 
ti’oops should be called into action. 
No part of the Mahratta army 
was visible from the British resi¬ 
dency, excepting bodies of infan¬ 
try which were assembling along 
the tops of the adjoining heights, 
with the intention ofcutting off the 
residency from the camp. A mass 
of cavalry covered nearly the 
whole extent of the plain which 
bounded the city of Poonah on 
the east. Perceiving that efforts 
were making to cut off his com¬ 
munication, Mr. Elphinstone re¬ 
tired to Ivirkee, at the same 


OF VICTORY. 329 


time sending orders to Lieut.- 
Col. Burr to attack the Peishwa’s 
army. The particulars of the 
battle that ensued on the 5th 
November will be found under 
that date. 

1840. Surrender of Dost 
Mohammed. — Dost Mohammed 
Khan was supposed to have fled 
to Ivohistan, which was ripe for 
revolt ; but on the evening of the 
day after the battle near Ba- 
meean, which took place on the 
2nd November, he surrendered 
himself to Sir Wm. M‘Naghten, 
the British resident at Cabul. 
Whilst Sir William was taking; 
his ride, a gentleman passing the 
cortege rode suddenly up, and 
said, “Are you the envoy? Then 
here is the Ameer Dost Moham¬ 
med Khan,” —and in an instant 
the ex-chief alighted from his 
horse, claiming protection. The 
scene was electrical : the Dost 
was requested to remount, and 
the cavalcade having reached the 
gateway, both chiefs alighted. 
The envoy then took his arm 
and led him through the garden 
up to the house. Here, seated in 
a room where, the year before, he 
was the monarch, he delivered 
up his sword, observing that he 
had no further use for it, but the 
envoy begged hint to retain it. 

November a. 

1763. Siege of Mongheer. 
— The operations having com¬ 
menced on 3rd October, were 
prosecuted with vigour. On 1st 
November, a battery of four 18- 
pounders and an 8-inch howitzer 
soon silenced the enemy’s can¬ 
non on that point, and in the 
evening the besiegers began to 
breach the curtain ; whilst an¬ 
other battery bore upon the east 
gateway and its demi-bastions. 
On the 2nd, the breaching bat- 








330 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 5. 


teries continued their fire; and 
on the 3rd, other batteries being 
completed, the cannonade was 
incessant. On the 4th, a battery 
for three 18-pounders was com¬ 
menced, to take off all the enemy’s 
defences at the east gate and 
to the southward of it, and one 
18-pounder, to breach the mud 
bastion, in conjunction with an¬ 
other battery of two guns, erect¬ 
ed near, — the ground not ad¬ 
mitting the whole being placed 
together. During the night the 
enemy repaired the mud bastion 
and the inside of the breach with 
sand-bags. The whole front at¬ 
tacked, was so cleared of the 
enemy as to permit an inspection 
of the ditch opposite to the 
breach, which was nearly full of 
water, except on the right, where 
a mud bank, thrown up to keep 
in the water, afforded a passage 
across. In the evening, a body 
of horse appeared in rear of our 
encampment; but, being attacked 
by the cavalry and some sepoys, 
were soon compelled to retire, 
with loss. 

1794. Siege of Nimeguen. 
— On Tuesday, the 4th Novem¬ 
ber, in the afternoon, as the 
enemy had commenced construct¬ 
ing their batteries, Count Wul- 
moden made a sortie, with a 
party of the troops in Nimeguen, 
consisting of the 8th, 27th, 28th, 
55th, 63rd, and 78tli regiments 
of British infanty, under the com¬ 
mand of Major-Gen. De Burgh, 
and two battalions of Dutch, sup¬ 
ported by 7th and 15th British 
dragoons, the Hanoverian horse, 
and one squadron from the 2nd 
Hanoverian, one from the 5th, 
one from the 10th, and the legion 
De Damas. The troops advanced 
to the enemy’s trenches under a 
heavy fire, and jumped into them 
without returning a shot. The 
enemy lost 500 men almost en¬ 


tirely by the bayonet. The sortie 
had the effect of checking the ene¬ 
my’s operations, and it was not 
until the morning of the 6th that 
they reopened their fire from two 
batteries upon the bridge and 
one upon the town. 

November 5. 

1817. Battle of Kirkee.— 
Lieut.-Col. Burr advanced to the 
attack of the Mahrattas on the 
5th November. Gokla, leading 
on his troops, rode from rank to 
rank, employing exhortations, 
praises, taunts, as he thought 
most effectual; but the Peish- 
wa’s heart failed him, and, after 
the troops had advanced, he sent 
a message to Gokla “ not to fire 
the first gun.” At this moment 
the British were forming in order 
of battle, and their guns unlim¬ 
bering, when Gokla, observing 
the messenger from the Peishwa, 
whose errand he suspected, com¬ 
menced the attack by opening 
a battery of nine guns,—at the 
same time detaching a strong 
corps of rocket camels to the 
right, and pushing forward his 
cavalry on each flank. The Bri¬ 
tish were nearly surrounded by 
the enemy’s horse; but their in¬ 
fantry, owing to this rapid ad¬ 
vance, were left considerably in 
the rear, except a regular bat¬ 
talion under a Portuguese named 
de Pinto, which, having formed 
with great steadiness, was sud¬ 
denly charged by the English 
sepoys, who by this impetuous 
movement became detached from 
the line. Gokla led forward a 
select body of 6000 horse to take 
advantage of their imprudence ; 
but Col. Burr fortunately per¬ 
ceived the moving mass in time 
to stop the pursuit of the routed 
Portuguese. Unknown to either 
party there was a deep slough in 








November 5. CALENDAR 


front of tlie British left; the fore¬ 
most of the Mahratta cavalry 
rolled over in the marsh, and 
many others, before they could 
be pulled up, tumbled over those 
in front. The sepoys now poured 
in their reserved fire on this mass 
with dreadful effect, throwing 
them into such confusion that the 
few horsemen who came in con¬ 
tact with the bayonets were 
easily repulsed. A company of 
Europeans arriving up to support 
the sepoys, the British line ad¬ 
vanced, and the Mahrattas fled 
from the field. This decisive vic¬ 
tory Avas Avon by the British over 
ten times their number, Avith a 
loss of only eighty-three in killed 
and Avounded; whilst the Mah¬ 
rattas lost more than five hundred. 

1854. Battle of Inkermann. 
—Since the A r ictorious successes of 
the allies on the 25th and 26th 
October, before Sebastopol, as re¬ 
lated under these respective dates, 
the operations of the siege con¬ 
tinued to be carried on with un¬ 
tiring energy, despite the vigorous 
efforts of the enemy to impede 
them. During this interval the 
Russian army had been consider¬ 
ably increased by reinforcements 
from Odessa and other quarters, 
and by the 4th of November their 
Avhole strength in the Crimea had 
augmented to about 80,000 men. 
It had rained almost incessantly 
during the night ; and towards 
dawn on Sunday the 5th, a heaA r y 
fog settled doAvn on the heights, 
and on the valley of Inkermann. 
About 5 o’clock, the men in our 
camps Avere endeavouring to light 
their fires for breakfast, Avhen the 
alarm Avas given that the Russians 
Avere advancing in force; and 
soon Avas heard the rattle of 
musketry, as the pickets of the 
2nd division fell back before the 
masses of the enemy, clambering 
up the steep sides of the hills. 


OF VICTORY. 331 


The pickets of the light division 
being now assailed, were also 
compelled to retire ; and it Avas 
evident that a sortie had been 
made from Sebastopol, Avith the 
object of forcing the allies to 
raise the siege. Meanwhile a de¬ 
monstration Avas made by their 
cavalry and artillery, Avith a small 
body of infantry, against Bala- 
klava, to divert the attention of 
the French on the heights above, 
and to occupy the highland bri¬ 
gade and marines; but only a feAv 
harmless rounds of cannon and 
musketry took place. The enemy’s 
principal object being to assault 
our right, their cavalry, supported 
by field artillery, were drawn up 
in order of battle, ready to sweep 
over the heights, and annihilate 
the retreating troops, should their 
attempt prove successful. Such 
Avas the state of things, Avhen the 
2nd division, under Major-Gen. 
Pennefather (to whom the illness 
of Sir De Lacy Evans had for 
the time given the command), 
with its field guns, Avas placed in 
position. The brigade of Gen. 
Adams, consisting of 41st, 47th, 
and 49th regiments, Avas pushed 
on to the broAv of the hill, to check 
the advance of the enemy by the 
road through the brushwood from 
the valley; Avhilst the other bri¬ 
gade, composed of the 30th, 55th, 
and 95th regiments, operated on 
their flanks. They Avere at once 
met Avith a tremendous fire of 
shot and shell, from at least 40 
pieces of artillery, posted on the 
high grounds in advance of our 
right. Lieut.-Gen. Sir George 
Cathcart, having turned out as 
manv of his division as were not 

•j 

employed in the trenches, led the 
portions of the 20th, 21st, 46th, 
57th, 63rd and 68th regiments, 
under Brigadiers Torrens and 
Goldie, against the enemy, to- 
Avards the left of the ground oc- 






332 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 5. 


cupied by the 2nd division. 
Lieut.-Gen. Sir George Brown 
had now rushed up to the front 
with the remnant of the light 
division, consisting of 7th, 19th, 
23rd, and 88th regiments, under 
Brigadiers Codrington and Bul- 
ler; and as they moved across the 
gi'ound of the 2nd division, they 
were at once brought under fire by 
an unseen enemy—for the gloomy 
character of the morning was un¬ 
changed. While the whole army 
was thus in motion, the Duke of 
Cambridge led up the brigade of 
guards,under Brigadier Bentinck; 
and these splendid troops rapidly 
rushing to the front on the right 
of the 2nd division, gained the 
summit of the hills, towards 
which two columns of the Rus¬ 
sians were struggling in the 
closest order, which the nature of 
the ground would only admit. 
The 3rd division under Major- 
Gen. Sir R. England, formed the 
reserve; nevertheless one portion 
of it, comprising the 50th, part 
of the 28th and of the 4th regi¬ 
ments, were engaged before the 
fight was over. And now com¬ 
menced one of the most despe¬ 
rate struggles ever witnessed,— 
where the bayonet was often the 
only weapon employed in con¬ 
flicts of the most obstinate and 
deadly character. About 7 o’clock, 
as Lord Raglan reached the scene 
of action, the incessant roar of 
cannon and musketrv told that 

m/ 

the engagement was at its height. 
As the fog cleared, the enemy 
opened a destructive fire upon 
the camp of the 2nd division, 
until two 18-pounders were 
brought to bear upon them, un¬ 
der the able direction of Col. 
Gambier, and, when that officer 
was wounded, by his successor, 
Col. Dickson. The effective fire 
of these pieces, which elicited the 
admiration of the army, greatly 


contributed in deciding the fate 
of the day; but long ere these 
guns were brought up, there had 
been great slaughter on both 
sides. Whilst the 4th division 
was sharply engaged with a 
strong column of the enemy, it 
was discovered that a large body 
of them had gained the top of 
the hill in rear of the right. Sir 
George Cathcart, cheering his 
scattered regiments, fell as he led 
them back under a murderous 
fire, by which Brigadier Goldie 
and many other officers were 
either killed or mortally wounded. 
The conflict on the right was 
equally severe. In the light divi¬ 
sion, the 88t,h had so far advanced 
that they became nearly sur¬ 
rounded, when four companies of 
the 77th regiment, under Major 
Stratton, charged the Russians 
and relieved their comrades; and 
it was about this time that Sir 
George Brown received a ball 
through his arm, which stuck in 
his side. Further to the right, a 
contest, the like of which rarely 
if ever took place, was maintain¬ 
ed between the guards and dense 
columns of Russian infantry; but 
the indomitable prowess of that 
daring band prevailed over five 
times their own number. They 
had no sooner gallantly repulsed 
the enemy, than they found 
themselves outflanked, having no 
support, no reserve, and were 
struggling with the bayonet 
against antagonists who stoutly 
contested every inch of ground. 
Thus assailed, another Russian 
column appeared on the right, 
and far in their rear. Then such a 
fearful discharge of musketry was 
poui'ed into the guards, that, after 
a severe struggle, in which twelve 
officers were among the numerous 
slain, they retired along the loAver 
valley; but, being speedily rein¬ 
forced, desperately avenged their 






November 5. CALENDAR 


heavy loss. At about 10 o’clock, 
a division of French infantry, 
amounting to about 606o men, 
led by Gen. Bosquet, joined on 
the right; and his two advanced 
battalions, cheering as they moved 
forward with our men, contri¬ 
buted to the successful resistance 
of the attack, and zealously as¬ 
sisted in driving the enemy down 
the slope with great loss. Mean¬ 
while a desperate attempt was 
made upon our left, and for a 
moment the enemy gained pos¬ 
session of four of our guns,— three 
of which were recaptured by the 
88th, while the fourth was taken 
by the 77th regiment. Soon after 
the enemy attacked our right a 
sortie was made by a corps of 
, from 5000 to 6000 men, on the 
extreme left of the allies, and, 
under cover of the fog, attacked 
the trenches and penetrated into 
two batteries, but they were gra¬ 
dually repulsed by the force un¬ 
der Gen. De la Motte Rouge; and 
Gen. Forey arriving up with his 
division, the enemy were driven 
back with a loss of about 1000 
men killed and wounded. The 
battle continued with unabated 
vigour until nearly two o’clock, 
the enemy bringing upon our line 
not only the fire of all their field 
batteries, but those in front of the 
works of the place, and from their 
ships. The retreat then became 
general, and heavy masses were 
observed retiring over the bridge 
of the Inkermann or ascending 
the opposite heights, abandoning 
on the field of battle above 5000 
dead and wounded,—multitudes 
of the latter having been carried 
off by the retiring army; and their 
total loss has been stated from 
10,000 to 15,000 hors de combat. 
The force brought into the field 
has been computed at 60,000 men; 
but taking it at 45,000, as given 
in the Russian official report, this 


OF VICTORY. 333 


overwhelming army, in spite of re¬ 
peated efforts, was effectually re¬ 
sisted, and finally defeated, by no 
more than eight thousand British, 
and 6000 French troops. But it 
must not be concealed, that the 
nature of the position signally 
favoured our defence; and as the 
configuration of the ground did 
not admit of any great develop¬ 
ment of the enemy’s force, the 
attack was confined to a system 
of repeated assaults in heavy 
masses. The same narrowness of 
front which secured the victory of 
Agincourt, against even greater 
disparity of numbers, was equally 
efficacious towards the repulse of 
the Russians at Inkermann. 

The loss of the British in this 
glorious struggle amounted to no 
less than 43 officers, 32 sergeants, 
387 rank and file, killed; 103 
officers, 122 sergeants, 1727 rank 
and file, wounded; 1 officer, 6 
sergeants, 191 rank and file, 
missing. 

Of this number, the brigade of 
guards had no less than 78 killed, 
405 wounded, and 199 missing,— 
making a total of 682, out of less 
than 1600 men. Among the 
killed were Lieut.-General Sir 
George Cathcart, Brigadier-Gens. 
Strangways and Goldie; and 
among the wounded, Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir George Brown, Major-Gens. 
Bentinck and Codrington, and 
Brigadiers Adams, Torrens, and 
Buffer. 

Summary. 

British. 


Killed 

462 

Wounded - 

1952 

Missing 

197 


2611 

French. 


Killed, wounded, 


and missing - 

1726 

Total 

4337 









334 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. Stfovember 6. 


November 6 . 

1763. Siege op Mongiieer.— 
On the morning of the 5th No¬ 
vember, two new batteries were 
opened with good success, the 
whole front attacked being cleared 
of the enemy. The mud bastion 
was sufficiently breached, and the 
repairs of the breach in the cur¬ 
tain demolished. At night, the 
party at the batteries, consisting 
of one hundred Europeans and 
a battalion of sepoys, was re¬ 
inforced with two European gre¬ 
nadier companies, completed to 
eighty men each, five companies 
of grenadier sepoys, the former 
commanded by Capt. Irwin, of 
His Majesty’s 84th regiment, and 
the latter by Capt. Treyanion, 
with a battalion of sepoys, and 
the whole under the orders of 
Major Sherlock, who commanded 
the attack. This corps was to 
keep up a constant fire on both 
breaches during the night, and 
storm at daylight. The fascines 
and scaling ladders being placed 
in front of the battery, on the 
morning of the 6th, at half-past 
five o’clock, the European and 
sepoy grenadiers entered the 
breach without any difficulty; but 
the enemy afterwards made such 
a stout resistance that it cost 
them fifteen hundred men. As 
soon as the attack commenced, 
Major Adams marched the line 
to sustain it, and in two hours 
the fortress was in possession of 
the assailants, whose loss was but 
comparatively trifling. Among 
the wounded were Capts. Irwin 
(mortally), Champion, Stibbert, 
and Galiez, and Lieut. Scotland. 
Cossim Ali Cawn was at Bieram 
on the day of the attack ; but 
on the receipt of the news, he 
immediately retired with preci¬ 
pitation to Lassarum, and drew 
out all his treasure and valuable 


effects from Rotas, with which he 
proceeded to the banks of the 
Camiannassa, the confines of the 
province. 

1812. Relative Position of 
the hostile Armies. — On the 
1st November, the bulk of Soult’s 
army being assembled at Getafe, 
he sent scouting parties in all 
directions to feel for the allies 
and to ascertain the direction of 
their march. On the 2nd, the 
army of the centre and that of 
the south were reunited not far 
from Madrid ; but Hill was then 
in full retreat for the Guadarama, 
covered by a powerful rear¬ 
guard under general Cole. On 
the 3rd, Soult pursued the allies, 
and the king, entering Madrid, 
placed a garrison in the Retiro 
for the protection of his court 
and of the Spanish families at¬ 
tached to his cause. On the 4th, 
Joseph rejoined Soult at the 
Guadarama with his guards, 
which always moved as a se¬ 
parate body. Gen. Hill was 
moving upon Arevalo, slowly 
followed by the French, when 
fresh orders from Wellington, 
founded on new combinations, 
changed the direction of his 
march. Souham had repaired 
the bridge of Toro on the 4th, 
several days sooner than the En¬ 
glish general had expected; and 
thus, when he was keenly watch¬ 
ing for the arrival of Hill on the 
Adaja, that he might suddenly 
join and attack Soult, his designs 
were again baffled; for he dared 
not make such a movement lest 
Souham, possessing both Toro 
and Tordesillas, should fall upon 
his rear. Neither could he bring 
up Hill to the Duero and attack 
Souham, because he had no means 
to pass that river; and meanwhile 
Soult, moving by Fontiveros, 
would reach the Tormes. Seeing 
then that his combinations had 






November 7. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 335 


failed, and his central position 
no longer available either for 
offence or defence, he directed 
Hill to gain Alba de Tormes at 
once by the road of Fontiveros, 
and on the 6th he fell back him¬ 
self from his position in front of 
Tordesillas, by Naval del Rey and 
Pituega, to the heights of San 
Christoval. “ Joseph, thinking to 
prevent Gen. Hill’s junction with 
Wellington, had gained Arevalo 
by the Segovia road on the 5th 
and 6th November; and, for the 
first time since he had quitted 
Valencia, the king obtained news 
of the army of Portugal. One 
hundred thousand combatants, of 
which above twelve thousand 
were cavalry, with a hundred and 
thirty pieces of artillery, were 
thus assembled on those plains 
over which, three months before, 
Marmont had marched with so 
much confidence to his own de¬ 
struction. Soult, then expelled 
from Andalusia by Marmont’s 
defeat, was now, after having 
made half the circuit of the Pen¬ 
insula, come to drive into Por¬ 
tugal that very army whose vic¬ 
tory had forced him from the 
south; and thus, as Wellington 
had foreseen and foretold, the 
acquisition of Andalusia, poli- 
cally important and useful to the 
cause, proved injurious to him¬ 
self at the moment, inasmuch as 
the French had concentrated a 
mighty power, from which it re¬ 
quired both skill and fortune to 
escape. Meanwhile the Spanish 
armies, let loose by this union of 
all the French troops, kept aloof, 
or, coming to aid, were fouud a 
burden rather than a help.”— 
Napier. 

November 7. 

1813. On the 6th and 7th of 
November, Wellington moved Sir 


Rowland Hill’s division from 
Roncesvalles to the Bastan, with 
the intention of attacking Soult, 
leaving Mina on the position of 
Altobiscar and in the Alluides. 
The other corps had also received 
their orders, and the battle was to 
commence on the 8th; but Gen. 
Freyre suddenly declared that, 
unable to subsist on the moun¬ 
tains, he must withdraw a part of 
his troops. This was a scheme 
to obtain provisions from the En¬ 
glish magazines, and it was suc¬ 
cessful, but this compliance only 
served the purpose of the moment. 
When this difficulty was sur¬ 
mounted, heavy rains caused the 
attack to be again deferred; but 
on the 10th, ninety thousand com¬ 
batants of all arms and ranks, 
above seventy-four thousand being 
Anglo-Portuguese, descended to 
the battle, and with them went 
ninety-five pieces of artillery, 
added to which were 4500 cavalry. 

November 8. 

1710. Reduction op Aire.— 
Having reconnoitred the army of 
Villars, and found that his posi¬ 
tion was unassailable, the confe¬ 
derate generals proceeded against 
Aire and St. Venant, whose situa¬ 
tion admitted of a simultaneous 
investment. After a march of 
three days, they took post to cover 
the intended operation; the right, 
under Eugene, stretching to the 
Lys near Terouenne, and the left 
under Marlborough, to Fillers on 
the Lave. On the 6th the tivo 
places were invested; the attack 
of Aire was confided to the 
Prince of Anhalt, with 40 bat¬ 
talions and 40 squadrons. The 
heavy artillery and ammunition 
for the siege were embarked the 
same morning at Menin, under a 
guard of several battalions from 
the neighbouring garrisons, and a 









336 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 9. 


detachment of horse from the 
army; this convoy was to be 
landed at Murville near St. Ve- 
nant on the west. The town of 
Aire, situated on the Lys, was for¬ 
tified by regular bastions, half¬ 
moons, and hornworks, and the 
ditches inundated by the waters 
of the Lys. It had a garrison of 
14 battalions and three regiments 
of dragoons, under the command 
of the brave and skilful Gen. De 
Guebriant. At a little distance 
from the town was the fort of St. 
Francis, small, but strongly and 
regularly fortified; and both the 
town and the fort were protected 
by marshes and inundations. 
While the two generals were 
anxiously expecting the arrival of 
the convoy from Menin, they re¬ 
ceived information of its having 
been surprised and destroyed by 
the enemy. Notwithstanding this 
disaster St. Venant capitulated 
on the 29th October. Aire, how¬ 
ever, maintained a vigorous and 
protracted defence, and the reduc¬ 
tion of this petty place was not 
accomplished until the 8th of 
November, when the garrison, 
amounting to 3628 men and 1600 
sick, surrendered. This conquest 
was purchased dearly by the allies; 
their loss in killed and wounded 
amounted to no less than 7000 
men, exclusive of sick. 

1791. Fort Iyistna gerry 
taken. — The detachment, con¬ 
sisting of four battalions, under 
Lieut.-Col. Maxwell, from the 
army of Lord Cornwallis, to at¬ 
tack any force of the enemy he 
might find in the Baramaul, after 
reducing Pinagra, arrived within 
four miles of Kistnagerry on the 
7th November. On the advanced 
guard arriving up, a body of five 
or six hundred troops, with stan¬ 
dards, were drawn up in good 
order between the fort and the 
detachment, but the force with¬ 


drew on the approach of our line. 
Col. Maxwell, finding that the 
pettah had not been deserted, de¬ 
termined to attack it during the 
night. The position being recon¬ 
noitred in the afternoon, two 
parties moved at midnight in 
different directions. The walls 
were escaladed both to the right 
and left at the same time, and in 
fifteen minutes the pettah and 
lower fort, which had been de¬ 
fended by two hundred regular 
troops and a large body of Peons, 
were completely in possession of 
the assailants. Such of the fugi¬ 
tives as attempted to gain the 
rock were pursued by our troops, 
and many slain. A gun placed 
on the road was spiked, and the 
lower fort and pettah set on 
fire by the English, whose loss 
amounted to 6 killed, 69 wounded, 
and three missing. 

November 9. 

1412. St. Cloud taken. — 
Henry IV., having sent divers 
lords and knights, with 1200 
archers, under the Earls Arundel 
and Angus, to the assistance of 
the Duke of Burgundy in France, 
in support of his faction in that 
country against the Duke of 
Orleans, they marched towards 
Paris; and on the 9th of Novem¬ 
ber, after a sharp contest, the 
English took the town and bridge 
of St. Cloud: 900 soldiers were 
slain or drowned, and among 400 
prisoners who were taken, was Sir 
Manserd de Bos, who was after¬ 
wards put to death, as were divers 
others, which the Burgundians 
bought of the Englishmen, as trai¬ 
tors to their country. After ano¬ 
ther action, which took place 
shortly afterwards, the Earl of 
Angus refused to do the like by 
his prisoners, answering for him¬ 
self and the rest of the English¬ 
men, that they would rather all 






November 10. CALENDAR 


die on the spot than suffer their 
prisoners to be used otherwise 
than as men of war ought to be; 
that their lives should be saved 
and ransomed according to the 
laws of arms. The Duke of 
Burgundy now triumphing over 
the Duke of Orleans, the English 
returned home with his hearty 
thanks and liberal rewards. 

1580. The Pope having suc¬ 
coured the Earl of Desmond, in 
his rebellion against Elizabeth, by 
sending him Italian, Spanish, and 
other troops, a portion of this 
force landed on the west coast 
of Ireland and intrenched them¬ 
selves in a fort called Castel 
del Ore. Lord Grey of Wilton, 
sent by Elizabeth to Ireland, hear¬ 
ing of their having landed, 
marched towards them, and at 
the same time the Swil't, the 
Tyger, the Aid, and the Merlin, 
with other Queen’s ships, arrived 
on the coast with munitions of 
war. On the 7th November, his 
lordship invested the fortress, and 
on the 9th, the garrison was com¬ 
pelled to surrender. More than 
four hundred Spaniards, Italians, 
and Biscayans, together with con¬ 
siderable numbers of native Irish, 
were put to the sword. 

1812. Combat at Alba.— 
While Wellington prepared for a 
battle, he also looked to a retreat. 
His sick were sent to the rear, 
and convoys of provisions were 
ordered up from Ciudad Rodrigo 
to certain halting places between 
that fortress and Salamanca. On 
the 9th of November, Long’s ca¬ 
valry had been driven in upon 
Alba, and on the 10th, Soult 
opened a concentrated fire of 
eighteen guns against that place. 
The castle, which crowned a rocky 
knoll, had been hastily intrench¬ 
ed, and furnished scarcely any 
shelter; and for two hours the 
garrison could only reply with 


OF VICTORY. 337 


musketry; but finally it was aided 
by the fire of four pieces from the 
left bank of the river, and the 
post defended until dark with 
such vigour that the enemy dared 
not venture on an assault. During 
the night Gen. Hamilton rein¬ 
forced the garrison, repaired the 
damaged walls, and formed barri¬ 
cades; but the next morning, after 
a short cannonade, the enemy 
withdrew. The allies lost above 
one hundred men. 

November 10. 

1781. Reduction of Chit- 
toor. —After relieving Vellore on 
the 4th of November, which in 
four or five days more must either 
have been evacuated, or given up 
to the enemy, Sir Eyre Coote 
proceeded to Chittoor, to which he 
laid siege on the 8th, and on the 
10th, the place capitulated. 

1813. Battle of the Ni- 
velle. —Lord Wellington, seeing 
that Soult’s right could not be 
forced without great loss, resolved 
to hold it in check while he turned 
it by forcing the centre and left, 
pushing down the Nivelle to San 
Pe. With this view, the 2nd and 
6th British divisions, Hamilton’s 
Portuguese, Morillo’s Spaniards, 
four of Mina’s battalions, and 
Grant’s brigade of cavalry, in all 
26,000 fighting men, with nine 
guns, were collected under Gen. 
Hill, in the Bastan, to attack 
D’Erlon—Mina’s troops, and those 
under Carlos d’Espana, occupying 
the position of Roncesvalles. The 
3rd, 4th, and 7th divisions, and 
Giron’s Andalusians, the whole 
under Marshal Beresford, were 
disposed about the Puerto de 
Echallar, and the slopes of the 
Rhune towards the Sarre. On the 
left of this body, the light division 
and Longa’s Spaniards, both un¬ 
der Charles Alten, were disposed 


z 







338 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 11 . 


on the slope of the Rhune towards 
Acain. Alten’s brigade of light 
cavalry and three British bat¬ 
teries were placed on the road to 
Sarre, followed by six mountain 
guns. Thus 36,000 men, with 24 
guns, were concentrated to attack 
Clauzel. Gen. Freyre’s Spaniards 
—about 9000, with 6 guns—were 
on Alten’s left, while the 1 st and 5th 
divisions, Wilson’s, Bradford’s 
and Aylmer’s brigades of infantry, 
Vandeleui'’s light dragoons, and 
the heavy German cavalry, in all 
about 19,000 men, with 54 guns, 
the whole under Gen. Hope, were 
opposed to Soult’s right wing ; 
and the naval squadron, hovering 
on Hope’s left flank, was to aid 
the land operations. All these 
troops gained their respective sta¬ 
tions so secretly during the night 
of the 9 th November, that the 
enemy had no suspicion of their 
presence, although for several 
hours the columns were lying 
within half musket-shot of their 
works. On the 10th, the day 
broke with great splendour, and 
as the first ray of light played on 
the summit of the lofty Atchubia, 
the signal guns were fired in rapid 
succession from its summit. The 
French beheld with astonishment 
several columns rushing forward 
from the flank of the great Rhune, 
and a few pieces of artillery 
opened from the heights on either 
side. The 43rd regiment crossed 
the marsh, and assailed the ene¬ 
my’s position on the lower part of 
the “ Hog’s Back,” and being sup¬ 
ported by the Portuguese bat¬ 
talions, in less than twenty 
minutes 600 veteran soldiers were 
driven out of this labyrinth ; yet 
not so easily, but that the victors 
lost: eleven officers and 67 men ; 
but the whole mountain was soon 
cleared of the French. “ It was 
now 8 o’clock. Hope, menacing 
all thb French lines on the low 


ground, sent the sound of a hun¬ 
dred pieces of artillery bellowing 
up the rocks, answered by nearly 
as many from the tops of the 
mountains, and fifty thousand 
men came rushing down the slopes 
of the great Atchubia with l'ing- 
ing shouts.”* The principal ac¬ 
tion was on a space of seven or 
eight miles, but the battle spread 
wide, and in no point had the 
combinations failed. Far on the 
right, Gen. Hill had got within 
reach of the enemy a little before 
7 o’clock, and soon drove them 
from their position. The division 
of Conroux, after gallantly de¬ 
fending the old works, was over¬ 
powered, and the redoubt of Louis 
XVI. stormed by the third divi¬ 
sion. Until nightfall, the whole 
line towards the sea continued to 
engage, but with great advantage 
to the allies. Lord Wellington 
passed the Nivelle at San Pe, and 
as Villatte’s reserve occupied 
Serres, Freyre and Longa entered 
Ascain. Reille having withdrawn 
into St. Jean de Luz, and de¬ 
stroyed all the bridges on the 
Lower Nivelle, the whole of the 
French retired, and at daybreak 
reached the heights of Bidart, on 
the road to Bayonne. The loss 
of the allies amounted to 300 
killed, and 2400 wounded. 

r 

November 11. 

1781. Reduction of Nega- 
patam. — Sir Hector Munroe 
stormed the strong lines which 
the enemy had thrown up, co¬ 
vered by redoubts to defend the 
approach to the town, on which 
occasion the troops of all de¬ 
nominations distinguished them¬ 
selves by a steady and determined 
bravery. On the 3rd of Novem¬ 
ber, the besiegers broke gi*ound 
before the north face of the fort, 
* Napier. 






November 12. CALENDAR 


and the approaches were carried on 
with great rapidity. On the 5th, 
Sir Edward Hughes moved a part 
of his squadron nearer to the fort 
on the flank of the British lines ; 
and on the 7th, a battery of ten 
18-pounders, within three hundred 
yards of the walls, was ready to 
open. A summons was now sent 
in to the governor, who declined 
entering into any arrangement for 
the surrender of the place, and 
declared his determination to de¬ 
fend it to the last extremity. 
During the siege, the enemy made 
two desperate sorties with the 
larger portion of the garrison, 
but were each time beaten back 
into the town with great loss. In 
the afternoon of the 10th, the 
breaching battery being ready, four 
18-pounders were got into position, 
and produced considerable effect 
on the face of the bastion. During 
the night four more 18-pounders 
were placed on the same battery, 
and the whole opened at daylight 
on the 11th. Soon after this, the 
enemy demanded a parley, and 
sent two commissioners to the 
camp with terms of capitulation. 
Early in the morning of the 12th, 
the admiral landed, and the terms 
being signed and ratified, in the 
afternoon the gates of both the 
town and citadel were taken pos¬ 
session of by the British troops. 
The garrison amounted to 8000 
men, consisting of 500 Europeans, 
700 Malays, 4500 sepoys, and 
2300 of Hyder Ally’s troops, of 
whom 1000 were cavalry ; but 
these latter fled when the first at¬ 
tack was made upon the enemy, 
and never returned. The loss 
sustained by the British during 
the siege of Negapatam amounted 
to 28 killed, 99 wounded, and 
9 missing. 

1813. Action at Chrystler’s 
Farm. — On the 11th of Novem¬ 
ber, Lieut.-Col. Morrison, with 


OF VICTORY. 339 


800 men, consisting of the reduced 
companies of the 49th and 86th 
regiments, attacked the American 
force of 3500 men, under Gen. 
Wilkinson, at Chrystler’s farm, 
on Lake Ontario. At about half¬ 
past two o’clock, the action be¬ 
came general. An attempt to 
turn the left of the British was 
gallantly repelled by not more 
than 415 rank and file ; and that 
corps, moving resolutely forward, 
defeated an effort to assail the 
right of our position. In spite of 
the arrival of a reinforcement, the 
Americans gradually lost ground, 
and at half-past four they gave 
way at all points. The loss of the 
British amounted to 182 men 
killed and wounded. The enemy, 
according to their own account, 
had 102 men killed, and 237 
wounded. 

November 12. 

1715. Battle near Dum- 
blaine. —On the 12th Nov. the 
royal army, commanded by the 
Duke of Argyle, consisting of 
3500 men, was drawn up in or¬ 
der of battle on the heights to the 
nortlrward of Dumblaine, in Perth¬ 
shire. The clans from the centre 
and right wing of the rebel army, 
under the Earl of Mar, charged 
the left of the king’s troops so 
furiously that they were routed 
with great slaughter. In the mean¬ 
time the Duke of Argyle, com¬ 
manding in person on the right, 
putting himself at the head of 
Evans’ dragoons, routed the ene¬ 
my’s left. The attack was sup¬ 
ported by Brigadier Wightman, 
with three battalions, who, with 
the corps under the duke, took up 
a position to resist the victorious 
right of the rebel force, which 
amounted to 5000 men. In this 
posture both armies fronted each 
other until evening, when tbe 









340 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 12. 


duke drew off towards Dum- 
blaine. and the rebels retired to 
Ardoch, leaving four pieces of 
cannon in the lield, which were 
captured by the king’s troops on 
the following day. The loss of 
each army did not exceed 500 
men. This battle may be said to 
have terminated the rebellion, as 
no conflict took place afterwards. 

1715. Battle op Preston.— 
In this battle, between the insur¬ 
gents under Foster and the British 
under General Wills, the first at¬ 
tack was successful on the part of 
the Scots ; but General Wills 
being reinforced by General Car¬ 
penter, the royal army invested 
Preston on all sides on the 12th 
November, and the Scots at length 
laid down their arms. The nobles 
and leaders being secured, some 
were shot as deserters, and others 
were sent to London, pinioned, 
and bound together, to intimidate 
their party. 

1813. Passage of the Nivelle. 
—After the victorious advance of 
the British army under Welling¬ 
ton on the 10th, the allies halted 
on the position they had gained 
in the centre; but an accidental 
conflagration in a wood com¬ 
pletely separated the pickets to¬ 
wards Ascain from the main body, 
and spreading far and wide over 
the heath, lighted up all the 
hills, a blazing sign of war to 
France. On the 11th the army 
advanced in order of battle. Sir 
John Hope on the left forded the 
river about St. Jean deLuz with his 
infantry, and marched to Bidart. 
Marshal Beresford, in the centre, 
moved by the roads leading upon 
Arbonne. General Hill, commu¬ 
nicating by his right with Morillo, 
who was on the rocks of Monda- 
rin, brought his left forward into 
communication with Beresford, 
and with his centre took posses¬ 
sion of Suraide and Espelette, 


facing towards Cambo. The de¬ 
lay in repairing the bridges gave 
the Duke of Dalmatia time to 
rally his army upon a third line 
of fortified camps, which he had 
previously commenced, the right 
resting on the coast at Bidart, 
the centre at Helbacen Borda, the 
left at Ustaritz on the Nive. The 
front extended about eight miles; 
but Soult dreading a second bat¬ 
tle on so wide a field, drew back 
his centre and left to Arbonne and 
Arauntz, broke down the bridges 
on the "Nive at Ustaritz; and at 
two o’clock a slight skirmish, 
commenced by the allies in the 
the centre, closed the day’s pro¬ 
ceedings. The next morning the 
French retired to the ridge of 
Beyris, having their right in ad¬ 
vance at Anglet, and their left in 
the intrenched camp of Bayonne, 
near Marac. During this move¬ 
ment a dense fog arrested the 
allies, but when the day cleared 
Sir John Hope took post at Bidart 
on the left, and Beresford occu¬ 
pied Aletze, Arbonne, and the hill 
of San Barbe, in the centre. Gene¬ 
ral Hill’s efforts to pass the fords 
and restore the bridges of Ustaritz 
were baffled by the heavy rains, 
whilst both points were success¬ 
fully defended by Foy. Conti¬ 
nuing his retreat during the night, 
Foy reached Cambo and Ustaritz 
on the 11th, just in time to re¬ 
lieve Abbe’s division at those 
posts, and on the 12th defended 
them against General Hill. Such 
were the principal circumstances 
of the battle of the Nivelle, whereby 
Soult was driven from a mountain 
position, which he had been forti¬ 
fying for three months. He lost 
four thousand two hundred and 
sixty-five men, including twelve 
hundred prisoners. His field- 
magazines at St. Jean de Luz and 
Espelette fell into the hands of 
the victors, and fifty-one pieces of 






November 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 341 


cannon, principally abandoned in 
the redoubts of the low country, 
were taken. On the part of the 
allies, Gens. Kempt and Byng 
were wounded : their total loss 
amounted to two thousand six 
hundred and ninety-four men. 

Xffovember 13. 

1781. Battle of Hillsbo¬ 
rough.— A body of Americans 
being stationed at Hillsborough, 
in North Carolina, they were at¬ 
tacked by a party of loyalists, 
under the guidance of Cols. Fan¬ 
ning and Hector M‘Neil on 13th 
November. After a forced march 
of forty-five miles, Col. Luterel 
and fifteen men were killed by 
the loyalists, who made Governor 
Burke, with 13 officers and 60 
men, prisoners. On the return of 
the party, they were attacked by 
a rebel force of 600 men, posted 
at Linley’s Mills. The royal 
militia charged the enemy with 
such resolution that they were 
routed with the loss of sixty killed 
and many prisoners. On our side 
forty were left on the field. Col. 
M*Neil fell in the first onset, 
and Col. Fanning was among the 
wounded; but not so severely as 
to relinquish the command of his 
brave companions, who, meeting 
no further opposition, returned to 
Raft’s Swamp, after a march of 
300 miles on the 20th, bringing 
with them 200 prisoners. 

1783. Paulghaut stormed.— 
On the recommencement of hos¬ 
tilities with Tippoo at Manga¬ 
lore, Col. Fullarton advanced to¬ 
wards Paulghaut, and after a 
laborious and fatiguing march 
through a dense forest, reached 
the fortress in November. By the 
13th batteries had been erected, 
and on the evening of that day 
the European grenadiers of the 
first Madras regiment drove the 


enemy out of the covered-way; and 
having entered with the fugitives 
within the principal gates, the gar¬ 
rison surrendered at discretion. 

1804. Defeat at Deig.— 
Gen. Lake had taken the field, 
but, instead of making a dash at 
Holkar’s infantry, he wasted his 
energies in fruitless efforts to 
bring the Mahratta cavalry to 
action, and, when these failed, re¬ 
mained inactive at Mattra. This 
delay induced Holkar to attempt 
the surprise of Delhi and the 
possession of the emperor’s per¬ 
son, in which he nearly succeeded. 
His failure must chiefly be attri¬ 
buted to the skill and valour of 
Cols. Ochterlony and Burn, who, 
with a small body of sepoys, 
made a successful sortie, repelled 
an assault, and under incessant 
fatigue defended a city ten miles 
in circumference. Gen. Lake 
marched to the relief of the ca¬ 
pital; but Holkar’s cavalry had 
gone, five days before his arrival, 
towards the states of the Rajah of 
Bhurtpore, who had broken his 
engagements to the English go¬ 
vernment. Gen. Fraser under¬ 
took the pursuit, and on the 13th 
November came up with the Mah¬ 
ratta infantry, strongly posted 
near the fortress of Deig. Fraser, 
heading the charging battalions, 
drove the enemy from their guns, 
and was advancing on the second 
line of batteries, when he fell 
mortally wounded. Col. Monson 
on whom the command now 
devolved, drove the enemy until 
they got under the walls of the 
fort. One body, who attempted 
to make a stand, was driven into 
the lake, and many of them were 
drowned. Eighty pieces of can¬ 
non were taken. 

1817. Flight of Bajee Rao. 
— Gen. Smith having joined the 
force at Kerkee on the evening of 
13th November, prepared to at- 









342 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 14. 


tack the Peishwa’s camp; but 
Bajee Rao, afraid to hazard ano¬ 
ther engagement, fled to Sattara, 
abandoning his capital to the 
mercy of the British. 

1839. Bokhara stormed.— 
The army of the Indus having 
reached Cabul on the 6th August, 
after a march of more than 1500 
miles, Dost Mohammed, abandon¬ 
ing his baggage and artillery, 
fled with a few followers over the 
Hazareh mountains into Bok¬ 
hara. In order to follow up the 
conquest, Major Outram was sent 
to tranquillise certain disturbed 
districts between Cabul and Can- 
dahar. Nor was the treachery of 
the Khan of Khelat forgotten : 
General Wiltshire led a strong 
corps against his fortress. After 
some smart skirmishes in the 
neighbourhood of Khelat, the be¬ 
siegers resolved to adopt the same 
course of tactics which had proved 
so successful at Guznee. A storm¬ 
ing party succeeded in blowing 
open the gate, and made their 
way into the town, but the enemy 
disputed every inch of ground up 
to the walls of the inner citadel. 
At length the troops forced their 
way into the last stronghold of 
the capital of Beloochistan. A 
desperate defence was here made 
by Mehrat Khan, and he, with 
several of the chiefs, were among 
the slain. 

November 14. 

1751. Defence of Arcot.— 
Chunda Saib, greatly enraged at 
the unexpected fall of his capital, 
sent his son, Rajah Saib, with a 
force of four thousand men, to 
expel the English. Being re¬ 
inforced by one hundred and fifty 
Europeans from Pondicherry and 
three thousand men that had col¬ 
lected around the fugitive gar¬ 
rison of Arcot, this formidable 
force found no difficulty in en¬ 


tering the city. Clive, notwith¬ 
standing the great disparity of 
strength, resolved to dislodge 
them, and sallied from the fort 
with his artillery ; but the enemy, 
occupying the houses with their 
musketry, compelled Clive to re¬ 
treat with some loss ; and on the 
following day, reinforced by two 
thousand men from Vellore, they 
commenced a regular siege of 
the citadel. Although Clive’s 
guns were soon disabled, he so 
retarded the operations of the 
besiegers, by making frequent 
sorties, that it was a fortnight 
before they could effect a breach. 
Two of considerable extent were 
at length opened, and Clive pre¬ 
pared for their defence, though 
he had only eighty Europeans 
and one hundred and twenty se¬ 
poys fit for duty; but he had 
contrived to infuse into this little 
band a portion of his own indo¬ 
mitable spirit, and they resolved 
to hold out until the last ex¬ 
tremity. Rajah Saib made his 
assault on the 14th November, 
the anniversary of the martyrdom 
of Ali’s family, the festival most 
reverenced by these Moham¬ 
medans. When the assailants 
advanced, they found themselves 
exposed to works that command¬ 
ed the breaches as well as the 
traverses; and these cross-fires 
were so well maintained that the 
enemy were mowed down by en¬ 
tire ranks. They nevertheless 
made repeated efforts to establish 
themselves ; but being driven 
back with the loss of 400 men 
killed and wounded, they aban¬ 
doned the attempt, and evacuated 
the town that night, after having 
maintained the siege for fifty 
days. On the following morning, 
Clive being joined by a detach¬ 
ment from Madras, and a bodv 
of Mahrattas, commenced an ac¬ 
tive pursuit, and, having over- 








November 15. CALENDAR 


taken the enemy, inflicted npon 
them a severe defeat. He then 
recovered Conjeveram, which had 
been garrisoned by the French. 

1798. Reduction of Minorca. 
—On the 7th of November, after 
destroying a battery at the en¬ 
trance of the bay of Addaya, the 
first division of the army under 
Lieut.-General the Hon. Charles 
Stuart, consisting of 800 men, 
effected a landing; and just at 
this moment, when a considerable 
explosion to the westward indi¬ 
cated that the Spaniards had 
abandoned the works at For- 
nellcs, 2000 of the enemy’s troops 
were seen approaching. This 
force was, however, repulsed with 
some loss, and the post was 
maintained until the debarkation 
of the different divisions was 
effected. Col. Graham, with 600 
men, overcoming the difficulty 
arising from the badness of roads, 
reached Mercadal a few hours 
after the main force of the enemy 
had proceeded to Ciudadella; and 
the remainder of the army also 
arrived at Mercadal on the 9th, 
when Col. Paget, with 300 men, 
being detached, took possession 
of Mahon, making the governor 
and 160 men prisoners. Learn¬ 
ing that the enemy was throwing 
up works in front of Ciudadella, 
the army marched towards that 
place. Ilaving invested the town 
on the 13th, by daybreak on the 
following morning the troops 
formed in order of battle, the 
line extending four miles in front 
of the enemy’s batteries. A 
timely parley, and the appearance 
of the squadron of Commodore 
Duckworth, occasioned the ces¬ 
sation of hostilities. Terms of 
capitulation being ratified on the 
loth, the town and fortress of 
Ciudadella was delivered up to 
His Britannic Majesty. The gar¬ 
rison, having marched out with 


OF VICTORY. 343 


the honours of war, was conveyed 
to the nearest Spanish port. 

November 15. 

1793. Siege of Toulon. —On 
the evening, of the 15th Novem¬ 
ber, the republican troops made 
a vigorous attack upon fort Mul- 
grave, situated on the heights of 
Balaguier : the first assault was 
directed against the right, where 
the Spaniards were stationed, who 
retreated in disorder, firing their 
muskets to create alarm. Major- 
Gen. O’Hara fortunately arriving 
at that moment from on board the 
Victory, directed a company of 
the royals to advance, and these 
gallant fellows instantly leaped 
the works and routed the enemy 
with the bayonet. The loss of 
the allies in this affair amounted 
to 61 men killed and wounded, 
including among the latter, Capt. 
Duncan Campbell of the royals, 
and Lieut. Lemoine of the artil¬ 
lery. The French are supposed 
to have lost 600 in killed and 
wounded. 

1812. Retreat to Ciudad 
Rodrigo. —During the night of 
the 14th of November and the 
morning of the 15th, the allied 
army was united in the position 
of the Arapiles, and Wellington, 
to secure the passage of the Jun- 
guen stream, placed the first divi¬ 
sion at Aldea Tejada, in case of 
being compelled by Soult to 
choose between Salamanca and 
Ciudad Rodrigo. Meantime the 
army of Portugal crossed the 
Tormes at Galisancho, and moved 
up to the ridge of Utiera, whilst 
Soult extended his left to the 
height of Lehora de la Buena, 
near the Ciudad Rodrigo road. 
The evolution was similar to that 
of the Duke of Ragusa at the 
battle of Salamanca ; but it was 
on a wider scale,—a second range 







344 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 16 


of heights enclosing, as it were, 
those by which Marmont moved 
on that day, and consequently 
beyond the reach of such a sud¬ 
den attack and catastrophe. 
“ The result,” says the great his¬ 
torian, “ in each case was remark¬ 
able,— Marmont, closing with a 
short quick turn, a falcon striking 
at an eagle, received a buffet that 
broke his pinions, and spoiled his 
flight. Soult, a weary kite, sail¬ 
ing slowly and with a wide wheel 
to seize a helpless prey, lost it al¬ 
together.”* Lord Wellington 
seeing the French cavalry point¬ 
ing towards the Ciudad Rodrigo 
road, judged that the king’s in¬ 
tention was to establish a for¬ 
tified head of cantonments at 
Mozarbes, and then operate 
against the communication of the 
allies with Ciudad Rodrigo; 
wherefore, suddenly throwing his 
army into three columns, he cross¬ 
ed the Junguen, and then, cover¬ 
ing his left flank with his cavalry 
and artillery, defiled in order of 
battle before the enemy at little 
more than cannon-shot. With a 
wonderful boldness and facility, 
and good fortune also,—for there 
was a thick fog and a heavy 
rain, which rendered the by-ways 
nearly impassable, while the allies 
had the use of the high-roads,—he 
carried his whole army in one 
mass quite round the French left; 
thus gaining the Valmusa river, 
where he halted for the night, in 
the rear of those who had been 
threatening him in front only a 
few hours before. 

November 16. 

1776. Capture of Fort 
Washington. —The rebels bein<r 
in possession of fort Washington, 
and fort Lee, on the opposite 
shore of Jersey, were almost mas- 
* Napier 


ters of the- North River; prepara¬ 
tions were therefore made by Sir 
William Howe to drive the enemy 
from New York island. On the 
11th November the fort was sum¬ 
moned. Lieut.-Col. Paterson, the 
commandant, having expressed 
his determination to defend it to 
the last extremity, the general re¬ 
solved on making four attacks. 
The first against the enemy’s left, 
in two columns, under General 
Ivnyphausen, formed by detach¬ 
ments of Hessians, the brigade 
of Raille, and the regiment of 
Waldeck. The second, under 
command of Brigadier-Gen. Mat¬ 
thew, consisted of the 2nd bat¬ 
talion of light infantry and two 
battalions of guards. These were to 
land in Harlem creek from thirty 
flat-boats, and to be supported 
by the first and second battalions 
of grenadiers and 33rd regiment, 
under Lord Cornwallis. The 
third was a feint to be made to¬ 
wards New York; and the fourth 
attack by Lord Percy, who, with 
the corps under his command, 
was to assault the right flank of 
the rebels, on the side of York 
island. Lieut.-Gen. Ivnyphausen 
moved forward about noon, and 
soon became exposed to a sharp 
fire; but being gallantly supported 
by the second corps, the enemy 
was compelled to retire. Mean¬ 
while Lieut.-Col. Stirling moved 
to support Lord Percy, and hav¬ 
ing landed on York island, forced 
his way up a steep height, and 
took 170 prisoners. Then pene¬ 
trating across the island, he faci¬ 
litated Lord Percy’s success in 
defeating the force opposed to 
him. Col. Raille leading the right 
column of Gen. Ivnyphausen’s di¬ 
vision, after much opposition, 
forced the enemy from their 
strongholds, and having lodged 
his column within 100 yards of 
the fort, summoned them to sur- 






November 17. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 345 


render. On the arrival up of Gen. 
Knyphausen, the enemy surren¬ 
dered prisoners of war to the 
number of 2700 men, having lost 
53 killed and 90 wounded. Gen. 
Howe was much pleased with the 
conduct of all employed on this 
occasion, and in compliment to 
the Hessian general he changed 
the name of fort Washington to 
that of Knyphausen. 

1777. Reduction of Mud 
Island. — From the difficulties 
attending the construction of 
additional batteries in a morass 
against the fort upon Mud Island, 
and on the transportation of guns 
and stores, they were not opened 
against the enemy until the 10th 
of November. On the 15th, the 
the wind proving fair, the Vigi¬ 
lant armed ship, mounting sixteen 
24-pounders, and a hulk with 
three guns of the same calibre, 
got up through the channel be¬ 
tween Providence and Hog islands. 
These vessels, assisted by several 
ships of war in the eastern chan¬ 
nel, as well as by the batteries on 
shore, did such execution upon 
the fort and collateral block¬ 
houses, that the enemy, dreading 
an impending assault, evacuated 
the island between the 15th and 
16th, and it was taken possession 
of at daybreak on the 16th by the 
grenadiers of the guards. The 
loss of the enemy during the 
siege is computed at 400 men 
killed and wounded, whilst that 
of the king’s troops was only 7 
men killed and 5 wounded. 

November 17. 

1812. Combat of the Hue- 
bra.— During the night of the 
17th November, the cavalry im¬ 
mediately in front of the light 
division had filed off to the rear 
without giving any intimation to 
the infantry, who, trusting to the 


horsemen, had placed their pickets 
at a short distance in front. As 
the day broke, some strange horse¬ 
men were seen in the rear of the 
bivouac, and were at first taken 
for Spaniards ; but the mistake 
was soon evident, and the troops 
speedily stood to arms. This dis¬ 
covery was made in good time ; 
for, five hundred yards in front, 
the wood opened on to a large 
plain, on which eight thousand 
French horsemen were seen ad¬ 
vancing in a solid mass, without 
suspecting the proximity of the 
British. The division was imme¬ 
diately formed in columns : a 
squadron of the 14th dragoons, 
and one of the German hussars 
came hastily up from the rear, 
whilst the cavalry of Julian San¬ 
chez appeared in small parties on 
the right flank, and every pre¬ 
caution was taken to secure a re¬ 
treat. As the British fell back, 
the French sent forward several 
squadrons ; and as the thickness 
of the forest had enabled them to 
pass along unperceived on the 
flanks of the line of march, as the 
opportunity offered, they swept 
away the baggage, sabring the 
conductors and guards, and had 
even menaced one of the columns, 
until checked by the fire of the 
artillery. In one of these charges, 
Gen. Paget was carried off from 
the midst of his own men ; and 
it might have been Wellington’s 
fortune, for he also was continu¬ 
ally riding between the columns, 
and without an escort. However, 
the main body of the enemy soon 
passed the Huebra river, and took 
post behind it. When the light divi¬ 
sion arrived on the 17th November 
at the edge of the table-land which 
overhangs the fords of Gallego 
de Huebra, the French cavalry 
suddenly thickened, and the sharp 
whistle of musket-bullets, with the 
splintering of branches on the 
















346 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. ETovember 18. 


left, showed that their infantry 
were also up. Soult had pushed 
his columns towards that place, 
by a road leading from Salamanca 
through Vecinos, but finding 
Hill’s troops in his front, turned 
short to his right, in hopes to cut 
off the rearguard. The English 
and Gei'man cavalry, warned by 
the musketry, crossed the fords 
in time, and the light division 
should have followed. Instead of 
which, an order was given to form 
squares ; but Wellington fortu¬ 
nately appeared, and, under his 
directions, the battalions instantly 
glided off to the fords, leaving- 
four companies of the 43rd regi¬ 
ment, and one of the rifles, to 
cover the passage. These com¬ 
panies spreading as skirmishers, 
were immediately assailed in front 
and on both flanks, and with such 
a fire that it was evident a large 
force was before them ; moreover, 
a driving rain and mist prevented 
them from seeing their adversaries. 
They, however, maintained their 
ground until the division was be¬ 
yond the river, and then passed 
the fords under a very sharp 
musketry. Only twenty-seven 
soldiers fell; for the tempest beat¬ 
ing in the Frenchmen’s faces, 
baffled their aim; and Ross’s guns, 
playing from the low ground with 
grape, checked the pursuit, but 
the roar of thirty pieces of heavy 
French artillery showed how criti¬ 
cally timed was the passage. The 
banks of the Huebra were steep 
and broken, but the enemy spread 
his infantry along the edge of the 
forest ; there were several fords 
to be guarded, and the bulk of 
the army was massed on the 
right, covering the roads leading 
to Ciudad. A brisk attempt to 
force the fords guarded by the 
52nd regiment, was vigorously 
repulsed, but the skirmishing 
and the cannonade continued 


until dark. The light division, 
forced to keep near the fords and 
in column, lest a sudden rush of 
cavalry should carry off the guns, 
were plunged into at every round, 
yet suffered little loss. 

ETovember 18. 

1759. Action at Munsttrpet. 
— On 11th November, a French 
force of one thousand Europeans, 
100 of whom were hussars, one 
thousand sepoys, two hundred 
native cavalry, with ten pieces of 
artillery, had assembled at Thia- 
gur under Gen. Crillon. A few 
days afterwards it proceeded to¬ 
wards Trichinopoly, and on the 
17th of the same month the ad¬ 
vanced guard occupied Munsur- 
pet, near the Cavery, at Sering- 
ham. Early on the morning of 
the 18th, a small detachment of 
Europeans and natives from the 
garrison, under command of 
Captain Richard Smith of the 
first Madras European regiment, 
crossing the river unperceived, 
suddenly fell upon the French 
detachment in Munsurpet, and 
drove them out with severe loss. 
Following them up rapidly, they 
were compelled to surrender as 
prisoners ; and two guns, with 
all their baggage, were captured. 

1776. Passage of the North 
River. — The only place of 
strength which the enemy now' 
held in the vicinity of New York 
w r as fort Lee, situated on the 
North River, and nearly opposite 
to fort Ivnyphausen. As the pos¬ 
session of this fort would secure 
the entire command of the river, 
and opened a road to penetrate 
into New Jersey, Gen. Hoive re¬ 
solved on an immediate attack. 
For this purpose an additional 
number of boats were sent by the 
admiral to Kingsbridge in the 
night of the 17th of November. 







November 19. CALENDAR 


The first division landed the next 
morning at 8 o’clock about seven 
miles from the fort, while the 
second division marched up the 
east side of the river ; by which 
movements the whole force, con¬ 
sisting of the 1st and 2nd bat¬ 
talions of light infantry, two 
companies of chasseurs, a bat¬ 
talion of British, and two bat¬ 
talions of Hessian grenadiers ; 
two battalions of guards, with the 
33rd and 42nd regiments, with 
their artillery, were landed by 
10 o’clock, under the command 
of Lieut.-Gen. the Earl of Corn¬ 
wallis. The seamen distinguished 
themselves by their zealous efforts 
in dragging the cannon up a nar¬ 
row road, for half a mile, to the 
top of a precipice bounding the 
shore for some miles on the west 
side. Lord Cornwallis immedi¬ 
ately marched against the fort; 
and had not the enemy been ap¬ 
prised of his approach he would 
have surrounded 2000 men, who 
escaped in the utmost confusion, 
leaving their artillery and a quan¬ 
tity of provisions. 

November 19. 

1777. During the transactions 
which led to the surrender of 
Fort Island on the Jerseys, Sir 
William Howe received the un¬ 
welcome intelligence of the un¬ 
fortunate conclusion of the opera¬ 
tions of the northern army under 
the command of Lieut.-General 
Burgoyne. As all thoughts of 
co-operation were now at an end, 
he resolved to secure the free 
navigation of the Delaware, and 
to reduce the fort at Red-bank, 
before any reinforcement from 
Gen. Gates could form a junction 
with Gen. Washington ; he there¬ 
fore detached a corps to Chester, 
under the command of Lord 
Cornwallis, which landed at Bil- 


OF VICTORY. 347 


lingport on the 19th November, 
where they were joined by a di¬ 
vision under Major-General Sir 
Thomas Wilson, having with him 
Brigadier-Gens. Leslie and Patti- 
son, who had arrived a few days 
before from New York. His 
lordship after making the neces¬ 
sary arrangements, marched to 
attack the enemy intrenched at 
Red-bank ; but on his approach 
the rebels spiked their cannon, 
and retired to Mount Holly, 
where they joined a corps of ob¬ 
servation, detached from their 
main army, and encamped at 
White Marsh. Here his lord- 
ship found a considerable quan¬ 
tity of stores ; and having de¬ 
molished the intrenchments, re¬ 
turned with his force by Glouces¬ 
ter on the 27th, and rejoined the 
army at Philadelphia. 

November 20. 

1776. In the month of No¬ 
vember, a small body of the 
rebel troops made an irruption 
into the province of Nova Scotia, 
where they were joined by a 
considerable number of disaf¬ 
fected persons, and by all the 
original French settlers. They 
were commanded by one Jona¬ 
than Eddy, who on the 20th of 
the month sent a summons to 
Lieut -Colonel Joseph Goreham, 
commanding at fort Cumberland, 
to surrender that place imme¬ 
diately. The reply was such as 
might be expected from so spirit¬ 
ed and zealous an officer. Soon 
after this, the lieutenant-colonel 
received a reinforcement of men 
and a supply of stores from Ha¬ 
lifax, sent by Major-Gen. Massey, 
and escorted by some ships of 
war from the squadron of Sir 
George Collier. Thus strength¬ 
ened, he ordered a sortie to be 
made under the direction of 






---- 

348 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 22. 


Major Batt. This service was 
so well conducted that several of 
the enemy’s works were destroyed 
and some of their cannon cap¬ 
tured. The success compelled 
the besiegers to relinquish their 
enterprise and retire from the 
province. 

November 21. 

1854. Gallant Exploit.— 
The Russian advanced posts in 
front of the left of the British 
attack upon Sebastopol having 
taken up a position which incom¬ 
moded our troops in the trenches, 
and while it occasioned not a few 
casualities, took in reverse the 
French troops working in their 
lines, a detachment of the 1st 
rifle brigade, under Lieut. Tryon, 
was directed on the night of the 
20th November to dislodge the 
enemy. This service was most 
gallantly and effectively per¬ 
formed, but with some loss of 
killed and wounded, and at the 
cost of the life of Lieut. Tryon, 
who rendered himself conspi¬ 
cuous on the occasion, and who 
Lord Raglan regrets as “ a most 
promising officer, and held in the 
highest estimation by all.” The 
Russians made several attempts 
to re-establish themselves on the 
ground before daylight on the 
21st, but they were instantly re¬ 
pulsed by Lieut. Bourchier, the 
senior surviving officer. Gen. 
Canrobert so highly prized this 
dashing exploit, that he instantly 
published an Ordre General, 
announcing it to the French 
army, — combining with a just 
tribute to the gallantry of the 
troops the expression of his deep 
sympathy in the regret felt for 
the loss of a young officer of so 
much distinction. 

On the night of the 22nd, and 
on the following morning, shortly 


before daylight, the enemy re¬ 
newed their endeavours to get 
possession of the ground they 
had been driven from; but they 
were repulsed on each occasion 
in the most spirited manner,— in 
the first instance by a detach¬ 
ment of the 4th foot, under Lieut. 
Patrick Robertson, and a work¬ 
ing party of the 57th regiment; 
in the last instance, by the de¬ 
tachment of the 4th regiment 
alone. The conduct of Lieut. 
Robertson and the troops under 
his orders is extolled in the high¬ 
est terms of praise by Brigadier- 
Gen. Eyre. 

November 22. 

1776. When the accounts of 
Lord Cornwallis’s advance against 
fort Lee came to Gen. Greene, he 
gave immediate directions for the 
troops under his command to 
march, in order to secure their 
retreat, by possessing themselves 
of the English neighbourhood, at 
the same time apprising General 
Washington at Hackinsack with 
information of what had occurred. 
The celerity of this movement 
saved the American force ; for 
it was the design of Lord Corn¬ 
wallis to have formed a line 
across, from the place of landing 
to Hackinsack bridge, and there¬ 
by inclosing the whole of the 
enemy’s troops between the North 
and Hackinsack rivers. Wash¬ 
ington advanced with some troops 
to meet Greene, and both took 
post so as to secure Hackinsack 
bridge and retard a pursuit, 
should any be made after them. 
But Washington, not considering 
himself secure at Hackinsack, 
collected about three thousand 
five hundred men, and retreated, 
on 22nd November, to Newark. 






November 23. CALENDAR 


November 23. 

1813. Skirmish at Arcan- 
gues. — In November the head¬ 
quarters of the allied army were 
fixed at St. Jean de Luz, and 
the troops established in perma¬ 
nent cantonments with the fol¬ 
lowing line of battle :—The left 
wing occupied a broad ridge on 
both sides of the great road be¬ 
yond Bidart, their front covered 
by a small stream. The centre, 
posted partly on the continua¬ 
tion of this ridge in front of 
Arcangues, partly on the hill of 
San Barbe, extended by Arrauntz 
to Ustaritz ; whilst the right, be¬ 
ing thrown back to face Count 
D’Erlon’s position, reached from 
Cambo to Itzassu. From this 
position, stretching six miles on 
the front, and eight miles on the 
flank, strong pickets were pushed 
forward to several points, and 
the infantry occupied all the vil¬ 
lages and towns behind, as far 
back as Espelette, Suraide, Actin- 
hoa, San Pe, Sarre, and Ascain. 
One regiment of Vandeleur’s ca¬ 
valry was with the advanced post 
on the left, the remainder were 
sent to Andaya and Urogne. Vic¬ 
tor Alten’s horsemen were about 
San Pe, and the heavy cavalry 
remained in Spain. In this state 
of affairs the establishment of the 
different posts in front led to 
several skirmishes. In one on 
the 18th, Gens. John Wilson and 
Vandeleur were wounded, but on 
the same day Beresford drove 
the French from the bridge of 
Urdains, near the junction of the 
Ustaritz and San Pe roads ; and 
though attacked in force the next 
day, he maintained his acquisi¬ 
tion. A more serious affair oc¬ 
curred on the 23rd in front of 
Arcangues. This village, held by 
the pickets of the light division, 
was two or three miles in front of 


OF VICTORY. 349 


Arbonne, where the nearest sup¬ 
port was cantoned. It is built on 
the centre of a crescent-shaped 
ridge, and the sentries of both 
armies were so close, that the re¬ 
liefs and patrols actually passed 
each other in their rounds ; so 
that a surprise was inevitable, if it 
suited either side to attempt it. 
In order to remedy this, Welling¬ 
ton, with the intention of taking 
possession of the village, pushing 
pickets along the horns of the 
crescent, and establishing a chain 
of posts across the valley between 
them, moved up the forty-third 
and some riflemen for that duty, 
supported by the greater portion 
of the division. The French, after 
a few shots, abandoned Arcan¬ 
gues, Bussuary, and both extre¬ 
mities of the crescent, retiring 
before the pickets to a large for¬ 
tified house, situated at the mouth 
of the valley. This post was sud¬ 
denly attacked by the pickets of 
the forty-third, and the columns 
of support were shown at several 
points of the semicircle. The 
French conceiving they were 
about to be seriously assailed, re¬ 
inforced their position ; a sharp 
skirmish ensued, and the pickets 
were finally withdrawn to the 
ground they had originally gain¬ 
ed, and beyond which they 
should not have been pushed, for 
it was attended with a loss of 
eighty-eight men in killed and 
wounded. 

November 24. 

1759. Submission of the 
Dutch at Ciiinsurah. — In 
August, a Dutch ship filled with 
troops arrived in the river near 
Fulta, which in October was 
joined by six more, having on 
board 700 European soldiers and 
800 Malavs, to reinforce the 
Dutch garrison at Ciiinsurah. 







350 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 24. 


Although Meer Jaffier had been 
intriguing for assistance from the 
Dutch government at that place, 
to rid himself of the English, 
Clive induced him to issue orders 
for the immediate departure of 
the Dutch ships from the river. 
These not being complied with, 
and after some remonstrance with 
their government at Chinsurah, 
the Dutch ships commenced hos¬ 
tilities, by seizing some small En¬ 
glish vessels on the river, detain¬ 
ing their crews, and landing part 
of their own troops, and by strik¬ 
ing the English colours at Fulta 
and Riapore. Although the two 
nations were at peace, the tln*ee 
English ships in the river were 
ordered to attack the Dutch squa¬ 
dron, whilst the small body of 
troops — only 240 European in¬ 
fantry, 80 artillerymen, 1200 se¬ 
poys, a troop of cavalry, some 
militia, and a company of volun¬ 
teers — Avere disposed, some in 
the batteries, to bombard the fleet, 
should it come up the river, 
whilst the remainder were to be 
ready to attack the enemy if they 
landed, and prevent their forming 
a junction with the Dutch garri¬ 
son at Chirfsurah. Col. Forde, 
who had arrived from Masuli- 
patam, and assumed the com¬ 
mand of the troops, marched out 
on the 19th November, and took 
possession of Barnagore. Cross¬ 
ing the river, he moved on to¬ 
wards Chandernagore, and took 
up a position to oppose the Dutch 
troops, should they disembark. 
Disregarding all remonstrance, 
the enemy’s squadron proceeded 
up the river, and anchored on the 
22nd at Saukeval Reach, within 
range of the batteries. On the 
23rd, they landed 700 European 
soldiers, and 800 Malays, and 
then dropped down to Melancholy 
Point, near which the three En¬ 
glish ships were anchored. Col. 


Clive sent orders to Commodore 
Wilson to demand instant res¬ 
titution of the English vessels, 
subjects, and property, and, on 
their refusal, to attack and destroy 
the Dutch squadron. The de¬ 
mand was made on the 24th, and 
peremptorily refused. Disregard¬ 
ing their inequality of force, the 
Company’s ships Calcutta, Capt. 
Wilson, Duke of Dorset, Capt. 
Forrester, and, Hardwicke, Capt. 
Sampson, immediately attacked 
the sevenDutch ships, and after an 
action of two hours’ duration, the 
Dutch commodore hauled down 
his colours ; the remainder soon 
followed the example, with the 
exception of the second in com¬ 
mand, who cut and made sail, 
but was stopped at Culpee by 
two English ships on their way 
up the river. Whilst the ships 
were engaged, Forde was march¬ 
ing through Chandernagore, in¬ 
tending to encamp nearer Chin¬ 
surah. On his way through ruins 
of houses and enclosures, he was 
sharply attacked by the garri¬ 
son, which had marched out 
with four guns to meet him ; 
but they were soon dispersed 
with considerable slaughter; lost 
their guns, and were pursued to 
the bander of their fort. Forde, 
learning on the 25th of the land¬ 
ing of the enemy’s troops from 
their squadron, instantly moved 
oft’ with all his force, and met 
them about four miles off on the 
plains of Bedarra. A sharp ac¬ 
tion immediately ensued, and in 
less than half an hour the Dutch 
were completely routed, with the 
loss of 120 Europeans and *200 
Malays killed ; 150 wounded ; 
and 350 Europeans, exclusive of 
Col. Roussel and 14 officers, and 
200 Malays, prisoners. Of the 
entire Dutch force, only 7 men 
reached Chinsurah. In the course 
of a few days a treaty was en- 







November 25. CALENDAR, OF VICTORY. 351 


tered into with the Dutch, by which 
they agreed to pay 100,000/. for 
the damage sustained by the En¬ 
glish, on condition of the ships and 
prisoners being restored to them. 

November 25. 

1759. Reduction of Fort 
Du Quesne. —Brigadier Forbes 
moved with the last division of 
his forces from Philadelphia on 
the 30th June for the river Ohio, 
a march that was pregnant with 
difficulties and discouragements, 
arising principally from the want 
of military roads; but, over¬ 
coming all these obstacles, he 
arrived at Ray’s-town, ninety 
miles east of fort Du Quesne, 
where he halted with the main 
body of the army. Colonel Fou- 
quet was then detached with 2000 
men to Lyal-Henning, to recon¬ 
noitre the outworks of fort Du 
Quesne. The post being secured, 
Major Grant was detached with 
800 men to discover the object 
of their operations, which was at 
the distance of forty miles. As 
soon as the enemy ascertained 
that this party had advanced 
without support, a body of troops, 
sufficient to surround them, 
marched to cut off their retreat. 
The English stood their ground 
with heroic firmness, and, having 
received the enemy’s fire, rushed 
forward with the bayonet ; but, 
after three hours’ severe contest 
against very superior numbers, 
and having lost their commander, 
who with 300 men were taken 
prisoners to fort Du Quesne, these 
gallant fellows were thrown into 
disorder, and obliged to make a 
rapid retreat to Lyal-Henning. 
Not dismayed by the result of 
Col. Fouquet’s imprudence in not 
moving with the whole force 
under his command to reconnoitre 
the fort, Brigadier Forbes marched 


with his whole army, and with 
such expedition, that his sudden 
and powerful appearance so over¬ 
awed the French garrison of fort 
Du Quesne, that they dismantled 
the fort and withdrew ; some 
escaping in boats, others by land, 
to their settlements and posts on 
the Mississippi, on the 24th of No¬ 
vember, and on the 25th the 
brigadier entered and took per¬ 
manent possession of the fort. 
Having repaired the works, in 
compliment to the minister who 
had planned the operations of the 
war, the name of the fort was 
changed to that of Pittsburg. 

1759. Reduction of Treva- 
tore. —Col. Coote, having arrived 
at Conjeveram on the 21 st Novem¬ 
ber, and assumed the command 
of the army, immediately des¬ 
patched Capt. Preston, of the 
first Madras European regiment, 
to Wandewash, with about two 
hundred men, and the materiel 
for a siege. He likewise detached 
a party from his own regiment 
and the Madras Europeans, under 
Col. Brereton, to attack Trevatore, 
which surrendered on the 25th. 
On the following day, Brereton 
pushed on and joined Col. Preston 
before Wandewash. 

November 26. 

1817. Battle of Seetabal- 
dee. —Notwithstanding the ami¬ 
cable protestations of the Rajah 
Appah Saib, Mr. Jenkins had 
obtained information of his inten¬ 
tion to attack the residency and 
the British cantonments. Pre¬ 
parations for defence were there¬ 
fore made with the greatest ac¬ 
tivity, and the brigade com¬ 
manded by Col. Hopeton Scott 
was moved to occupy the resi¬ 
dency and the adjoining heights 
of Scetabaldee. Here the British, 
who did not number more than 
thirteen hundred and fifty rank 








352 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 27 


and file, were attacked in the 
night of 26th November by 
eighteen thousand of the rajah’s 
troops, including four thousand 
Arabs. During the day the ene¬ 
my dragged artillery to positions 
bearing upon the eastern and 
northern faces of two hills, and 
before sunset had filled the vil¬ 
lage of Telpooree and its neigh- 
houi'ing houses with a large body 
of Arabs. The action commenced 
at 6 o’clock in the evening, by 
the Arabs attacking a party on 
the southern hill. This produced 
a spirited return, and a general 
battle ensued. The efforts of the 
British being to dislodge the ene¬ 
my from the village, it was set 
on fire; but the Arabs, never¬ 
theless, maintained their position 
until midnight, when the troops 
were withdrawn to the right, 
where a battalion on the edge of 
the hill, with a 6-pounder, did 
great execution. On the left, 
Capt. Macdonald, under a ha¬ 
rassing fire, constructed a breast¬ 
work, while his two 6-pounders 
were on the summit of the hill 
and his infantry poured volleys 
into the village. Some of the 
troops having been withdrawn, 
the Arabs exultingly renewed 
their attacks on the working 
party. At sunrise on the 27th, 
the Mahratta cavalry was seen 
drawn up, extending near the 
hills in large masses ; whilst their 
artillery, supported by infantry, 
were well stationed; and from 
seven o’clock the defenders of 
the position had to sustain a well- 
directed fire from nine guns at a 
hundred yards distance, upon the 
lesser hill. The British being 
thrown into some confusion by 
the explosion of a tumbril, the 
Arabs made a bold charge up 
the hill, driving back the detach¬ 
ment with loss, and, having cap¬ 
tured a 6-pounder, directed its 


fire towards the northern hill. 
Encouraged by this success, the 
Mahrattas assailed the British 
lines in every direction. Captain 
Fitzgerald, who held the post, 
having repeatedly asked permis¬ 
sion of Col. Scott to attack the 
enemy, being again denied, took 
upon himself to make a forward 
movement, charged the Mah¬ 
ratta horse with irresistible fury, 
and not only dispersed them, but 
cut to pieces a body of infantry, 
and took two guns which had 
advanced in support of their 
cavalry. The defenders of the 
north hill, giving vent to their 
feelings of admiration of this gal¬ 
lant exploit by loud cheers, and 
rushing forward by an enthu¬ 
siastic impulse, drove the enemy 
down the southern hill, and spiked 
two of their guns. The Arabs 
once more rallied; but being 
taken in flank by a troop of ca¬ 
valry, were routed and dispersed 
over the field. Before noon the 
battle had temiinatcd, and the 
victory of the British over the 
Mahrattas was complete. One- 
fourth of the British force was 
killed or wounded, and among 
that number were seventeen offi¬ 
cers. To complete the defeat of 
the enemy at all points, the ap¬ 
proach of the reinforcements that 
had been ordered up put an end 
to the hope of success in the 
mind of Appah Saib, who com¬ 
menced a negotiation for a re¬ 
newal of friendship, with a so¬ 
lemn declaration that the late 
attack upon the British troops 
was without his will or consent. 
He then withdrew his army from 
the scene of action, as stipulated, 
before any terms could be received. 

November 27. 

1781. Sortie from Gibral¬ 
tar. — A sortie was made from 









November 28. CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 353 


Gibraltar, by a force under Bri¬ 
gadier-General Ross, in three co¬ 
lumns, early on the morning of 
27th November, each column 
being formed of a body of 
pioneers following the advanced 
corps, then artillerymen carrying 
combustibles, a sustaining corps, 
with a reserve in the real* The 
attack was so admirably conduct¬ 
ed that the whole exterior front 
of the enemy’s advanced works 
was assaulted at the same in¬ 
stant; and they were soon com¬ 
pelled to abandon those prodi¬ 
gious fortifications which had been 
constructed with so much labour 
and expense. The pioneers and 
artillery spread their fire with 
such rapidity that in half an hour 
two batteries of ten thirteen-inch 
mortars and three batteries of 
heavy cannon of six guns each, 
with all the lines of approach, 
communication, and traverse, 
were in flames, and everything 
subject to the action of fire was 
finally reduced to ashes. The 
mortars and cannon were spiked, 
their beds, platforms, and carriages 
destroyed ; and as the fire reached 
the magazines, they successively 
exploded. The whole detach¬ 
ment was again in garrison by 
five o’clock, just before break of 
day, having only lost four men 
killed and 25 wounded. 

November 23. 

1753. French attack on Tri- 

CIIINOPOLY DEFEATED. — In the 
early part of November, the French 
at Seringham were reinforced by 
300 Europeans, 200 Topasses, and 
] 000 sepoys, with some artillery. 
During the night of the 27th, the 
whole French force crossed over 
from the island and attacked Tri- 
chinopoly; and whilst the attempt 
was made on Dalton’s battery, 
the Mysoreans and Mahrattas 


were distributed around the city 
to distract the attention of the 
garrison. Six hundred of the 
French battalion were to escalade 
at this point, and 200 more, with 
a body of sepoys, formed the re¬ 
serve, who were to follow the 
advance when they got over the 
walls. At three on the morning 
of the 28th November, they passed 
the ditch at a place nearly dry, 
planted their ladders, and all en¬ 
tered the battery without ai'ousing 
the guard of fifty sepoys and two 
European gunners, who were at 
once despatched ; but some of the 
enemy stumbling into a pit, their 
muskets went otf, and gave the 
alarm. The French immediately 
turned the guns against the place, 
and two parties moved forward, 
one to force open the small gate 
leading into the fort, the other to 
escalade. By this time the gar¬ 
rison were at their posts; and 
Lieutenant Harrison, being second 
in command, assumed the chief 
control,— his commandant, Cap¬ 
tain Kilpatrick, from his late 
wounds, being confined to his 
bed. The escaladers had so far 
succeeded as to plant their lad¬ 
ders against the inner wall, and 
began to ascend; and the officer 
commanding, preceded by his 
drummer, were the first to reach 
the top. The latter was shot and 
thrust over the wall, whilst the 
officer, after receiving two wounds, 
was pulled inside. The artillery 
officer, guided by the frequent 
flashes of fire, pointed his guns 
so effectually as to shatter the 
ladders and kill a number of men. 
The enemy now attempted to re¬ 
treat, and, all their ladders being 
broken, had to leap down on the 
hard rock — a drop of upwards 
of twenty-eight feet. About one 
hundred made the attempt, but 
not one escaped serious injury. 
The rest, in despair, turned, and 


A A 







354 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 30. 


recommenced a fire upon the 
works. Being at length over¬ 
powered by the well-directed fire 
from the fortress, they concealed 
themselves behind the battery; but 
when the day dawned, they threw 
down their arms and surrendered. 
Three hundred and sixty prison¬ 
ers were secured, and about 100 
killed and wounded. Trichinopoly 
was thus saved from the greatest 
risk it had ever been exposed to 
during the war, and mainly attri¬ 
butable to the courage and intelli¬ 
gence of Li eut.Harrison. This pro¬ 
mising young officer died a short 
time after performing this gallant 
exploit. 

November 29. 

1759. Wandewash surren¬ 
dered. — On the 21st of Novem¬ 
ber, Col. Coote arrived at Conje- 
veram, and assumed command of 
the army. He immediately de¬ 
tached Captain Preston of the 
first Madras European regiment 
to Wandewash, with about 200 
men and the material for a siege. 
He likewise detached another 
party from his own regiment, and 
the Madras Europeans, under 
Col. Brereton, to attack Trivatore, 
which was taken on the 25th; and 
Brereton pushed on the next day, 
and joined Preston before Wan¬ 
dewash. On the morning of the 
27th, the pettah was stormed and 
taken, a battery was immediately 
commenced, and by the time Col, 
Coote arrived,—he having pushed 
forward on hearing that the 
pettah had fallen, — it was quite 
completed and the guns mounted. 
During the two following days 
the defences had been nearly de¬ 
stroyed, and the wall breached. 
On the 29th the fort surrendered, 
and the besiegers had sustained 
a very trifling loss. The French 
had live officers, 100 Europeans, 
and 500 natives taken prisoners; 


and a quantity of ordnance stores 
were also captured. 

1803. Battle of Argaum.— 
In the Deccan General Wellesley, 
after many harassing operations, 
arising from the celerity with 
which the enemy moved from 
place to place, succeeded in 
bringing them to an engagement 
at Argaum on the 29th of No¬ 
vember, when they were routed 
without much difficulty. This 
success being followed by the 
siege and capture of Gawilghur, 
the confederates were induced 
to sue for peace. The Rajah 
of Berar was first to yield: 
he ceded a large portion of his 
territories to the English and 
their allies, abandoned all claims 
upon the Nizam, and consented 
that no European should be ad¬ 
mitted into his dominions with¬ 
out permission of the British 
government. Scindiah held out 
a fortnight longer, but finally 
yielded to similar terms; and he 
had to sacrifice a much larger 
portion of territory and influence 
than his ally. 

November 30. 

1594. Assault of Fort 
Crodon. — During the civil wars 
of France, the Leaguers, assisted 
by the King of Spain, had marched 
3000 of their best troops to take 
Brest. Fearing that this impor¬ 
tant place should fall under the 
power of Spain, the King of 
France applied to Queen Eliza¬ 
beth for maritime aid. Sir Mar¬ 
tin Forbisher was accordingly 
ordered, with ten ships, to cut off 
all communication between the 
town and the Spaniards by sea. 
Sir John Norris was likewise 
directed to seize on the fort of 
Crodon, already possessed by the 
Spaniards. On the 1st Novem¬ 
ber, he invested the fort ; and 






December 1 . CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 355 


Quimper having surrendered to 
the French, he was reinforced by 
the English and French troops 
that had been employed in the 
reduction of that place. On the 
12th the garrison made a sally, 
in which 80 men were killed or 
wounded in the French trenches. 
A battery erected between the 
English and French opened on the 
23rd, but the walls were so strong, 
that a breach was scarcely visible 
after firing 700 shot ; but the 
parapet and some of the bastions 
being destroyed, Capt. Lyster 
possessed himself of the counter¬ 
scarp. Encouraged by that suc¬ 
cess, he attempted the breach, and 
notwithstanding the great resist¬ 
ance made by the enemy, and the 
inaccessibleness of the place, many 
of the assailants reached the sum¬ 
mit, which they retained for some 
time, but were eventually com¬ 
pelled to retire with considerable 
loss. On the 30th, the enemy 
gained possession of the French 
trenches, but the English drove 
them back with some loss. On 
the 7th December, a practicable 
breach was effected by the spring¬ 
ing of a mine ; and after an as¬ 
sault which lasted five hours, the 
fort was carried, and all found in 
the garrison put to the sword. 
Sir Martin Forbisher received a 
mortal wound during the assault. 

1819. Early in November, after 
the monsoon, operations were re¬ 
newed in Candeish, with a force 
under Col. Huskisson, consisting 
of H. M.’s 57th regiment, six 
companies of the Madras Euro¬ 
pean regiment, head-quarters of 
the 2nd battalion of the 1st regi¬ 
ment of native infantry. Major 
Jardine’s detachment, the flank 
companies of the 2nd battalion of 
the 13th regiment of native in¬ 
fantry, the pioneers and sappers 
and miners, about 250 irregular 
horse, and a battering train. On 


the 25th, Col. Huskisson, of the 
17th regiment, marched from 
Mallygaum and, on the 29th en¬ 
camped about three thousand 
yards from the fort of Ummul- 
neir, the river Boaree intervening. 
That fortress surrendered on the 
30th, and Bahandoorpor imme¬ 
diately afterwards, when Colonel 
Huskisson’s force was broken up. 

December 1, 

1814. Capture of Prome.— 
On the 29th October, General 
Gillespie determined to attempt 
the capture of the fort of Kalunga, 
distant nine miles from Dehru, 
and situated on a ridge covered 
with jungle standing at an eleva¬ 
tion of 600 yards above the plain, 
with a garrison of 600 men. Bat¬ 
teries were erected during the 
night, and at daybreak on the 
31st the attack commenced. The 
difficulty of taking the place by 
escalade was then discovered; 
but Gillespie, still resolved to 
make the attempt, placing him¬ 
self at the head of three companies 
of H. M.’s 53rd regiment, had pro¬ 
ceeded to the wicket, when a ball 
entering his heart, he fell cheering 
on his gallant countrymen. Col. 
Mawley, who succeeded to the 
command, fell back on Dehru, 
while a battering train was or¬ 
dered from Delhi. Four 18- 
pounders and two 8-inch mortars 
arrived on 24th November, and 
a breach was speedily effected. 
The 53rd regiment attempted to 
storm the fort; but their efforts 
were unavailing, and the greater 
part of the assailants were killed 
or wounded. A cannonade was 
then kept up upon the fort; and 
on 1st December, at 4 o’clock in 
the morning, Balbhudra Sing, 
with seventy men, the remnant of 
his gallant followers, effected his 
retreat. 


a a 2 






356 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 2. 


1824. Sortie from Rangoon. 
— In the afternoon of 1st De¬ 
cember, the English detachment 
under Major Sale made a sortie, 
and the Burmese, taken in flank, 
were driven from their cover with 
considerable loss. 

1825. Defeat of the Shans 
at Nemiow. —Early on the morn¬ 
ing- of the 1st December, two 
columns marched against Ne- 
miow; one, under Gen. Cotton, 
proceeding direct to Simbike, 
while the other, led by Sir Ar¬ 
chibald Campbell, crossed the 
Nawine river, to attack the enemy 
in the rear. The cannonade by 
the flotilla, under Sir Thomas 
Brisbane, so completely deceived 
the enemy that Cotton’s division 
reached the first line of palisades 
before their approach was sus¬ 
pected, and the storming parties, 
being soon formed, moved for¬ 
ward with intrepidity. The 
Shans, encouraged by the pre¬ 
sence of their veteran com¬ 
mander, and further cheered by 
the exhortations and example of 
the fearless Amazons, offered a 
determined resistance. At length, 
however, a lodgment having been 
made in their crowded works, 
they fell into confusion, and were 
mowed down by the close and 
rapid volleys from the troops 
who gained their ramparts,—the 
strongly built enclosures of their 
own construction everywhere pre¬ 
venting flight, the dead and dying 
blocking up the few and narrow 
outlets from the works. The grey¬ 
headed chobwas of the Shans 
showed a noble example to their 
men—sword in hand, singly main¬ 
taining the unequal contest. 
Maha Nemiow himself fell, while 
urging his men to stand their 
ground. The defeated and panic- 
struck fugitives, as they endea¬ 
voured to ford the river, suffered 
severely from the horse artillery, 


and the remainder dispersed in 
small groups in the jungle. 

1844. An insurrection having 
been quelled in Kolapore, Col. 
Outram and Mr. Reeves, the civil 
commissioners acting under the 
authority of the Bombay govern¬ 
ment, offered an amnesty to the 
rebels ; but most of them, in¬ 
fluenced by their hatred of op¬ 
pression, determined to hold out 
in their struggle for independence. 
Delays and mismanagement on 
the part of the military autho¬ 
rities had allowed the insurrec¬ 
tion to increase; but, on the 4th 
October, the young rajah, with 
his aunt and mother and several 
chiefs, joined the British camp. 
Babajee Virakar, the leader of 
the insurgents, having escaped 
to Punalla, which they considered 
impregnable, the pettah was oc¬ 
cupied on 27th November. On 
the morning of 1st December, the 
batteries were opened, and the 
fort stormed in the afternoon. 
Babajee and some of the ring¬ 
leaders being among the slain, a 
part of the garrison fled to an¬ 
other fort, which was also taken. 

December 2. 

1824. Defence of a Stockade 
at Kemmendine.— On the morn¬ 
ing of the 2nd December, a fire- 
raft was floated down the Irra¬ 
waddy river, and several attacks 
made at the same time on the 
north and east faces of the stock¬ 
ade, which were gallantly re¬ 
pulsed by first Madras European 
regiment. As the day dawned, 
the enemy’s trenches were ob¬ 
served to be advanced within 
fifty yards of the stockade, behind 
which they were completely co¬ 
vered, and kept up a well-directed 
and incessant fire from gingals 
and matchlocks during the day. 
As the night closed in, three des- 






r 


December 3. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 357 


perate attempts were made to 
carry the place by escalade ; but 
the enemy were repulsed with 
severe loss. 

1825. Heights of Napadee 
stormed. — After the defeat of 
the Burmese at Prome on 1st 
December, the victors encamped 
on the banks of the Nawine river, 
in order that they might be ready 
to attack Ivee Wongee’s division 
at Napadee. On the morning 
of the 2nd, the first English di¬ 
vision, after a march of two hours 
through a thick forest, debouched 
upon a plain upon the river side, 
opened a communication with 
the flotilla, and drew up in front 
of the stockaded heights of Na¬ 
padee. The natural obstacles 
opposed to an advance upon these 
heights, independent of the arti¬ 
ficial means which the enemy had 
not failed to employ, were the 
range of hills rising in succes¬ 
sion,—the second commanding the 
first, and the third the second,— 
their base washed by the river on 
one side, and covered by the fo¬ 
rest from the approach of any 
force upon the other. The road 
to the heights lay along the beach, 
until checked by the termination 
of the first hill, up the sides of 
which the troops had to scramble, 
exposed to the fire of every gun 
and musket upon its summit. 
In addition to these difficulties, 
the enemy had a numerous body 
of men stockaded along the wood¬ 
ed bank which flanks and over¬ 
looks the beach. Every effort 
to penetrate the forest having 
failed, it was resolved to assail 
Napadee in front. The flotilla 
having moved forward and opened 
a spirited cannonade on each side 
of the river, some flanking out¬ 
works were stormed by a detach¬ 
ment under Col. Elrington, while 
the main body marched steadily 
up the hill, without returning a 


shot to the continued volleys of 
their opponents. The crest of 
the hill being at length won, the 
British pressed forward with the 
bayonet; and in the course of an 
hour the whole position, nearly 
three miles in extent, was gained. 
A horrible carnage ensued, as 
the fugitives, crowding upon one 
another, strove to escape from 
their own enclosures. Thus, in 
the course of two days, the prin¬ 
cipal portion of the Burmese army, 
which had taken four months to 
assemble, was destroyed. Between 
forty and fifty pieces of artillery, 
with ammunition and stores, re¬ 
mained in possession of the con¬ 
querors. During the attack, the 
flotilla pushed past the works, 
and captured all the boats which 
had been brought down for the 
use of the Burmese army. The 
unusual appearance of the steam 
excited great alarm; for the Bur¬ 
mese had a tradition that their 
capital would remain unassailable 
until a vessel should advance up 
the Irrawaddy without oars or 
sails. 

December 3. 

1810. Reduction of the 
Isle of France.— The different 
divisions of the expedition in¬ 
tended for the attack of the Isle 
of France, except that portion 
expected from the Cape of Good 
Hope, had assembled at the an¬ 
chorage of the island of Rodri¬ 
guez on the 21st November and 
it being considered advisable, on 
account of the lateness of the 
season, not to delay the departure, 
the squadron, under Vice-Admiral 
Bertie, consisting of the Illustrious, 
74, twelve frigates, and some 
sloops, with ten thousand troops 
under Major-Gen. Abercromby, 
set sail on the 22nd for the Isle 
of France. Owing to light and 
baffling winds, the expedition did 


A A 3 







358 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 5. 


not arrive in sight of the island 
until the 28th. On the morning 
of the 29th, the men of war and 
transports, amounting to about 
seventy sail, anchored in Grande- 
baie, which is twelve miles to the 
north-east of Port Louis. In 
course of the day, the army, with 
its artillery and ammunition, dis¬ 
embarked without opposition, as 
did the several detachments of 
marines of the squadron, com¬ 
manded by Capt. F. Liardet, also 
a large body of seamen under the 
orders of Capt. W. A. Montagu. 
On the 2nd of December, a corps 
of the enemy, with several pieces 
of artillery, was attacked, and, 
being overpowered by numbers, 
routed, with the loss of their 
guns, and many men killed and 
wounded. The loss on the part 
of the British amounted to 28 
killed, 94 wounded, and 45 miss¬ 
ing. Soon after the termination 
of the battle, Gen. Decaen pro¬ 
posed terms of capitulation, and 
on the following morning (3rd 
December) they were ratified, 
surrendering the colony to Great 
Britain. The garrison of the 
Isle of France consisted of 1300 
regular troops and the militia 
amounted to upwards of 10,000 
men. Upon the numerous bat¬ 
teries were mounted 209 pieces of 
artillery in excellent order, com¬ 
pletely equipped with every re¬ 
quisite for service. 

December 4, 

1824 Burmese defeated.— 
The pickets of the British army 
were posted opposite the village 
of Poosundoon, near which the 
enemy were collected in large 
masses; and by the 3rd of De¬ 
cember they had covered them¬ 
selves by intrenchments, extend¬ 
ing nearly three miles from the 
village to the great Pagoda, 


and kept up a galling fire from 
gingals on the British outposts. 
On the night of the 3rd, they at¬ 
tacked the lines, but were re¬ 
pulsed. On the 4th, the enemy 
continued strengthening their in¬ 
trenchments, and in the evening, 
orders were given to storm the 
lines on the following morning. 
Soon after daybreak two columns 
were formed for the attack; one 
at the great Pagoda, consisting of 
1100 bayonets, under the com¬ 
mand of Major Sale ; the other 
near the White-house picket, 
composed of 600 bayonets, under 
Lieut.-Col. Walker. Both co¬ 
lumns advanced at the same time; 
that of Col. Walker halted and 
deployed into line within one 
hundred yards of the intrench¬ 
ments. Here they met a spirited 
resistance, and lost their chief; 
but the troops, pressing onward, 
drove the Burmese from trench to 
trench with the bayonet. A bat¬ 
tery at some distance to the left 
having opened a smart fire on 
the rear of the line as it advanced 
in pursuit of the enemy, the light 
company of the Madras European 
regiment wheeled to its left, 
charged, and captured the guns. 
The enemy having rallied behind 
another breastwork, it was in¬ 
stantly stormed by Lieut. Butler, 
of the Madras regiment, who was 
severely wounded on that occa¬ 
sion. Major Sale’s column forced 
the centre without difficulty; and 
the British columns uniting, drove 
the Burmese from every part of 
their works, and captured their ar¬ 
tillery, with stores of every de¬ 
scription. 

December 5. 

1759. On the 5th of December, 
Capt. Fisher, with 300 of the 
Madras European regiment and 
800 sepoys, marched from Masu- 










December 6. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


359 


lipatam to Coconadah near Rajah- 
mundry, and captured nearly 
the whole of Chevalier Poete’s 
detachment of Europeans; that 
officer and a few of his men only, 
escaping on board a vessel lying 
off the Dutch factory at that place. 

1777. Action at Chesnut- 
hill.— Gen. Washington, having 
received a reinforcement of four 
thousand men and some artillery 
from the northern rebel army, 
drew near to Philadelphia, and 
encamped at White Marsh. Sir 
William Howe put his army in 
motion on the 4th of December, 
and next morning took post on 
Chesnut-hill, in front of the 
enemy’s right wing. Shortly 
after, an American corps of at 
least a thousand men advanced to 
attack Lieut.-Col. Abercromby, 
posted in front of the British line 
with two battalions of light in¬ 
fantry ; but the insurgents were so 
quickly routed by the first onset 
of one battalion, that only a por¬ 
tion of the second could come in 
for a share in the action. The 
enemy left between thirty and 
forty killed and wounded, and a 
brigadier-gen. was taken prisoner. 

1794. Defeat of the Bri¬ 
gands at Bizzoton. —Between 
four and five o’clock on the morn- 
ins: of the 5th December, as soon 
as the moon had set, the two 
posts at Bizzoton, in St. Domingo, 
garrisoned by one hundred and 
twenty men, under Capt. Grant 
of'the 13th regiment, with Lieut. 
Clunes of the Royals, and Lieut. 
Hamilton of the 22nd regiment, 
were attacked by three columns, 
consisting of at least two thou¬ 
sand brigands, commencing by an 
attempt upon the Redan, which 
was followed by others from the 
old Mill-house, and on the work 
constructed on the opposite hill. 
The enemy advanced in perfect 
silence, and with such secrecy 


that they were close under the 
works before discovered; but 
having had the garrison under 
arms for some hours, as is cus¬ 
tomary, and the militia being in 
readiness at their posts, the 
enemy met with an instant check. 
After an ineffectual attack of 
about three quarters of an hour, 
daylight was breaking fast, when 
the rebels retreated, carrying with 
them all their wounded, and, it 
is supposed, many of their dead, 
as thirty-seven bodies only were 
found. BothLieuts. Hamilton and 
Clunes were severely wounded. 

1525. Defeat of Burmese. 
—On the morning of the 5th of 
December, a detachment was sent 
against the remaining division of 
the Burmese, on the left bank of 
the Irrawaddy river, under the 
command of SuddahWoon. The 
Brittish commenced the attack in 
flank and rear, while the batteries 
and men-of-war’s boats cannon¬ 
aded them in front. The enemy 
withdrew from their line along 
the river, and retreated to a 
second line of stockades, which 
they had prepared in the jungle 
in their rear. The British, fol¬ 
lowing up their first success, and 
not aware of a second position, 
came suddenly upon the crowded 
works, where the confused and 
disorderly defenders were slain in 
hundreds in their desperate efforts 
to escape. 

December 6. 

1824. Defeat near Kem- 
mendine.— On the morning of 
the 6th of December, a reinforce¬ 
ment of sixty men joined the 
first Madras European regiment, 
and the wounded were sent to 
Rangoon. In ascending the river, 
one of the boats, containing thirty 
men, was swept by the tide past 
Kemmendine, and anchored by 


a a 4 






360 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. Becember 7. 


the native crew under a heavy 
battery, and would probably have 
fallen into the hands of the enemy 
but for the assistance of Lieut. 
Kellett, of H.M.S. Arachne, who, 
running his vessel between the 
boat and the battery, brought her 
otf in safety. The enemy con¬ 
tinued a fire from their trenches 
during the day, and at night re¬ 
newed their attack upon the stock¬ 
ade; but they were repulsed with 
very great slaughter by the brave 
garrison, supported by a well- 
directed fire from H.M.S. Sophie, 
the gun-boats, and the mortars of 
the powerful bomb-vessel. No 
sooner, however, had the firing 
ceased, than the river was co¬ 
vered with fire-rafts, which nearly 
destroyed the Sophie. 

December 7. 

1777. Action at Edge-hill. 
—After reconnoitring the ene¬ 
my’s right, and doing his utmost 
to bring on a general engagement, 
without directly attacking their 
intrenchments, Sir William Howe 
marched at one o’clock on the 
morning of the 7th of December, 
the van being commanded by 
Earl Cornwallis, and the main 
body by Lieut.-Gen. Knyphausen, 
and took the armed post on 
Edge-hill, a mile from the enemy’s 
left. On this hill the vanguard 
found a body of a thousand men, 
chiefly composed of riflemen from 
the enemy’s northern army, 
posted with cannon. Lord Corn¬ 
wallis immediately attacked this 
corps, which was entirely defeated, 
with the loss of a considerable 
number of officers; and its artil¬ 
lery was with difficulty withdrawn 
in time to prevent capture. The 
thickness of the wood, in which 
the rebels were posted, concealed 
them at the commencement of 
the action from the light infantry, 


who, owing to this circumstance 
had an officer killed and three 
wounded, and between thirty and 
forty men killed and wounded by 
the first fire of the enemy. At 
other points the rebels were also 
defeated. In order to bring on 
a general engagement to advan¬ 
tage, Sir William Howe explored 
their left; but this was so strongly 
posted that no temptation could 
induce Gen. Washington to quit 
his present position, and, being 
reluctant to expose his troops 
longer to the weather at such an 
inclement season, without tents 
or baggage of any kind, he re¬ 
turned to Philadelphia on the 8th, 
without being impeded on his 
march. The rearguard, under 
Lord Cornwallis, did not quit 
Edge-hill until four o’clock in the 
afternoon, and arrived in camp 
about nine on the same evening. 

1824. Defeat of the Bur¬ 
mese.— Notwithstanding his fail¬ 
ures and defeats, Bandoola per¬ 
severed, and his troops laboured 
with unabated zeal in making 
their approaches. On the evening 
of the 7th, four columns of attack 
emerged from the British lines, 
and, sustaining a heavy fire, forced 
their way into the trenches: the 
Burmese were driven from their 
numerous works, curiously shaped 
and strengthened by strange con¬ 
trivances, into the forest. In the 
evening, a British regiment from 
Rangoon took the enemy’s posi¬ 
tion at Dallah, which had hitherto 
enabled them to keep Kemmen- 
dine in a state of siege. The 
Burmese were driven from their 
entire position, with the loss of all 
their guns and materiel. It was 
impossible to ascertain the num¬ 
ber slain, as the enemy removed 
and concealed the dead in the 
forest. Hundreds of Bandoola’s 
men deserted him after these re¬ 
verses, and he had to fear the 






December 8. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 361 


displeasure of liis tyrannical so¬ 
vereign. About four miles from 
the Golden Pagoda, Bandoola 
had established an army of reserve, 
which was busied in stockading a 
position of which the village of 
Ivokien formed the key. To this 
post he now retreated, where con¬ 
siderable reinforcements meeting 
him, he found that he could 
muster twentv-five thousand men, 
with which force he determined 
to risk another battle. Not con¬ 
tent, however, to rely upon the 
valour of his soldiers, he bribed 
some of the few irdiabitants who 
had returned to Rangoon to set 
fire to the city; but the flames 
were speedily extinguished. 

December S. 

1708. Reduction of Lisle. 
—While Marlborough was anx¬ 
iously expecting the surrender of 
the citadel of Lisle his active mind 
was employed in forming plans 
for the recovery of Bruges and 
Ghent. He was also devising 
means for the further prosecution 
of the war, and earnestly solicited 
his friends, both in England and 
in Holland, to obtain such an 
augmentation of force as would 
enable him to open the ensuing 
campaign at an early period, and 
with a decided superiority. Both 
Marlborough and Prince Eugene 
were most anxious to reduce 
Marshal Boufllers to an uncon¬ 
ditional surrender; but the ad¬ 
vance of the season, and the 
state of the fortress, induced them 
to relinquish this object, for the 
sake of ulterior advantages. The 
besieged having beat a parley on 
the 8th of December, at seven in 
the evening, were admitted to a 
capitulation on the following 
morning; and on the same day 
the garrison marched out with all 
the honours of war, and were 


escorted to Douay. On this oc¬ 
casion the confederate chiefs vied 
with each other in testimonies of 
respect to the gallant defender 
of the place, who obtained not 
only the merited rewards of his 
own sovereign, but the admira¬ 
tion of his conquerors. Thus 
terminated a siege which may be 
justly regarded as one of the 
most arduous and difficult, as well 
as one of the longest and most 
sanguinary, in modern warfare, 
having been invested by the allies 
on the 11th of August. The loss 
of the garrison amounted to eight 
thousand men; and that of the 
besiegers, in killed, wounded, and 
incapable, to no less than fourteen 
thousand. 

1767. On the 7th of December, 
a force under Col. Smith relieved 
Amboor, which had been bravely 
defended for nearly a month 
against the whole force of the 
enemy by Capt. Calvert, with 
fifteen Europeans and the 10th 
regiment of sepoys 500 strong, 
—for which gallant defence that 
regiment had the honorary 
distinction of having the word 
“ Amboor” emblazoned on its 
colours. On the 8th, Smith pushed 
after the enemy, whom he found 
drawn up in a strong position at 
Y aniambaddy. The enemy’s 
guns were quickly withdrawn, 
and his cavalry and infantry co¬ 
vered their retreat,—their cattle 
and equipments being so superior 
to those of the British, that it 
was found impossible to overtake 
them. 

1824. Defeat of Burmese. 
—On the evening of the 7th of 
December, the first Madras Euro¬ 
pean regiment, with detachments 
from several other corps, em¬ 
barked at Dallah Creek, on board 
the ship Fort William, and about 
2 o’clock on the morning of the 
8th proceeded up the river in 








362 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 9. 


boats, with the intention of sur¬ 
prising a large force of the enemy 
strongly posted at Dallah. The 
Burmese made but a slight resist¬ 
ance, and the stockades were 
speedily carried. At noon the 
troops moved forward, and at¬ 
tacked several strong and exten¬ 
sive stockades at some distance 
higher up the river. These were 
firmly resisted; but, after a hard 
day’s work, they were all carried, 
with severe loss to the enemy, and 
considerable to the British. 

December 9 . 

1776. Capture of Rhode 
Island. — Towards the end of 
November, it was determined to 
make an attack upon Rhode 
Island, which was the principal 
station of the enemy’s naval force, 
and whence they sent swarms of 
privateers, that greatly annoyed 
the British commerce, both in 
America and the West Indies. 
The troops destined for this ser¬ 
vice were commanded by Lord 
Clinton, and consisted of two 
brigades of British and two of 
Hessians, with some light in¬ 
fantry, artillery, &c., and the 
command of the co-operating fleet 
was given to Sir Peter Parker. 
The transports conveying the 
troops sailed from New York on 
the 1st of December, and pro¬ 
ceeded by way of the Sound; 
whilst the ships of war sailed by 
way of Sandy-Hook, and, coasting 
along Long Island, on the 5th 
joined Commodore Hotham in 
Black-Point bay, where the fleet 
having arrived, the whole weighed 
on the 6th. and on the 7th anchored 
off Weaver’s Cove, in Rhode Is¬ 
land. On the 8th the fleet again 
weighed, and proceeded up the 
West, or Narreganset Passage. 
Gen. Clinton having reconnoitred 
the coast, the disembarkation of the 


troops was effected at daybreak 
on the 9 th, without opposition. 
The rebels, quitting the works, 
retired to Bristol Ferry, and 
were pursued by the grenadiers 
and light infantry of the army, 
commanded by Major-General 
Prescot, supported by a body of 
troops under Lieut.-Gen. the Earl 
of Percy. The enemy were com¬ 
pelled to quit a small fort op¬ 
posite to Bristol Ferry, and retire 
to the continent with great pre¬ 
cipitation, with the loss of two 
guns and several prisoners. A 
battalion being detached, took 
possession of Newport, the capital 
of the island, where they found 
some stores and cannon aban¬ 
doned by the enemy in their pre¬ 
cipitate retreat. 

1813. Passage of the Nive. 
—Lieut.-Gen. Beresford laid his 
pontoons down in the night of 
the 8th, and in the morning of 
the 9th December a beacon-light 
on the heights of Cambo gave 
the signal of attack. The pas¬ 
sage of the Nive was immediately 
forced under the fire of the artil¬ 
lery, the second bridge was laid, 
and D’Armagnac’s brigade driven 
back by the 6th division; but the 
swampy nature of the country 
so retarded the march of the 
allies that the French were en¬ 
abled to retreat with little loss. 
At the same time Hill’s troops, 
also covered by the artillery, 
forced the passage in three co¬ 
lumns above and below Cambo, 
with slight resistance, although 
the fords were deep and the 
French strongly posted. Foy, 
seeing that his retreat was en¬ 
dangered, retired hastily, leaving 
his right under Gen. Beryer at 
Halzou. Morillo crossed at 
Itzassu, and followed Gen. Paris 
as he retired to Hellette. Gen. 
Hill having won the passage, 
after placing a brigade to sup- 










December 10. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 363 


port the cavalry sent to scour 
the roads towards Lahoussa and 
St. Jean Pied de Port, marched 
with the rest of'his division to 
the heights of Lormenthoa, where 
he was joined by the sixth divi¬ 
sion, the third remaining to cover 
the bridge of Ustaritz. It was 
now about one o’clock, when 
Soult, arriving from Bayonne, 
offered battle, and a heavy skir¬ 
mish took place along the front; 
hut no general attack was made, 
because the roads had retarded 
the rear of Hill’s columns. How¬ 
ever, about three o’clock the Por¬ 
tuguese of the sixth division, de¬ 
scending from Lormenthoa, drove 
D’Armagnac’s brigade with sharp 
fighting out of Villefranque. A 
brigade of the second division 
was then established in advance, 
connecting Hill’s corps with the 
troops in Villefranque. Thus 
three divisions of infantry hemmed 
up four French divisions. Wel¬ 
lington thus far overreached his 
able adversary. In order to pre¬ 
vent an overpowering attack on 
Morillo or the brigade left at 
Urcuray, while Soult, with fresh 
divisions, attacked Hill and Be- 
resford in front, Wellington 
caused the corps of Alten and 
Hope to march from St. Jean de 
Luz on the night of the 8th; and 
about eight o’clock on the morn¬ 
ing of the 9th Hope passed be¬ 
tween the tanks of Ban*ouilhet with 
his right, while his left descended 
from the platform of Bidart, and 
crossed the valley towards Bia- 
ritz. The French outposts re¬ 
tired fighting, and Hope, sweep¬ 
ing with a half-circle to his right, 
preceded by his guns and many 
skirmishers, arrived in front of 
the intrenched camp about one 
o’clock, with his right in com¬ 
munication with Alten. That 
general, having a shorter dis¬ 
tance to move, halted about Bus- 


sussary and Arcangues, while 
Hope’s crescent was closing on 
the French camp; and then he 
also advanced, meeting with little 
resistance. Three divisions, some 
cavalry, and the unattached bri¬ 
gades, equal to a fourth division, 
sufficed, therefore, to keep six 
French divisions in check on this 
side. When evening closed, the 
allies fell back towards their ori¬ 
ginal positions. The whole day’s 
fighting cost about 800 men for 
each side, the loss of the allies 
being rather greater on the left 
bank of the Nive than on the 
right. 

December 10. 

1758. Defeat of the French 
near Oondore. — On the 10th 
December, M. De Conflans dreiv 
up his force in a strong position 
near Condore ; it consisted of 500 
Europeans, 36 pieces of cannon, 
8000 native foot, and 500 horse. 
Col. Forde, with 470 Europeans, 
1900 sepoys, 6 field-pieces and a 
howitzer, eight battering guns and 
three mortars ; whilst the rajah 
had 500 horse, 5000 variously 
armed infantry, and 4 pieces of 
artillery. Placing no reliance on 
the rajah’s army, the colonel or¬ 
dered it to form in the rear, with 
the exception of the renegade 
Europeans, who were in line with 
the British guns on the left of the 
European corps, which was in 
the centre of the line, having the 
artillery on the flanks and the 
sepoys formed on each wing. 
Both forces had advanced towards 
each other, when the sepoys giv¬ 
ing way, the battalion of India 
rushed eagerly on; but the Eu¬ 
ropean regiment forming line in 
front of the sepoys, poured in a 
well-directed volley, and then 
rushing on the charge, overthrew 
the French. Their loss amounted 











364 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 10. 


to 6 officers and 70 men killed 
and wounded, and the same num¬ 
ber made prisoners. Thirty-two 
pieces of brass cannon, seven 
mortars, and all their camp equi¬ 
page, were captured. 

1759. Surrender of Wan- 
dewash. —As the enemy made no 
attempt to interrupt the siege of 
Wandewash, Colonel Coote moved 
against the strong fort of Caran- 
gooly, built of stone, with round 
bastions at each of the four cor¬ 
ners, and square towers at inter¬ 
vals along the faces ; and before 
the main wall and bastions was 
a fausse-braye and wet ditch. 
The French had thrown up a 
glacis before it, except under the 
north-east bastion, where it had 
not been finished. On the 4th 
December, the troops occupied 
the pettah, and by the 6th had 
erected two batteries which played 
on the towers and bastions along 
the north face; and on the 7th 
a mortar planted to the north¬ 
west enfiladed the face attacked. 
The fire continued until the 10th, 
when the garrison surrendered. 

1813. Second Action on the 
Nive. —At daybreak on the 10th 
December, Gen. Reille marched, 
with Boyer’s and Maucune’s 
divisions, Sparre’s cavalry, and 
thirty guns, against Hope, by the 
main road. He was followed by 
Foy and Villatte; but Clauzel 
assembled his force in front of 
Bussussary, and one of D’Erlon’s 
divisions approached the bridge 
of Urdains. Soon after dawn the 
light troops of the French were 
discovered thickly spread over 
the country, and at the same time 
the heads of columns could be 
observed advancing. General 
Kempt, who was with the pick¬ 
ets, placed the reserves of his 
brigade in the church and man¬ 
sion-house of Arcangues. Mean¬ 
while the French, orcaking forth 


with loud cries and a rattling 
musketry, fell upon the pickets 
of the 43rd regiment, and a cloud 
of skirmishers penetrating be¬ 
tween them and the 52nd, sought 
to turn both ; but though the fire 
of the French was sharp, the in¬ 
stant the open ground of Bussus¬ 
sary was attained, the crowd of 
fugitives became a compact body, 
deriding the fruitless efforts of 
their adversaries. D’Armagnac’s 
division of D’Erlon’s corps now 
rushed close up to the bridge of 
Urdains, and Clauzel assembled 
his three divisions by degrees at 
Bussussary. The position was, 
however, safe, being defended by 
Hope’s division. Clauzel brought 
up twelve guns to the ridge, from 
which they threw shot and shells 
into the churchyard of Arcangues, 
and four or five hundred men 
rushed forward ; but a heavy fire 
from the 43rd repelled them, and 
their guns -were also driven be¬ 
yond the ridge. The French 
were, in like manner, kept at bay 
by the riflemen in the village and 
the 52nd. Reille assailed the 
ridge of Barrouilhet about nine 
o’clock; but the roads were so 
heavy that it was midday before 
their line of battle was filled. 
This delay saved the allies, as 
the attack was so unexpected 
that the first division and Lord 
Aylmer’s brigade were at rest in 
St. Jean de Luz when the action 
commenced. The latter did not 
reach the position until eleven, and 
the guards before three o’clock. 
By degrees Reille’s both divisions 
became engaged, and some of 
Villatte’s reserve also entered the 
fight. Among the gallant exploits 
of the day, the charge of the 9th 
regiment deserves particular no¬ 
tice. A French regiment having 
passed unseen in small bodies 
through the Portuguese, was ra¬ 
pidly forming into line on the 






December 11. CALENDAR 


rear. Col. Cameron faced about 
and marched in line against them, 
under a sharp fire; until the ninth 
closed, and sprang forward to the 
charge, when the French line 
broke and fled in disorder; but 
the greater part were made pri¬ 
soners. The final result of the 
battle was the repulse of Reille’s 
divisions; but Yillatte still me¬ 
naced the right flank, and Foy 
threatened Hope’s flank at Bar- 
rouilhet. The Anglo-Portuguese 
army sustained a loss of 1200 
killed and wounded, and 300 pri¬ 
soners. The French lost about 
2000 men. 

December 11. 

1777. Americans defeated. 
— Lord Cornwallis, with Major- 
Gen. Grant under his command, 
passed the Schuylkill at day¬ 
break, with a strong corps, and 
the waggons of the army, to col¬ 
lect forage for the winter supply. 
The rebels having quitted their 
camp at White Marsh some hours 
before his lordship began his 
march, the head of their army 
fell in with his detachment at a 
bridge which they had thrown 
over the Schuylkill, near to Mat¬ 
son’s ford, about three miles be¬ 
low Swede’s ford, and fifteen miles 
distant from Philadelphia. Over 
this bridge the enemy had passed 
eight hundred men, who were 
immediately dispersed by the 
British advanced corps, and part 
of them obliged to recross it. 
This excited such alarm in the 
rebel army as induced them to 
break down the bridge. The Bri¬ 
tish, meeting no further inter¬ 
ruption, returned to camp about 
nine o’clock the same evening. 

1780. Mahrattas defeated. 
—Gen. Goddard having received 
information that Holkar and 
Scindiah were prevented inter¬ 
fering with his operations, re¬ 


OF VICTORY. 365 


solved to lay siege to Bassein ; at 
the same time Col. Hantley was 
sent into the Concan to secure 
the revenues of that country for 
the Bombay authorities, and also 
to cover the besieging army. 
Hantley , expelled the Mahrattas 
from the Concan, and took up a 
position near the Bhore Ghaut, 
whence he retreated to Doogaur, 
on the approach of an enormous 
hostile force. Here he was at¬ 
tacked, on the 10th and 11th 
December, by twenty thousand 
Mahrattas, whom he completely 
defeated, with the loss of their 
general. Bassein surrendered at 
discretion to Gen. Goddard, who 
then advanced upon Poonah, but 
was so severely assailed by the 
Mahratta army, as he descended 
the Bhore Ghaut, that he imme¬ 
diately returned. 

1813. Third Combat on the 
Nive.— In the night of the 10th 
December, Gen. Reille withdrew 
behind the tanks as far as Pucho. 
Foy and Villatte likewise drew 
back towards Bussussary, thus 
connecting with Clauzel’s left 
and D’Erlon’s reserve; so that 
on the morning of the 11th, with 
the exception of D’Armagnac’s 
division, which remained at Ur- 
dains, the French army was con¬ 
centrated. About two o’clock in 
the afternoon, Darricau’s division 
attacked Barrouilhet, while Boyer 
moved on the main road between 
the tanks, and penetrated the 
British position in various direc¬ 
tions. Robinson’s brigade was 
sharply attacked; but the 9th 
regiment, posted on the main 
road, resisted Boyer’s advance; 
and the 85th was also sharply 
engaged. Sir John Hope, con¬ 
spicuous from his gigantic stature 
and heroic courage, was seen 
wherever danger pressed, rally¬ 
ing his troops, and, although se¬ 
verely wounded in the ankle, 








366 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 12. 


would not quit the field ; and his 
great presence of mind and calm 
intrepidity restored the battle. 
The French were finally beaten 
back from the position of Bar- 
rouilhet; yet they recovered their 
original posts, and continued to 
gall the allies with a fire of shot 
and shells until the fall of night. 
The total loss on this day was 
about six hundred men on each 
side ; and as the fifth division was 
now considerably reduced in 
numbers, the first took its place 
on the front line. Meanwhile 
Soult sent his cavalry over the 
Nive to Mousseroles, to check the 
incursions of Hill’s horsemen. 

December 12. 

1562. English, Scotch, and 
French protestants, under the 
Earl of Warwick, defeated the 
French in a sharp skirmish be¬ 
fore the walls of 'dlarfleur, from 
which city the French had sallied. 
They were driven back with great 
vigour, and many slain under the 
very walls. 

1813. Fourth Combat on 
the Nive.— The rain fell heavily 
during the night of the 11th of 
December, and though the morn¬ 
ing broke fair, neither side seemed 
inclined to recommence hostili¬ 
ties. The advanced posts were, 
however, very close to each other, 
and about ten o’clock, the French 
general, imagining that an attack 
was intended, reinforced his 
front. This movement causing 
an English battery to fall into 
the same error, it opened upon 
the advancing French troops, 
and in an instant the whole line 
of posts was engaged. The enemy 
then brought up a number of 
guns; the firing continued with¬ 
out an object for many hours, and 
three or four hundred of a side 
were killed and wounded. Soult, 


believing that the allies meditated 
an attack upon his centre, after 
leaving two divisions and Vil- 
latte’s reserve in the intrenched 
camp, marched with the other 
seven to Mousseroles, intending to 
fall upon Hill. That general had 
pushed his scouting parties to the 
Gambouri; and when General 
Sparre’s horsemen arrived at 
Mousseroles on the 12th, Pierre 
Soult advanced from the Bidouze, 
with all his light cavalry, sup¬ 
ported by the infantry of Gen. 
Paris, who drove the allies’ posts 
from Hasparen. Col. Brotherton, 
was then ordered to charge with 
the 14th dragoons across the 
bridge; but this movement was 
found impracticable, and that gal¬ 
lant officer, with one or two daring 
followers, were taken prisoners. 
Col. Vivian, to retrieve this error, 
charged with his whole brigade 
to rescue them, yet in vain, and 
was forced to fall back upon Urcu- 
ray. While a division of Galla- 
cians was brought forward to 
St. Jean de Luz, in support of 
Hope, and one of Andalusians 
towards the upper valley of the 
Nive, Gen. Hill had taken a posi¬ 
tion of battle on a front of two 
miles. His left, under Gen. Pringle, 
occupied a wooded and broken 
range, covering the new pontoon 
bridge of communication. The 
centre, placed on both sides the 
high-road near the hamlet of St. 
Pierre, was composed of Ash¬ 
worth’s Portuguese and Barnes’s 
British brigade; and twelve guns, 
under Col. Ross, were concen¬ 
trated in front. The right was 
under Gen. Bvng, with the 3rd 
infantry posted on a height in 
advance. One mile in front of 
St. Pierre, was a range of counter 
heights, belonging to the French; 
but they could not approach in 
force, except on a narrow front 
of battle, and by the high-road 








December 13. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


367 


until within cannon-shot, and 
then only by two narrow lanes, 
which led to the positions held by 
the 3rd regiment and General 
Pringle’s corps. During the 
night the rain swelled the Nive, 
and carried away the allies’ 
bridge of communication; and on 
the morning of the 13th, Gen. 
Hill was completely cut off from 
the rest of the army, while 35,000 
combatants appoached him in 
front, and an eighth division and 
cavalry threatened his rear. 

December 13. 

1778. Invasion of St. Lucie. 
— A fleet under Admiral Bar¬ 
rington, with transports, sailed 
from Carlisle Bay on the 12th of 
December, and on the afternoon 
of the 13th the whole anchored 
in the Grand Cul de Sac, off the 
island of St. Lucie. The troops 
being prepared for disembarka¬ 
tion, the first division, under Bri¬ 
gadier-Gen. Meadows, effected a 
landing, and were immediately 
supported by the brigade of Gen. 
Prescott. The remainder, under 
Brigadier-Gen. Sir II. Calder, 
were landed on the next morn¬ 
ing. General Meadows, having 
promptly pushed forward with 
his division, compelled the Cheva¬ 
lier De Micond, with a corps of 
regular troops and militia, to 
abandon the heights on the north 
side of the bay. In the mean¬ 
while Gen. Prescott guarded the 
environs, at the same time keep¬ 
ing open a communication with 
Gen. Meadows. 

1813. Battle of St. Pierre. 
—While Gen. Hill, as we have just 
related, was threatened with an 
attack from an army of 40,000 
men, he had to meet this force in 
his front with less than 14,000 men, 
with fourteen guns, and there were 
only four thousand Spaniards, 


with Vivian’s cavalry, atUrcuray. 
On the morning of the 13th of 
December, Soult formed his order 
of battle under cover of a heavy 
mist, and at half-past eight, as 
the sun broke out, the British 
pickets in the centre were pushed 
back; and while the fire of the 
light troops spread wide in the 
valley, and crept up the hills on 
either flank, the roar of forty 
pieces of artillery shook the banks 
of the Nive and the Adour. 
Darricau, on the French right, 
moved against Gen. Pringle. 
D’Armagnac, on their left, was 
ordered to force Byng ; whilst 
Abbe assailed the centre at St. 
Pierre, where Gen. Stewart com¬ 
manded,—for Sir Rowland Hill 
had taken his station on a com¬ 
manding eminence in the rear. 
Abbe pushed his attack with such 
vigour, that he gained the top of 
the position and drove back the 
Portuguese and the 50th regi¬ 
ment. The 92nd regiment was 
then moved forward, and charged 
two French regiments so deter¬ 
minedly that the mass gave way; 
but Soult redoubling the play of 
his guns, the cannonade and 
musketry became so destructive 
that the 92nd slowly regained its 
former position behind St. Pierre. 
Gen. Barnes, seeing that hard 
fighting only could save the posi¬ 
tion, ordered the Portuguese ar¬ 
tillery to resume their fire, whilst 
the wing of the 50th and ca£a- 
dores gallantly held the small 
wood on the right; but Barnes 
was soon wounded, and the 
matter grew desperate. While 
Pringle was contending with 
Darricau’s superior numbers on 
the hill of Villefranque, and 
D’Armagnac was bearing heavily 
upon Byng, Foy’s and Maransin’s 
divisions w’ere moving into action 
to support Abbe. Thus, at the 
decisive moment of the battle, the 









368 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 15. 


French reserve was augmented 
Nevertheless the wood was main¬ 
tained with such unflinching 
courage, that the 92nd, being re¬ 
formed, was led by Col. Cameron 
once more down the road, with 
colours flying and music playing, 
resolved to give the shock to 
whatever stood in the way. In¬ 
spired by this sight, the British 
skirmishers on the flanks rushed 
forward and drove the enemy 
back; yet the battle seemed hope¬ 
less, for Ashworth was badly 
wounded and Barnes shot 
through the body. The enemy 
did not, however, wait to en¬ 
counter the 92nd, but retired 
across the valley to their original 
position. It was now twelve 
o’clock, and Hill had reinforced 
his position by the 4th division 
and several brigades, when Wel¬ 
lington arrived to witness the 
close of the battle. The crisis 
was past: Hill’s day of glory was 
complete. Soult’s loss in this 
sanguinary battle was not less 
than 3000, making a total on the 
five days’ fighting of 6000 men, 
with two generals, Villatte and 
Maucomble, wounded. The allies 
had three generals and 1500 men 
killed and wounded on the 13th; 
and during the five days, 5019, 
including Gens. Hope, Robinson, 
Barnes, Lecor, and Ashworth. 
Of this number 500 were taken 
prisoners. 

December la. 

1778. Reduction of St. 
Lucie. —At daybreak on the 
14th of December, Brigadier 
Meadows advanced with the re¬ 
serve, and, supported by the first 
brigade under Gen. Prescott, took 
possession of Morne Fortunee, 
the governor’s house, the hospital, 
barracks, and all the stores and 
magazines of the island. Although 
all the passes are remarkably 


strong and difficult of access, yet 
the advance of the British was 
so very rapid, that the French 
governor was driven from post to 
post. After a short halt, the troops 
took possession of the peninsula 
called La Vigie, which entirely 
commands the north side of the 
Carenage harbour; whilst Gen. 
Calder guarded the landing-place, 
kept open the communication 
with the fleet, and occupied se¬ 
veral strong posts on the moun¬ 
tains which command the south 
side of the Grand Cul de Sac. 
Just as all these important sta¬ 
tions were properly secured the 
Ariadne frigate came in sight, 
Avith the signal indicating the 
approach of the enemy’s fleet of 
twelve sail of the line, under 
Adm. D’Estaing. The night of 
the 14th afforded no repose after 
the great fatigue Avhich both the 
army as Avell as the fleet had un¬ 
dergone through the day. All 
the posts were strengthened, and 
the navy ivere busily employed in 
placing the ships in the best pos¬ 
ture of defence. 

December 15. 

1803. Surrender of Gaw- 
lighur.— The success of General 
Wellesley in the Deccan, and the 
defeat of the enemy at Argaum 
on the 29th of November, Avas 
folloAved by the siege of Gawli- 
ghur, and its surrender on the 15th 
of December., The Rajah of 
Berar Avas the first to yield: he 
ceded a large portion of his terri¬ 
tories to the English and their 
allies, abandoned all claims of 
chout upon the Nizam, and con¬ 
sented that no European should 
be admitted into his dominions 
without the permission of the 
British government. Accredited 
ministers from each of the con¬ 
tracting parties Avere to reside at 







December 16. CALENDAR 


the court of the other, and the 
rajah very reluctantly received a 
resident at Nagpore. Scindiah* 
held out a fortnight longer, 
but finally yielded to similar 
terms; but he had to sacrifice a 
much larger portion both of ter¬ 
ritory and influence than his ally. 

1824. Stockades stormed.— 
Bandoola, having rallied his forces, 
occupied a very strong stockaded 
position at Kokien, three miles 
from the Great Pagoda, with 
25,000 men. On the 15th of 
December, Sir A. Campbell, with 
a force of 1300 British infantry, 
moved out to attack him, fonned 
in two columns, each headed by 
a detachment of pioneers carrying 
ladders. The Burmese opened a 
heavy and well-directed fire, from 
which Hull’s 13th regiment, mov¬ 
ing to take the enemy in flank, suf¬ 
fered a loss of three officers and 
seventy men killed and wounded, 
out of 200 men present on the 
occasion; nevertheless the stock¬ 
ades were carried most gallantly, 
and the enemy driven from them 
with very heavy loss, leaving be¬ 
hind baggage, arms, and ammuni¬ 
tion. It is computed that, from the 
1st to the 15th of December, there 
fell of the Burmese not less than 
six thousand men, of whom many 
were chiefs and officers of rank; 
while the total of the British 
killed and wounded did not ex¬ 
ceed forty officers and five hundred 
rank and file. 

December 16. 

1817. Battle of Nagpore.— 
The complete defeat of the Mah- 
rattas at the battle of Seetabaldee, 
and the approach of the reinforce¬ 
ments which had been ordered to 
advance, so entirely destroyed all 
hope of success in the mind of 
Appah Saib, that he commenced 
a negotiation for a renewal of 


OF VICTORY. 369 


friendship, with a solemn declara¬ 
tion that the late attack upon 
the British troops had been made 
without his will or consent. He 
was ordered to withdraw his 
army from the vicinity of the 
scene of action before any answer 
could be returned to his commu¬ 
nications. He immediately com¬ 
plied with this demand; and, dur¬ 
ing the period which intervened 
between the removal of his troops 
and the arrival of Brigadier-Gen. 
Doveton’s army, the advance of 
which reached Nagpore on the 
12th of December, this infatuated 
prince continued making protes¬ 
tations of submission, but pursu¬ 
ing at the same time a weak and 
vacillating course of conduct. 
Soon after Gen. Doveton’s arrival 
preliminary terms were offered to 
Appah Saib, requiring him to de¬ 
liver up his ordnance and mili¬ 
tary stores, to disband his Arabs 
immediately, and the rest of his 
troops in a reasonable time, to 
allow Nagpore to be occupied by 
the British, and to repair to the 
residency until the terms of the 
treaty were finally arranged. Al¬ 
though these conditions greatly 
limited his power, they still left 
to him the name and functions of 
sovereignty, of which it was the 
wish of the Governor-General 
that he should be deprived. Local 
circumstances, however, induced 
Mr. Jenkins to continue, if pos¬ 
sible, the rule of Appah Saib; 
and he therefore urged upon 
that prince a speedy acceptance 
of the proffered terms. After 
many evasions and efforts to ob¬ 
tain delay, he yielded to the pro¬ 
posal, and repaired to the British 
residency, attended by some of his 
ministers. On the 16th of De¬ 
cember, the troops having made 
a weak attempt at resistance, 
were attacked and routed. The 
horse dispersed in every quarter, 


B B 






370 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 17. 


a greater part of them retiring to 
their homes; a large corps of 
Arabs, however, retreated into 
the city, and to a fort within the 
palace, which they defended for 
some days, and then capitulated. 
The Marquis of Hastings directed 
that the provisional engagements 
made with Appah Saib should 
be embodied in a treaty; but be¬ 
fore the instructions for the final 
arrangements could reach Nag- 
pore, another revolution had taken 
place in that capital. 

December 17. 

1778. Defeat of the French 
at St. Lucie. — In the course of 
the night of the 16th of Decem¬ 
ber, the French landed a large 
body of troops, amounting to 
about nine thousand men, in 
Choc bay. In the morning of 
the 17 th, the enemy having re¬ 
solved to attack the post of the 
Vigie held by Gen. Meadows, 
they advanced in three columns: 
that on the right led by the Comte 
D’Estaing, and the centre by M. 
De Lowendahl, and that on the 
left by the Marquis de Bouille, 
Governor of Martinique. The 
remainder of the French troops 
were kept in reserve, to watch the 
British force to the southward of 
the Carenage bay, and to check 
any attempt they might make to 
succour Gen. Meadows. The neck 
of land which joined the penin¬ 
sula of the Vigie to the island 
was flat for a considerable extent; 
and this was the only road by 
which the French troops could 
approach to the heights occupied 
by the British. The enemy rushed 
on to the attack with their charac¬ 
teristic impetuosity; but it is im¬ 
possible to describe the intrepid 
firmness with which they were 
received. In the various attacks 
made by the troops under Gen. 


Meadows, in gaining possession of 
the Vigie, much of their ammuni¬ 
tion had been expended, and as 
their detached situation had pre¬ 
vented a supply being sent to 
them, it was far from complete 
when the French made their as¬ 
sault on that post. As it was 
therefore necessary to restrict the 
firing as much as possible, the 
enemy were allowed to close until 
every shot took effect, and then 
the British, moving forward with 
the bayonet, soon compelled them 
to retire, with the loss of seventy 
men. They, however, soon rallied, 
and although they vigorously re¬ 
newed the attack, the British de¬ 
fended their posts with such reso¬ 
lution that the assailants were 
again driven down the hill with 
heavy loss. Notwithstanding these 
reverses, the French generals gal¬ 
lantly led on their columns to 
make another effort to carry the 
heights; but this third attempt 
neither continued long, nor was 
it so violent as the other two had 
been; and as they were soon dis¬ 
persed by the rapid advance of the 
British troops, they became ex¬ 
posed to the fire of the several 
batteries on the south side of the 
Carenage harbour. These were 
so well served as to compel a 
ship of the line, sent to cover the 
operations of the troops, to with¬ 
draw and rejoin her squadron. 
The enemy left on the field of 
battle four hundred killed, five 
hundred dangerously, and six 
hundred slightly wounded; whilst 
the loss of the British was only 
ten men killed and one hundred 
and thirty wounded. 

1842. Triumphant Return 
from Cabul. — After a severe 
chastisement by the force de¬ 
tached from the army of General 
Nott, under Major-Gen.M‘Caskill, 
Cabul was abandoned on the 12th 
of October. While returning 






December 18. CxYLEXDAR OF VICTORY. 


371 


i 


through the defiles, the remains 
of the soldiers murdered months 
before, and which had lain un¬ 
buried, were consigned to the 
earth. Khoord Cabul was passed 
without molestation; but in the 
Tzeen valley the mountaineers 
took advantage of the night to 
fire on the troops: the fortified 
house of the chief, one of their 
most infuriated opponents, was 
destroyed. At Jugdulluk a des¬ 
perate attack was made on the 
baggage, but nothing was lost. 
The fortifications of Jellalabad 
were blown up; and as the army 
approached the formidable Khy- 
ber, the chiefs sent a deputation 
to inquire what would be given 
for a safe passage. “ Nothing,” 
was the reply. On the 27th, Ge¬ 
nerals Pollock and M‘Caskill 
started with their divisions, and 
Nott followed on the 29th. A 
persevering opposition was made. 
Pollock lost some men and a 
quantity of baggage; but he 
reached Peshawur on the 3rd 
of November. The column of 
M‘Caskill, which suffered severely, 
losing two officers and 60 sepoys, 
reached on the 5th. Nott, with 
the rear, having destroyed the 
fort of Ali Musjid, arrived on 
the 6th. lie had been furiously 
assailed, but lost nothing of his 
baggage, and had four killed, 
and two officers and nineteen 
men wounded. From Peshawur 
to Ferozepore the troops passed 
quietly through the Sikh country. 
At the Indus they were met, on 
the 17 th of December, by the 
Governor-General and the Com¬ 
mander-in-chief, who received 
them in a triumphant manner, 
and with every honour. Dis¬ 
tinctions, medals, and rewards 
were bestowed. Among the tro¬ 
phies brought by General Nott 
were the celebrated Sandal-wood 
gates, taken one thousand years 


previously from Somnath by 
Mahmood of Ghuznee, together 
with a mace found on his tomb. 

December 18. 

1845. Battle of Moodkee. 
— The disorganised state of the 
Lahore during the two years pre¬ 
ceding the invasion of the British 
territory in the month of Decem¬ 
ber, had made it incumbent on 
the Indian Government to pre¬ 
serve peaceful relations, and, at the 
same time, adopt precautionary 
measures for the protection of the 
frontiers. On the march of the 
Sikh army, the British agent at 
Lahore demanded an explanation 
of their movement, but no reply 
was given. The demand being 
repeated without success, the fron¬ 
tier posts were reinforced; and on 
the invasion being effected, a pro¬ 
clamation was issued by the Go¬ 
vernor-General, from his camp 
at Lushkeree, on the 13th of that 
month, declaring all the posses¬ 
sions of Maharajah Dhuleep Sing 
on the left bank of the Sutledge 
confiscated and annexed to the 
British territories,—at the same 
time directing the inhabitants and 
their chiefs to second their new 
rulers. The campaign was looked 
upon with intense interest, not 
only in India, but in Europe; for 
the discipline, as well as the fana¬ 
ticism of the Sikh soldiery, and 
of the Askatees, in particular, had 
created a deep impression. These 
troops, commanded by Tej Sing, 
an officer of high reputation, 
crossed the Sutledge with their 
heavy artillery, on the 15th De¬ 
cember; and on the 16th, having 
approached towards Ferozepore, 
they moved to an intrenched po¬ 
sition at the village of Ferozeshah, 
about ten miles from the former 
place, and nearly equidistant 
from Moodkee. Ferozepore was 


b b 2 












372 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 20. 


garrisoned by 7000 men, under 
Major-Gen. Sir John Littler, 
with 21 guns. After some feints, 
the Sikh army, finding that the 
Governor-General and the Com¬ 
mander-in-chief were hastening 
to support Sir John Littler’s di¬ 
vision at the rate of thirty miles 
per day, moved oft' to intercept 
them. On the 11th December, 
the head-quarters of Sir Hugh 
Gough were at Umballah, one 
hundred and fifty miles from 
Moodkee; but on the 18th, by 
double marches on alternate days, 
the troops reached that village, 
after traversing roads of heavy 
sand, and suffering much from 
want of water. At three o’clock 
in the afternoon, the Sikhs ad¬ 
vanced, to the number of from 
fifteen to twenty thousand in¬ 
fantry, an equal force of cavalry, 
and forty guns, hoping to surprise 
the British general. The country 
is a dead flat, covered at short 
intervals with low, and occasion¬ 
ally thick jungles, and dotted with 
sand hillocks, behind which the 
enemy screened their infantry and 
artillery. The Sikhs quickly 
commenced the battle by a 
furious cannonade. This was 
answered by the well-directed fire 
of the British, which speedily pa¬ 
ralysed the enemy’s movements. 
A judicious cavalry attack was 
made on their left flank, by which 
their horsemen were put to flight 
and their rear swept of infantry 
and guns. The British infantry 
then advanced under a heavy fire, 
and with the bayonet captured 
seventeen guns, some of them of 
large calibre. Night closing in, 
the carnage ceased, and the British 
remained masters of the field. 
The force engaged consisted of 
3850 Europeans and8500 sepoys, 
making a total of 12,350 rank 
and file, with 42 guns. Their loss 
amounted to 215 killed and 659 


wounded. Amongst the former 
were Major-Gens. Sir Robert Sale 
and Sir John M‘Caskill. 

December 19. 

1813. Reduction of Fort 
Niagara.— On the 19th of No¬ 
vember, at about five o’clock in 
the morning, a force of 550 rank 
and file, under Lieut. - Colonel 
Murray, consisting of the flank 
companies of the 41st regiment, 
the grenadiers of the Royal Scots 
and the effective of the 100th 
regiment, in their advance to the 
assault of Fort Niagara, cut off 
two pickets, and surprised the 
sentinel on the glacis at the gate, 
by which means they obtained 
the watchword. While Captain 
Martin, with three companies of 
the 100th regiment, stormed the 
eastern bastion, five companies 
of the same regiment entered the 
fort by the main gate, which had 
been left open for the relief of the 
sentries. The American guard 
now rushed out of the south-east 
block-house and showed some re¬ 
sistance, but the British bayonet 
soon overpowered them. The 
garrison, amounting to 429, sus¬ 
tained a loss of 65 killed; twenty 
effected their escape, and the re¬ 
mainder were made prisoners. 
The loss of the British amounted 
to six men killed ; Lieut.-Col. 
Murray, and fourteen wounded. 

December 20. 

1746. Fort St. David.— The 
French had nothing to dread from 
the Nabob of Arcot, whose friend¬ 
ship they reported had been pur¬ 
chased by a large sum of money, 
and who assigned as a reason for 
his not obliging them to desist 
from all hostilities by land against 
the British, that they had sur- 






December 21. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 373 


rendered Madras before he had 
time to arrive with his army to 
its relief. What the French said 
of him was true; for M. Dupleix, 
so far from refraining from hosti¬ 
lities by land, made every prepa¬ 
ration to lay siege to fort St. 
David, appearing several times, 
before that place in force, and 
on the 20th December was so 
vigorously received, that he was 
compelled to retire. On the ar¬ 
rival of Commodore Griffin from 
England, to assume the command 
of the fleet, M. Dupleix desisted 
from any further attempts on that 
settlement, and recalled his troops 
to Pondicherry and its environs. 

1811. Siege of Tarifa.— The 
garrison, including 600 Spanish 
infantry and one hundred horse, 
amounted to 2500 men, who were 
posted in the following manner: 
—Seven hundred were in the is¬ 
land, one hundred in the Catalina, 
two hundred in the convent, and 
fifteen hundred in the town. On 
the 19th December, the enemy 
having driven in the advanced 
posts, were encountered with a 
sharp skirmish, and designedly led 
towards the eastern front. On 
the 20th the place was invested. 

December 21. 

1791. Reduction of Severn- 
droog. — The fortress of Severn- 
droog, “ the Rock of Death,” was 
built on a rock above half a mile 
in perpendicular height, sur¬ 
rounded by a jungle several miles 
in depth, and defended by thickets 
of planted bamboos. The strength 
of the mountain had been in¬ 
creased by enormous walls and 
barriers defending every acces¬ 
sible point, and to these advan¬ 
tages was added the division of 
the mountain, by a great chasm, 
into two parts at the top, on each i 
of which was erected a citadel; j 


yet this formidable fortress was 
taken by storm on the 21st De¬ 
cember, with no other casualty 
than one soldier wounded. 

1808. Defeat of the Enemy 
at Saiiagun. — The British force 
under Lieut.-Gen. Sir John Moore 
on the 29th December was nomi¬ 
nally 35,000 men, but, allowing 
for severnl regiments detached, the 
actual number under arms was 
only 19,053 infantry, 2278 ca¬ 
valry, 1358 gunners, forming a 
total of 23,583 men, with sixty 
pieces of artillery. In the night 
of the 20th, the 10th and 15th 
British hussars, quitting Melgar 
Abaxo during the night, arrived 
close to Sahagun before daylight 
on the 21st. The 10th marched 
straight to the town, whilst the 
15th turned it by the right, and 
endeavoured to cut off the enemy; 
but the alarm being given, Lord 
Paget, with 400 of the 15th, on 
arriving at the rear of the village, 
was opposed by a line of 600 
French dragoons. The 10th not 
being in sight, the 15th charged 
and broke the enemy’s line, and 
pursued them to some distance. 
Fifteen to twenty killed, two 
lieutenant-colonels and eleven 
other officers, with 154 men, pri¬ 
soners, were the result of this 
affair, which lasted about twenty 
minutes. 

1817. Battle of Mahedpore. 
— Shortly after daylight on 21st 
December, the English army, un¬ 
der Lieut.-General Sir Thomas 
Hislop, came in sight of Holkar’s 
camp near the town of Mahed¬ 
pore, within a bend of the Seepra 
river, which covered the left flank, 
the right being protected by a 
deep ravine; and in front seventy 
guns were ranged in the form of 
a crescent. From this formidable 
artillery the British suffered se¬ 
verely in passing the ford. When 
the whole had formed on the op- 


BB 3 










374 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 21. 


posite bank, Sir John Malcolm 
commenced the attack by ad¬ 
vancing on the enemy’s left, car¬ 
ried a village and batteries with 
the bayonet, and at the same 
time the cavalry made a brilliant 
charge on their right wing, and 
routed it. On the advance of the 
reserves under Sir Thomas His- 
lop, the enemy’s infantry retired ; 
but their artillerymen stood to 
their guns to the last. The Mah- 
rattas having again formed, were 
seen standing in a hollow near 
the bank of the river beyond 
Doodlie. Sir John Malcolm im¬ 
mediately moved upon them, and 
having captured all their guns 
compelled them to retire across 
the river, where they were pur¬ 
sued by the cavalry and two light 
infantry battalions until night¬ 
fall. The enemy lost 3000 men, 
all their guns (sixty-three), tum¬ 
brils, baggage, and their camp. 
The British had 778 men killed 
and wounded. 

1845. Battle of Ferozeshaii. 
— During the halt of two days 
after the battle of Moodkee, the 
Governor-General, having ottered 
his military services to Sir Hugh 
Gough, was appointed second in 
command of the army. The 
troops commenced their march at 
3 o’clock in the morning of 21st 
December, in two columns, and 
arrived opposite the Sikh camp 
before noon, where they were 
shortly afterwards joined by the 
division of 5500 men, with 21 
guns, under Major-Gen. Sir John 
Littler, from Ferozepore ; and the 
British army now consisted of 
5674 Europeans and 12,053 se¬ 
poys, making a total of 17,727 
men, with 65 guns. According 
to the Sikhs’ account, their army 
consisted of 25,000 regular troops 
and 88 guns, which, with the ir¬ 
regulars, amounted to upwards 
of 35,000. Besides this force, Tej 


! Sing, with 23,000 regulars and 
67 guns, was only ten miles dis¬ 
tant. The enemy’s intrenchment 
was in the form of a parallelo¬ 
gram, of about a mile in length 
and half a mile in breadth, in¬ 
cluding within its area the strong 
village of Ferozeshah, or Feroz- 
shurr, the shorter sides looking 
towards the Sutledge and Mood¬ 
kee. The three British divisions 
were placed in line, with artillery 
in the centre, led by Major-Gens. 
Gilbert and Littler, and Brigadier 
Wallace, with three troops of 
horse artillery on either flank; 
the reserve under Major-Gen. Sir 
Harry Smith, with the cavalry, 
formed the reserve. The action 
commenced by the artillery ; but, 
finding that the Sikhs’ guns could 
not be silenced, the infantry ad¬ 
vanced under a murderous dis¬ 
charge of round and grape, and 
captured the cannon with match¬ 
less gallantry. Littler’s division, 
having edged away to the left 
and caused an opening in the line, 
became so severely cut up by the 
enemy’s batteries as to be com¬ 
pelled to retire : the left brigade 
of the reserve moved forward with 
the greatest energy to fill up the 
vacancy thus occasioned. Gil¬ 
bert’s and Wallace’s divisions 
were alike successful; but when 
all the batteries seemed to be 
within our grasp, the night set 
in, and the troops were directed 
to form in contiguous columns at 
quarter distance, about 200 yards 
from the enemy’s camp. About 
12 o’clock at night, the Sikhs 
having brought some guns to 
bear with great effect, the 88th 
regiment, supported by the 1st 
Bengal Europeans, drove a large 
body of the enemy, and, having 
spiked the guns, resumed its po¬ 
sition at the head of the column. 
By daylight the troops deployed 
into line, and the arrangements 







December 22. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


375 


for renewing the attack having 
been made, the Commander-in- 
chief placed himself on the right 
and Sir Henry Hardinge on the 
left. 

December 22. 

1759. Battle of Wandewash. 
—Colonel Coote, who opened the 
campaign with the capture of 
Wandewash, and made a rapid 
advance, took up a position on 
22nd December before the French 
under Lally could form their lines 
in an attempt to recover that 
place. At the very commence¬ 
ment of the action the French 
cavalry fled as if seized by a 
sudden panic, without striking a 
blow. The infantry opened an 
ineffectual fire, but, pressing for¬ 
ward, broke through the English 
battalion. This apparent success 
was, however, fatal, for the severed 
ranks of the British overlapped 
the flanks of the assailing co¬ 
lumn, and completely routed it 
by a well-directed fire. A panic 
now seized the whole French 
line, and their intrenchments 
were carried at the point of the 
bayonet. Bussy, who attempted 
to recover them, was dismounted 
and made prisoner. It was no 
longer a battle, but a rout. The 
cavalry, which had behaved so 
badly in the action, covered the 
enemy’s retreat with great gal¬ 
lantry, so that Lally was enabled 
to carry off his wounded and his 
light baggage; but his artillery 
and heavy train Avere abandoned 
to the victors. 

1811. Siege of Tarifa.— 
On the 21st December, a picket 
of French troops having incau¬ 
tiously advanced towards the 
western front, Capt. Wren, of the 
11th regiment, suddenly descend¬ 
ed from the Catalina, and carried 
them off. In the night, the enemy 


approached close to the walls; 
but on the morning of the 22nd, 
Capt. Wren again came down 
from the Catalina, and at the 
same time the troops sallied from 
the convent, with a view to dis¬ 
cover the position of the enemy’s 
advanced posts. So daring was 
this sortie that Mr. Welstead, of 
the 82nd, actually pushed into 
one of their camps and captured a 
field-piece ; and although he was 
unable to bring it off in the face 
of the French reserves, the latter 
were drawn under the fire of the 
ships off - the island and of the 
town,—whereby they suffered se¬ 
verely, and could with difficulty 
recover the captured field-piece 
from under the guns of the north¬ 
east tower. 

1845. Battle of Ferozeshah. 
— As the morning of the 22nd 
Dec. broke, the Sikhs appeared 
to be still in possession of a consi¬ 
derable portion of the quadrangle. 
The British still held the re¬ 
mainder of the position where 
they had bivouacked, as we have 
related on the 21st, their numbers 
thinned by casualties, and all 
much exhausted by excessive 
thirst; for it has been a long 
recognised principle in Sikh tac¬ 
tics to fix their intrenchments in 
situations where there is great 
difficulty to procure water. The 
British columns having deployed 
into line, and the two chiefs 
placing themselves in front, the 
army moved forward at a steady 
pace, scarcely firing a shot. The 
opposition was slight, most of the 
guns being taken in reverse, and, 
wheeling round past the village 
of Ferozeshah, the British swept 
down the whole left and rear of 
the enemy’s position, halting at 
the opposite extremity. A strong 
Sikh reinforcement, with a large 
field of artillery, now came up 
from the vicinity of Ferozepore, 


L 


B B 4 








376 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 23. 


supported by thirty thousand 
Ghorchurrhas, and driving in the 
British cavalry, made a deter¬ 
mined effort to regain the posi¬ 
tion at Ferozeshah, Failing in 
this attempt, Tej Sing com¬ 
menced a demonstration against 
the village and the left flank, un¬ 
der an incessant fire from their 
artillery, whilst the British, being 
without communication, could 
not respond. The cavalry were 
therefore ordered to threaten 
both flanks of the enemy. This 
movement induced the Sikh ge¬ 
neral to cease firing and retire 
from the field. The total loss of 
the British, in achieving this bril¬ 
liant victor}', amounted to six 
hundred and ninety-four men 
killed and seventeen hundred and 
twenty-one wounded. The va¬ 
lour of the British troops caused 
great dismay amongst the ma¬ 
jority of the turbulent Ivhalsa 
soldiery. Some of them attempted 
to fortify their positions between 
Ferozepore and Hurecka Ghaut, 
the principal passage of the river 
on the road to Lahore ; but these 
were soon abandoned. The Go¬ 
vernor-General refusing to enter 
into any terms with Tej Sing 
until the British were under the 
walls of Lahore, the whole of the 
Sikhs retired into their own ter¬ 
ritory. 

December 23. 

1791. Surrender of Ootra- 
droog. —Lord Cornwallis, in the 
persuasion that the garrisons of 
the neighbouring forts would be 
impressed with great terror by the 
fall of Severndroog, lost no time 
to avail himself of their conster¬ 
nation. Captain Welsh, of the 
Bengal infantry who was posted, 
with three native battalions 
and a large body of the Nizam’s 
horse, at a considerable distance 


on the left of the position of the 
army, was accordingly ordered to 
march with two battalions, before 
daylight on the morning of the 
22nd of December, to the fort of 
Ramghire, situated about thirty 
miles from Bangalore, on the 
great road leading from that 
place by Anapatam to Seringa- 
patam; and Lieut.-Col. Stuart 
was directed, after leaving one 
native battalion in Severndroog, 
to march, with the remainder of 
the corps under his command, on 
the morning of the 23rd, to invest 
the strong hill-fort of Ootradroog, 
which lies about twelve miles to 
the north-west of the other for¬ 
tress. Although Capt. Welsh 
was not furnished with the means 
to reduce the fort of Ramghire 
by force, he, by his address and 
judicious management, not only 
succeeded in alarming the kil- 
lidar of that place and his gar¬ 
rison, inducing them to capitulate 
on the morning of the 24th, but 
also obtained, in like manner, pos¬ 
session of the adjoining fort of 
Sevenghire. 

1804. A few days subsequent 
to the defeat of the Mahrattas 
before the fortress of Deig by 
Col. Monson, Gen. Lake, after a 
persevering pursuit, overtook Hol- 
kar’s cavalry at Furruckabad. 
The surprise would have been 
complete, had not the accidental 
explosion of a tumbril, just before 
the onset, roused the Mahrattas 
to a sense of their danger. Gol¬ 
kar and his immediate followers 
escaped, but three thousand of his 
troops were put to the sword. 
Deig was immediately invested, 
and, after a siege of ten days, car¬ 
ried by storm on the 23rd Decem¬ 
ber. Holkar now appeared on the 
verge of ruin; his territory in the 
Deccan was reduced; his principal 
forts in Maiwa, including his capi¬ 
tal, Indore, were in the possession 






December 24. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


377 


of the English, and the fall of 
Bhurtpore was alone wanting to 
reduce him to the condition of a 
helpless fugitive. 

1814. Defeat of American 
Army. — On the 23rd of De¬ 
cember, the troops under Major- 
Gen. Keane, destined for the attack 
of New Orleans, landed at the 
head of the bayou Catalan at 
ten o’clock in the forenoon. The 
light brigade, composed of the 
85th and 95th regiments, the 
rocket corps, and one hundred 
sappers, with the 4th regiment in 
support, under Col. Thornton; and 
the 21st, 44th and 93rd regiments, 
under Col. Brooke, in reserve. 
The enemy made a vigorous at¬ 
tack on the advanced front; but 
finding their efforts unavailing, a 
large column made another at¬ 
tempt, about eleven o’clock, on the 
centre, and with no better success. 
As a last effort, the whole Ame¬ 
rican force, formed in line, moved 
upon the light brigade; but Col. 
Thornton advancing at the charge, 
so appalled the enemy, that they 
deemed it prudent to retire; nor 
did they again venture to show 
a front. The American force 
amounted to 5000 men, under the 
command of Gen. Jackson; and, 
judging from the number left on 
the field of battle, their loss must 
have been very severe. On the 
part of the British, 46 men were 
killed, 167 wounded, and 59 
missing. 

December 24. 

1791. Reduction of Ootra- 
droog. — The afternoon of the 
23rd of December was employed 
by Lieut.-Col. Stuart, and by the 
engineers who had accompanied 
his detachment, in reconnoitring 
the fortress of Ootradroog; and he 
resolved to attack the pettah on 
the following morning. A de¬ 
tachment was accordingly formed 


for that purpose, under the com¬ 
mand of Capt. Scott, of the 
Bengal infantry, which, on its 
march towards the fort about 
nine o’clock in the forenoon, was 
met by a Brahmin, deputed by 
the garrison to give assurance 
that, notwithstanding the resolu¬ 
tion of the killidar to the con¬ 
trary, they were determined to 
surrender. The great strength 
of the place rendered this com¬ 
munication highly acceptable; 
and Lieut.-Col. Stuart sent back 
the Brahmin, with an offer of ad¬ 
vantageous terms, both to the 
garrison and the inhabitants, pro¬ 
vided they would admit the troops 
without resistance, and he gave 
them two hours from ten o’clock 
to consider, and to make their 
final decision. The guns of the 
fort continuing to fire during that 
interval, and Col. Stuart having 
also observed other reasons to 
induce him to believe that the 
offer of surrender had been a 
feint, in order to gain time on the 
part of the garrison, the assail¬ 
ing party was held in readiness. 
No person coming out of the fort 
at the expiration of the two hours, 
Capt. Scott was ordered to ad¬ 
vance under cover of the fire of 
some six-pounders, to escalade 
the pettah, and to make an at¬ 
tempt upon the fort, in case he 
observed any indication of confu¬ 
sion or irresolution on the part of 
the enemy; but the troops, upon 
ascending the ladders, found that 
the pettah had been abandoned. 
Perceiving some signs of con¬ 
sternation amongst the enemy 
upon the walls of the fort, the as 
sailants attacked them with a 
valour and confidence, that the 
recent success at Severndroog 
could alone have inspired, and 
met with such feeble resistance 
that could only be accounted 
for by the impression of terror 












378 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 27. 


which the fall of that place had 
made upon the minds of their 
adversaries. Six distinct high 
walls of masonry, upon the ascent 
of a hill of extraordinary steep¬ 
ness, were successively and ra¬ 
pidly carried; and nothing could 
more strongly have marked the 
panic of the enemy than that, al¬ 
though during the assault they 
kept up a sharp fire, only two 
soldiers of the 72ud regiment 
were slightly wounded. The gar¬ 
rison consisted of about 600 men, 
of whom nearly one hundred 
were killed or wounded; and 
many perished in attempting to 
escape over the precipices on the 
opposite side of the fort. 

December 25. 

1807. The Danish island of St. 
Croix, in the West Indies, sur¬ 
rendered to a force under Major- 
Gen. Bowyer, embarked in a fleet 
under Rear-Adm. the Hon. Sir 
Alexander Cochrane. 

December 26. 

1808. French defeated by 
Lord Paget.— On the 25th De¬ 
cember, Sir John Moore, with the 
reserve of the British army, fol¬ 
lowed the route of the two di¬ 
visions under General Hope to 
Valderas. On the 26th, General 
Baird passed the Esla at Valencia 
with some difficulty, and took 
post on the other side. The 
troops of the commander-in- 
chief approached the bridge of 
Castro Gonzalo early in the 
morning, and, under cover of a 
fog, crossed the river. The left 
bank being high, and completely 
commanding the bridge, the se¬ 
cond light brigade, under Gen. 
Robert Crawfurd, with two guns, 
were posted on that side, to pro¬ 
tect the passage; for Soult, aware 


of the retreat, was pressing forward 
vigorously. When Lord Paget 
had passed the Mayorga, he dis¬ 
covered a strong body of cavalry 
belonging to Ney’s corps, drawn 
up on an elevated spot close to 
the road. Two squadrons of the 
tenth light dragoons boldly 
mounted the hill, and, notwith¬ 
standing the superiority of num¬ 
bers and position, overthrew them, 
killed twenty men, and took one 
hundred prisoners. This was a 
proud triumph; but the English 
horsemen had been engaged, 
more or less, for twelve successive 
days, and with such fortune and 
braverv, that above five hundred 
prisoners had already fallen into 
their hands; and the confidence 
in their leaders was unbounded. 

December 27. 

1778. Capture of Savan¬ 
nah. — Lieut.- Colonel Campbell, 
with the 71st regiment of foot, 
two battalions of Hessians, four 
battalions of provincials, and a 
detachment of royal artillery, 
sailed from the Hook on the 
27th November, escorted by the 
squadron under Commodore Par¬ 
ker. The expedition arrived off 
the island of Tybee on 23rd 
December, and on the following 
morning anchored in the Sa¬ 
vannah river. In the afternoon 
of the 26th, the transports, in three 
divisions, protected by some ships 
of war, proceeded up the river 
with the tide about noon. Soon 
after break of day on the morning 
of the 27th, the first division, con¬ 
sisting of all the light infantry, 
the New York volunteers, and the 
1st battalion of the 71st regi¬ 
ment, under Lieut.-Colonel Mait¬ 
land, were landed; and the 
light infantry, under Capt. Ca¬ 
meron, immediately moved for¬ 
ward, and, supported by the 71st, 







December 28. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


379 


soon dispersed the rebels that had 
assembled to oppose them; but 
that gallant officer and two men 
were killed, and ten wounded. 
The rebel army, under Major- 
Gen. Howe, being drawn up about 
a mile to the eastward of the 
town of Savannah, with several 
pieces of cannon, it was resolved 
immediately to attack them. 
Leaving a detachment to cover the 
landing-place, the troops moved 
forward in excellent order, and 
before 3 o’clock were in pre¬ 
sence of the enemy, posted with 
their right to the road, and their 
left on the rice swamps, w r ith the 
fort of Savannah behind their 
right wing, whilst the town co¬ 
vered their rear. Having sent the 
light infantry round the enemy’s 
right flank, Col. Campbell moved 
the line briskly forward, and, 
under cover of the well-directed 
fire of the artillery, the 71st 
regiment and the Hessian regi¬ 
ment of Wellworth instantly dis¬ 
persed the enemy. A body of 
militia of Georgia, posted with 
some guns to cover the road from 
Great Ogeeche, were at this 
juncture routed by the light in¬ 
fantry under Sir James Baird. 
As the scattered troops of the 
Carolina and Georgia brigades 
ran across the plain in his front, 
this galknt officer dashed the 
light troops on their flank, and 
terminated the fate of the day 
with brilliant success. Thirty- 
eight officers and 415 rank and 
file, 48 pieces of cannon, 23 
mortars ; in short, the capital of 
Georgia fell into our hands, with 
the trifling loss of 3 killed and 10 
wounded on the part ot the 
British. Eighty-three of the 
enemy were found dead on the 
common, and eleven wounded. 

1791. Defeat of Mysoreans. 
—The detachment sent to the aid 
of the Mahrattas, under the com¬ 


mand of Captain Little, performed 
many eminent services without 
obtaining any effective assistance 
from the allies, who, in fact, were 
rather an impediment to his ope¬ 
rations. With only seven hun¬ 
dred men, that officer, on the 27 th 
December, attacked ten thousand 
Mysoreans, strongly posted in a 
fortified camp, entirely routed 
them, and captured the whole of 
their artillery. This brilliant ex¬ 
ploit was followed by the re¬ 
duction of the fortress of Simoga, 
which opened to the allies a por¬ 
tion of Tippoo’s territories that 
had hitherto escaped the ravages 
of war. Instead of advancing to 
the aid of Gen. Abercromby, who 
had reached the top of the Ghauts 
on the Malabar side, the Mah¬ 
rattas, allured by the hope of 
plunder, made a fruitless attempt 
on Bednore; and thus, while they 
materially deranged the govern¬ 
or’s plan for the campaign, led 
to the loss of Coimbetore, which 
was forced to capitulate to a 
Mysore army. The terms of the 
capitulation were atrociously vio¬ 
lated, and this outrage prevented 
Lord Cornwallis from listening 
to Tippoo’s overtures for peace. 

December 23. 

1756. The fleet destined for 
the recapture of Calcutta, consist¬ 
ing of six ships of war, and se¬ 
veral transports, having on board 
900 European soldiers, and 1500 
sepoys, under Col. Clive, sailed 
from Madras roads on the 16th 
of October, and arrived at Fulta 
on the 29th of December. On the 
27th all the ships weighed, and 
stood up the river as far as Mayo- 
pore, ten miles from the fort of 
Budge Budge, which it was deter¬ 
mined to attack on the following 
day. On the morning of the 28th, 
500 of the Madras Europeans, 










380 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 29. 


with 1500 sepoys and two field- 
pieces were landed a few miles 
from the fort. Whilst the troops 
were resting after the fatigue of 
a tedious march, and dragging 
their guns through the mud, they 
were attacked by Mouick Chund, 
the Governor of Calcutta, with 
2000 foot and 1500 horse; the 
enemy being under cover, stood 
for a short time, but were ulti¬ 
mately dislodged, and repulsed 
with considerable loss. On the 
following day the fort, having 
been previously fired upon by 
the fleet, was evacuated. 

1808. Defeat of French 
Cavalry. — The reserve of Sir 
John Moore’s army and Gen.Craw- 
furd’s brigade quitted Benevente 
on the 28th of December, but the 
cavalry remained in the town, 
leaving parties to watch the fords 
at Esla. Soon after daybreak, 
Gen. Lefebre Desnouettes, seeing 
only a few cavalry posts on the 
great plain, rather hastily con¬ 
cluded that there was nothing to 
support them ; and, crossing the 
river a little above the bridge 
with six hundred horsemen of 
the imperial guards, advanced 
into the plain. The pickets at 
first retired fighting, but being 
joined by a part of the third Ger¬ 
man hussars, they charged the 
French squadrons with some 
effect. General Charles Stewart 
then took the command, and the 
ground was obstinately disputed. 
At this moment the plain was 
covered with stragglers and fol¬ 
lowers of the army, and the dis- 
stant pickets and videttes were 
seen galloping in from the right 
and left. The French were press¬ 
ing boldly forward, and appear¬ 
ances indicated the approach of 
the enemy’s whole army. Lord 
Paget ordered the tenth hussars to 
mount, and form under cover of 
some houses at the entrance of the 


town. In half an hour, every¬ 
thing being ready, the tenth gal¬ 
loped forward; the pickets that 
were already engaged closed to¬ 
gether, and the whole charged. 
In an instant the scene changed; 
the enemy were seen flying at full 
speed towards the river, and the 
British close at their heels. The 
French squadrons, without break¬ 
ing their ranks, plunged into the 
stream and gained the opposite 
heights, where they wheeled in¬ 
stantly, and seemed disposed to 
come forward a second time; but 
a battery of six guns being opened 
upon them, after a few rounds, 
they retired. During the pursuit 
in the plain an officer was ob¬ 
served endeavouring to pass the 
river at another ford: being fol¬ 
lowed, and refusing to stop when 
overtaken, he was cut across the 
head, and brought in a prisoner. 
He proved to be Gen. Lefebre. 
Although the imperial guards 
were outnumbered in the end, 
they were very superior at the 
commencement of the fight, which 
was gallantly contested on both 
sides. The British lost fifty men 
killed and wounded. The French 
left fifty-five, killed and wounded, 
on the field, and seventy pri¬ 
soners, besides the general and 
other officers. Lord Paget main¬ 
tained his posts on the Esla, un¬ 
der an occasional cannonade, until 
the evening, and then withdrew 
to La Baneza. 

December 29. 

1789. TlPPOO DEFEATED.— 
The close alliance formed between 
the Nizam and the East India 
Company gave great offence to 
Tippoo Sultaun, and he showed 
his resentment by espousing the 
cause of the Rajah of Cherika, 
who had quarrelled with the En¬ 
glish respecting the payment of 






December 29. CALENDAR 


liis debts, for which they held the 
customs of the ports of Tellicherry 
as security. All doubts of Tip- 
poo’s designs were removed by 
his blockading Tellicherry, and 
by his leading an army to invade 
the dominions of the Rajah of 
Travancore, a faithful ally of the 
English. These territories were 
defended by a line of works about 
thirty miles in length, and con¬ 
sisted of a ditch sixteen feet 
broad and twenty deep, a strong 
bamboo hedge, a slight parapet, 
and a good rampart, with bastions 
on rising grounds, which almost 
flanked each other. On the 24th 
of December, Tippoo appeared 
before the lines of Travancore; 
and on the 29tn, he turned the 
right flank of the works, and in¬ 
troduced a portion of his army 
within the wall. Before, how¬ 
ever, he could open the gates, his 
troops were thrown into confusion, 
and driven with great slaughter 
across the ditch, Tippoo himself 
effecting his escape with consider¬ 
able difficulty. 

1843. Battle or Maiia- 
rajpore. — A division of the 
British army, under Lieut.-Gen. 
Sir Hugh Gough, crossed the 
Chumbul river on the 23rd De¬ 
cember, and halted five days at 
Hingora, twenty miles distant 
from Gwalior. A second division, 
under Major-Gen. Grey, advanced 
upon that place from Bundlecund, 
whilst the main division crossed 
the lvoharee on the 29 th. Lord 
Ellenborough, having discovered 
the deceit of the Durbar, resolved 
on adopting decided measures. 
The Gwalior army, consisting of 
18,000 men, including 3000 ca¬ 
valry, with one hundred guns, 
occupied a strong intrenched 
position in front of the village 
of Maharajpore. The British 
amounted to fourteen thousand 
men, with forty pieces of cannon. 


OF VICTORY. 381 


The action commenced by the 
advance of the column under 
Major-Gen. Sir John Littler, who 
boldly attacked the enemy in 
front, under a heavy fire from the 
Mahrattas’ artillery; but the rush 
of H.M.’s 39th regiment, sup¬ 
ported by the 56th regiment of 
native infantry, drove them from 
their guns into the village, where 
a sanguinary conflict took place. 
Meanwhile Gen. Valiant led his 
brigade to the rear of Maharajpore, 
and captured twenty-eight guns. 
The Mahrattas fought with great 
desperation, and lost between 
three and four thousand men. 
The British had seven officers 
and ninety-four men killed, and 
34 officers and 684 men wounded. 
Lord Ellenborough, mounted on 
an elephant, was present in the 
action, and his appearance created 
much emulation among the 
troops. 

1843. Battle of Punniar.— 
About four o’clock in the after¬ 
noon of the 29th December, the 
Mahratta army, amounting to 
12,000 men, was observed to have 
taken up a very strong position 
on a chain of high hills in the 
immediate vicinity of the forti¬ 
fied village of Mangore, near 
Punniar, twelve miles from Gwa¬ 
lior, and about four from the 
British camp. Major-Gen. Grey 
resolved on an immediate attack, 
and detached H.M.’s 3rd Buffs 
and a company of sappers and 
miners, to take up a position on 
an opposite ridge, supported by 
five companies of the 39th native 
infantry, until the main body, 
consisting of 2000 men, could be 
brought up. The Buffs, under 
Col. Clunie, and sappers, attacked 
the enemy’s centre, driving them 
from height to height, and cap¬ 
tured eleven guns and the stan¬ 
dard. The wing of the 39th re¬ 
giment, led by Brigadier Yates, 






382 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 30. 


was conducted to the crest of a 
hill commanding the enemy’s left, 
and after pouring in a destructive 
fire, rushed down the nullah, and 
captured two guns. The 2nd in¬ 
fantry brigade, under command of 
Lieut.-Col. Anderson, H.M.’s 50th 
regiment, arrived in time to put a 
finish to the action: forming on 
the crest of the hill, by a gallant 
and judicious movement, they at¬ 
tacked the enemy’s left, com¬ 
pletely defeated them, and cap¬ 
tured the remainder of their 
artillery. 

December 30. 

1708. Reduction op Ghent. 
— Count De la Motte, enjoined 
by his sovereign to defend Ghent 
to the last extremity, was ear¬ 
nestly exhorted to imitate the 
gallant example of Boufflers, at 
Lisle. Measures were, however, 
adopted by the two chiefs of the 
allies to abridge the time and 
lessen the means of resistance. 
Marlborough, on the 11th Decem¬ 
ber, encamped with the right at 
Melle and the left at Merlebeck, 
caused bridges to be laid over 
the upper and lower Scheldt, as 
well as over the Lys, for main¬ 
taining his communications. On 
the 16th, Eugene passed the 
Scheldt, and halted his army at 
Ename; and, on the 17th, a corps 
was sent from each army,—one to 
take post at Gomurage, to ob¬ 
serve the motions of the enemy 
beyond the Dender, and the other 
to Osterzelle, to straiten Ghent, 
between the upper and lower 
Scheldt. On the 18th, the place 
was invested on all sides, Marl¬ 
borough having his quarters at 
Merlebeck, as the most convenient 
to superintend the attack. On 
the 24th, the trenches were open¬ 
ed by Count Lottum, and no 
other resistance being encoun¬ 


tered than a single sally, the 
batteries were speedily in a con¬ 
dition to bombard the town. 
On the 30th, therefore, Count De 
la Motte sent out a trumpet to 
demand an honourable capitula¬ 
tion, which Marlborough granted, 
from an anxiety to spare his 
troops, as the frost had already 
commenced. On the 2nd Ja¬ 
nuary, 1709, the garrison eva¬ 
cuated the place with the usual 
honours of war. 

1778. Surrender of St. Lu¬ 
cie. — On the 30th December, 
the island of St. Lucie sur¬ 
rendered to the forces under 
Major-Gen. Grant and Rear- Adm. 
Barrington. 

1799. Surrender op El 
Ariscii. — The Turkish army, 
under the Grand Vizier, accom¬ 
panied by the marines of H. M. S. 
Tigre, under Major Douglas, 
moved from Gaza to El Arisch 
on the 20th December. In the 
night of the 23rd, the trenches 
were opened before the front 
gate; and batteries erected on the 
24th, the fire of which was at¬ 
tended with complete success. 
On the morning of the 30th, the 
firing having ceased, Major Dou¬ 
glas ascended the wall of the 
fort, by means of a rope which 
was let down for him, and re¬ 
ceived the sword of the French 
commandant : but it was found 
impossible to restrain the impe¬ 
tuosity of the Turks, who put 300 
of the garrison to the sword ; the 
remainder were, however, by the 
exertions of Major Douglas, placed 
in security. 

1812. Col. Skerrit’s brigade 
having arrived from Cadiz, there 
were, including the Spanish ir¬ 
regulars, forty thousand men in 
line, and a multitude of partidas 
hovering about. The French 
corps of Gen. Drouet passed the 
Tagus on the 29th December, at 








December 31. CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 383 


the abandoned fords of Fuente 
Duenas and Villa Maurique, 
whilst the king, with his guards, 
repaired to Zarza de la Cruz. 
Meanwhile Soult, whose divisions 
were coming up to Ocaria, re¬ 
stored the bridge of Aranjuez, and 
passed the Tagus with his advance- 
guard. On the 30th he attacked 
Gen. Cole, who commanded at 
the Puente Larga, with several 
regiments and some guns; but, 
though the mines failed and the 
French attempted to carry the 
bridge with the bayonet, they 
were vigorously repulsed by the 
47th regiment under Colonel 
Skerrit. After a heavy cannon¬ 
ade and a sharp musketry, in 
which the allies lost sixty men, 
Soult relinquished the attempt, 
and awaited the arrival of his 
main body, 

December 31. 

1759. On 25th December, Col. 
Coote’s force moved out of can¬ 
tonments at Chinesimandsum, 
and on the 29th, both armies ar¬ 
riving in sight of each other, the 
French general reconnoitring, 
there was some skirmishing at 
the outposts. On the 30th, an 
attack made by the enemy on an 
outpost was repulsed with consi¬ 
derable loss. Early on the morn¬ 
ing of the 31st, three companies 
of sepoys surprised the Mahratta 
camp and completely routed 
them ; but Ensign Meredith, who 
led the attacking party, being 
wounded, they retired without 
improving their success. Thus 
ended the third year of a doubt¬ 
ful war in the Carnatic. 

1811. Siege or Tarifa.— 
The place was invested on 20th 
December : by the 30th the wall 
was broken for sixty feet, and the 
whole breach offered an easy as¬ 
cent ; yet the besieged again clear¬ 


ed away the rubbish, and in the 
night were fast augmenting the 
defences behind, when the heavy 
rain, bringing down from the 
French camp planks, fascines, 
gabions, and dead bodies, broke 
the palisades with a shock, bent 
the portcullis backward, and in¬ 
jured the defences behind the 
breach ; yet, such was the vigour 
of the besieged that the damage 
was repaired before the morning 
of the 31st. The waters had sub¬ 
sided in the night, and at daylight 
a column of French grenadiers 
were sent gliding down the bed 
of the river, but, instead of at¬ 
tacking the breach, dashed against 
the portcullis ; and then a crush¬ 
ing volley smote the head of the 
column. The leading officer, 
covered with wounds, fell against 
the portcullis, and gave up his 
sword through the bars to Col. 
Gough, and the dead and wound¬ 
ed filled the hollow. The attack¬ 
ing force still continued their 
efforts, but the grape that was 
poured upon them from a field- 
piece in the north-eastern tower 
swept the French masses so ef¬ 
fectually that they once more 
plunged into the hollow and re¬ 
turned to their camp, while a 
shout of victory, mingled with the 
sound of martial instruments, 
passed round the w r all of the 
town. In this combat the allies 
lost five officers and thirty-one 
men ; but the French dead cover¬ 
ed all the slopes in front of the 
rampart, and choked the bed of 
the river; and ten wounded offi¬ 
cers were brought in by the 
breach. Col. Skerrett, compas¬ 
sionating their sufferings, and 
admiring their bravery, permitted 
Caval to fetch off the remainder. 
The operations of the siege were 
then suspended, for both parties 
suffered severely from the wea¬ 
ther. On the 4th January, 1812, 








384 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 31. 


the French having destroyed 
their guns during the night, were 

driven bv the British from their 

«/ 


batteries, and although they made 
some prisoners, the enemy re¬ 
treated in perfect order. 

















-—- - . — . — - _ 

January 1, NAVY. 385 

8 


iilatoj). 


January 1< 

1758. Adventure and Mach- 
ault. —As the hired armed ship 
Adventure, mounting 18 long 
6-pounders, Captain John Bray, 
was anchored in Dungeness roads, 
she cut her cables in pursuit of a 
large brig, and soon afterwards 
brought her to action. At 3 p.m. 
the stranger had taken a raking 
position, when the Adventure 
wore round across the hawse of 
her opponent, the latter’s bow¬ 
sprit passing between the ship’s 
main and mizen masts; and after 
a vigorous defence, the enemy sur¬ 
rendered. She proved to be the 
Machault privateer, mounting 
14 long 8-pounders, with a crew 
of 102 men—40 of whom were 
killed or wounded. The Ad¬ 
venture had only one man killed 
and two wounded. 

1807. Capture of Cura^oa. 
The 38-gun frigates, Arethusa, 
Capt. Charles Brisbane, Latona, 
Capt. James Athol Wood, Fis- 
gard, Capt. William Bolton, and 
44-gun frigate Anson, Captain 
Charles Lydiard, at lh. a.m. on 
the 1st of January arrived off 
the harbour of Cura£oa, and bore 
up to attack that place. The 
entrance to the harbour is about 
50 fathoms wide, defended by 
strong fortifications, of which fort 
Amsterdam, on the right hand, 
mounted 60 pieces of cannon, in 
two tiers. Athwart the harbour, 
which nowhere exceeds a quarter 
of a mile in width, were stationed 
a frigate of 36 guns, a 20-gun cor¬ 
vette, and two armed schooners. 
A chain of forts on Musselburg 


height, and fort Republique si¬ 
tuated on a high hill, within half 
gun-shot, commanded the whole 
harbour. At daylight, the Are¬ 
thusa entered the port, and the 
three leading frigates anchored 
close to the enemy’s ships; but 
the Fisgard, unfortunately, took 
the ground on the west side, and 
remained fast. Capt. Brisbane 
then sent a summons to the go¬ 
vernor, giving him five minutes 
to determine. No notice being 
taken of this message, the British 
ships, at 6h. 15m. a.m. opened 
their fire. After the third broad¬ 
side, Capt. Brisbane, heading his 
men, boarded and carried the 
Dutch frigate, and she was taken 
possession of by the Latona; at 
the same time, a party of men of 
the Anson, led by Capt. Lydiard, 
boarded and secured the corvette. 
Captains Brisbane and Lydiard 
then pulled ashore, and at 7h. 30m. 
proceeded to storm fort Amster¬ 
dam, garrisoned by 270 regular 
troops. Some of the British 
forced open the sea-gate, whilst 
others scaled the walls; and in 
about ten minutes the fort was 
carried, and, with equal facility, 
two minor forts, the citadel, and 
the town. The captains, with 
part of the men, returning to 
their ships, opened a fire on fort 
Republique, while 300 seamen 
and marines proceeded to attack 
it in the rear; at lOh. a.m. the 
British flag was hoisted on this 
fortress, and by noon the whole 
island of Cura£oa had capitulated. 
This daring and well-conducted 
enterprise was accomplished with 
no greater loss than 3 men 











386 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 2. 


killed and 14 wounded. The 
loss of the Dutch is reported to 
have amounted to 200 killed and 
wounded.—jHtdfaL 

1809. Onyx and Manly. —At 
daylight, the Onyx gun-brig, 
mounting eight 18-pounder car- 
ronades and two long sixes, with 
a crew of 75 men and boys, Capt. 
Charles Gill, in the North Sea, 
captured the Dutch brig Manly 
(late British), mounting twelve 
18-pounder carronades and four 
brass sixes, with 94 men, after an 
action of two hours’ duration. 
The Onyx had only three men 
wounded. — JHctfaL 

January 2. 

1783. The 44-gun ship Endy- 
mion, and 36-gun frigate Magi- 
cienne, Captains Edward Tyrrel 
Smith and Thomas Graves, being 
off Cape Francis, chased a French 
convoy of 17 sail, under the pro¬ 
tection of 36-gun frigate Sybille 
and 14-gun brig Railleur. The 
Magicienne, being far a-head of 
her consort, after engaging and 
silencing the fire of the Railleur, 
pushed on and brought the Sybille 
to action. The engagement be¬ 
tween these two ships was so 
severe, that much fighting took 
place out of the ports between 
the men with pikes and rammers. 
At 2h. 30m. p.m., the fire of the 
Sybille had slackened, and hopes 
were entertained of bringing the 
matter to a successful termination, 
when, just at this time, the fore 
and main masts of the Magicienne 
fell over the side. The Sybille 
instantly made all sail away, and 
effected her escape. The Endy- 
mion soon arrived within hail of the 
Magicienne, and, cheering as she 
passed, pursued the fugitive ship; 
but the latter succeeded in getting 
clear off. It was subsequently 
ascertained that she had 13 men 
killed, and her captain (Kerga- 


rion) and 37 wounded. The 
Magicienne sustained a loss of 16 
men killed and 31 wounded. 
(See 22nd January). 

1806. The 54-gun ship Mala¬ 
bar, Capt. Robert Hall, and 18- 
gun corvette Wolf, Capt. Geo. 
Chas. Mackenzie, cruising off the 
south end of the island of Cuba, 
discovered two large schooner- 
privateers running into Azera- 
deros, a small harbour, the en¬ 
trance to which was concealed by 
a double reef of rocks. Owing 
to the skill and exertions of Mr. 
Thomas Fotheringham, master of 
the Malabar, the passage was at 
length discovered, and the Wolf, 
conducted through an opening 
in the reefs, anchored within a 
quarter of a mile of the privateers; 
which, in expectation of an attack, 
were moored in a very advan¬ 
tageous position of defence. The 
Wolf opened her fire upon the 
two vessels, and continued it for 
nearly two hours ; when, ob¬ 
serving that the crews of the 
enemy’s vessels were making their 
escape to the shore, Capt. Mac¬ 
kenzie detached the boats to bring 
the privateers out. They proved 
to be the Regulateur, mounting 
one long brass 18-pounder, and 
four long brass 6-pounders, with 
a crew of 80 men ; and the 
Napoleon, of five guns and 66 
men. Four of the Frenchmen, 
who were wounded, were made 
prisoners; the remainder escaped. 
The two vessels were towed be¬ 
yond the reef, but the Regulateur 
was so much injured that she 
sunk shortly afterwards. 

1807. In the night, the boats 
of Cerberus, 32, under Lieut. 
William Coote, gallantly boarded 
and cut out two vessels anchored 
under a battery near the Pearl 
rock, Martinique, although pro¬ 
tected by a heavy fire from the 
shore. Lieut. Coote was despe- 









January 3. 


NAVY. 


387 


rately wounded and deprived of 
his sight: 2 men wei'e killed and 
8 wounded.— 

1814. Surrender of Gluck- 
stadt. —After a series of skilful 
operations on the river Elbe, to 
the success of which the naval 
force, under Capt. Arthur Far- 
quhar, importantly contributed, 
the fortress of Gluckstadt sur¬ 
rendered on 2nd January. The 
squadron employed consisted of 
the Desiree, Capt. Farquhar ; 
sloops Shamrock, Blazer, and 
Hearty, Commanders John Mar¬ 
shall, John Banks, and James 
Bose; and gun-brigs Piercer and 
Redbreast, Lieutenants Joshua 
Ivneeshaw and Sir George Keith. 
Commander Andrew P. Green 
was landed in charge of the sea¬ 
men’s batteries, and, together with 
Lieuts. D. Hanmer, J. Henderson, 
Charles Haultain, J. Archer, and 
L. S. Jack, Mate Thomas Riches, 
and Midshipmen J. Hallowes 
and George Richardson, were 
honourably mentioned for services 
during the siege.— 

January 3. 

1781. Duquesne, French 36- 
gun ship, was captured by the 
British 74-gun ship Alexander, 
Capt. Boston, on the Irish station. 

1801. Senegal captured.— 
The 38-gun frigate Melpomene, 
Capt. Sir Charles Hamilton, being 
off the bar of Senegal, at 9h. 30m. 
p. m., despatched live boats, con¬ 
taining a lieutenant and 35 men 
from the African corps, under 
the orders of Lieut. Thomas Dick, 
to attempt to carry by surprise 
a French 18-gun brig-corvette 
and an armed schooner. Having 
passed in safety the heavy surf 
on the bar, also the battery at the 
point, without being discovered, 
the boats, at llh. 15m., had ar¬ 
rived within a few yards of the 
brig, when the discharge of her 


two bow guns killed Lieut. 
Palmer and seven men, and sank 
two of the best boats. The three 
remaining boats, nevertheless, 
dashed alongside, boarded, and, 
after a severe contest of twenty 
minutes, carried the French brig 
Senegal, of 18 long 8-pounders, 
and 60 men. In the meantime, 
the schooner had cut her cable, 
and run for protection under the 
battery. The prize was got un¬ 
der way, and proceeded down 
the river; but, as she grounded 
on the bar, Lieut. Dick quitted 
her with the three boats, and 
succeeded in making his way to 
the frigate across a tremendous 
surf, and under a heavy lire of 
grape-shot and musketry from 
the adjoining batteries. The loss 
of the British in this spirited en¬ 
terprise amounted to 11 killed, 
including Lieut. Wm. Palmer and 
Lieut. Wm. Yyvian, of the ma¬ 
rines, and 18 wounded. 

1809. Capture of Iris.— The 
12-pounder 32-gun frigate Ai- 
mable, Capt. Lord George Stuart, 
at 11 a.m., being off the Welbank 
near the Texel, standing to the 
southward, discovered a strange 
sail upon her weather quarter, 
steering to the northward and 
eastward. Suspecting her to be 
an enemy, the Aimable wore 
round and made all sail in chase; 
and at 4 p.m. on the 3rd, after 
a run of 24 hours, arrived along¬ 
side of the French ship-corvette 
Iris, mounting 22 carronades 24- 
pounders, and two long 12- or 8- 
pounders, with a complement of 
140 men, commanded by Captain 
Joseph JeanMacquet; which, after 
a running light of a few minutes, 
hauled down her colours. To 
the credit of the French crew 
in the use of their guns, the Ai¬ 
mable had her mainmast shot 
in the head, main-yard shot away 
J in the slings, mizen-mast head, 


C C 2 







388 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


January 4. 


mizen-topmast and trysail-mast 
shot away, and her rigging and 
sails greatly cut up. With all this 
damage, however,—damage which 
nearly caused the escape of the 
French ship,—the Aimable had 
only two men slightly wounded. 
The loss of the enemy amounted 
to two killed and eight wounded. 
The Iris had sailed from Dun¬ 
kirk on the 29th of December, 
with 640 casks of flour on board, 
bound to Martinique. 

January 4. 

1761. Capture of Bien Aimee. 
—The 28-gun frigate Trent, Capt. 
John Lindsey, being off Cape 
Tiburon, after an action of one 
hour’s dui'ation, captured the 
French merchant frigate Bien 
Aimee, of 20 guns, and a crew 
of 85 men. Her loss amounted 
to 20 men killed and wounded. 
The Trent had one man killed 
and five wounded. 

1781. Recapture of Minerva. 
—The 74-gun ships Courageux 
and Valiant, Capts. Lord Mul- 
grave and Samuel Goodall, being 
off Brest, fell in with three French 
frigates. Only one, the Minerva 
(late British), was overtaken, and 
captured, after a running fight 
of great obstinacy with the Cou¬ 
rageux. In her gallant defence, 
she had 49 men killed, her cap¬ 
tain (the Chevalier de Grimouard), 
and 23 men wounded. The Cou¬ 
rageux was much damaged by 
the frigate’s fire, and she had ten 
men killed and seven wounded. 

1799. The bark-rigged sloop 
Wolverine, of 12 guns and 70 
men, Capt. Lewis Mortlock, being 
on a cruise off Boulogne in 
very foggy weather, discovered 
two large French luggers close 
to her to windward. These were 
the Rusee, of eight 4-pounders 
and 70 men, and the Furet, of 


fourteen 4-pounders and 80 men. 
Judging that, if the privateers 
suspected the Wolverine to be a 
ship of war, they would make off, 
Capt. Mortlock approached them 
under Danish colours, and, on 
being hailed, replied that he was 
from Plymouth, bound to Copen¬ 
hagen. This lugger was now 
close upon the starboard quarter 
of the Wolverine, with her bow¬ 
sprit between the latter’s mizen 
chains and side. Instantly hoist¬ 
ing English colours, the bark 
opened a fire of great guns and 
musketry, and Capt. Mortlock, 
with his own hands, lashed the 
Furet’s bowsprit to the stanchions 
of the Wolverine’s mizen chains. 
The crew of the Furet made a 
vigorous attempt to board, but 
were driven back with loss. In 
the meantime the Rusee had shot 
ahead, and having run foul of 
the Wolverine on her larboard 
bow, her crew made a desperate 
effort to reach the decks of the 
British ship. Some combustibles 
thrown into the Wolverine’s cabin 
windows having set the vessel on 
fire, the privateers, taking ad¬ 
vantage of the circumstance, made 
their escape. As they were re¬ 
tiring, a shot from the Furet mor¬ 
tally wounded Captain Mortlock, 
who, although previously wound¬ 
ed in the head, in the breast, and 
in the loins, refused to be taken 
below. Giving the necessary or¬ 
ders to his lieutenant, this valiant 
young officer was now compelled 
to quit the deck, saying, “ Luff, 
luff; keep close to them.” The 
Wolverine, finding she had no 
chance with the luggers in sail¬ 
ing, bore up for Portsmouth. Her 
loss amounted to two men killed, 
her gallant commander and 7 
men wounded. The Furet had 
5 men killed; her captain and 5 
men mortally, and 10 badly 
wounded. The Rusee had 3 


















NAVY. 


January 5. 


389 


officers and 2 seamen killed ; five 
mortally, and several badly 
wounded. 

January 5. 

1781. The 50-gun ship War¬ 
wick, Capt. the Hon. Geo. Keith 
Elphinstone, captured, after a 
smart action, the Dutch 50-gun 
ship Rotterdam, Capt. Volbergen, 
whose loss was very severe, but 
the Warwick had none killed or 
wounded. 

1795. Blanche and Pique. 
— The 12-pounder 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Blanche, Captain Robert 
Faulknor, at daybreak on the 
4th, discovered the French 12- 
pounder 36-gun frigate Pique, an¬ 
chored outside the harbour of 
Pointe a Pitre, Guadaloupe ; but 
she soon afterwards weighed, and 
stood out towards the British fri¬ 
gate. After manoeuvring the 
whole day, without any decided 
effort to close, about midnight 
the Blanche, on the starboard tack, 
passed to leeward of the Pique, 
then on the opposite tack, and 
returned the distant broadside of 
the French frigate. At half-past 
midnight, the Blanche tacked, 
and at 1 a.m. on the 5th, when 
within musket-shot, the Pique 
wore, to cross her opponent’s 
hawse; but the Blanche, to defeat 
this manoeuvre, bore up, and both 
frigates became closely engaged, 
running off the wind. At 2h. 
30m., the Blanche was luffing 
across the bows of her opponent, 
in order to rake her, when the 
mizen and main masts of the Bri¬ 
tish frigate in succession, fell over 
the side. The Pique, soon after¬ 
wards, ran foul of the Blanche, 
on her larboard quarter, and made 
several ineffectual attempts to 
board. At 3 a.m., while assist¬ 
ing his second lieutenant (David 
Milne) and some of the crew in 
lashing the bowsprit of the Pique 

i 


to the capstan of the Blanche, 
Capt. Faulknor was shot through 
the heart by a musket ball. The 
lashings soon broke loose, and 
the Pique, crossing the stern of 
the Blanche, again fell on board, 
on her starboard quarter. The 
bo-wsprit of the French ship was 
then lashed to the stump of the 
Blanche’s mainmast; and in this 
manner the two ships paid off 
before the wind, -warmly engaging 
with musketry and the few guns 
that could be brought to bear. 
The two after guns were fired 
through the stern frame with 
such destructive effect, that at 
3h. 15m. the mainmast of the 
French ship (whose fore and 
mizen had previously fallen) 
went over the side. In this de¬ 
fenceless state, the Pique sus¬ 
tained the raking fire of her op¬ 
ponent until 5h. 15m. a. m., when 
some of the French crew, from 
the bowsprit end, called for quar¬ 
ter. Every boat on board the 
Blanche having been destroyed, 
Lieut. Milne, followed by ten 
seamen, swam on board the prize. 
Out of 198 men, the Blanche lost 
her captain, one midshipman 
(Wm.Bolton),and six men killed; 
one midshipman (Charles Her¬ 
bert), and 18 men wounded. The 
Pique, out of a crew of 275, had 
7 6 killed, 105 wounded.—IHctJaT. 

1795. The 74-gun ship Bel- 
lona, near the island of Desirade, 
in company with the Alarm fri¬ 
gate, captured the French 20-gun 
ship Duras, having 400 troops 
on board. 

1795. The French 40-gun fri¬ 
gate Tortue, having troops on 
board, was captured on coast of 
Ireland by the Polyphemus, 64, 
Cap. Lamsdaine. 

1798. Capture of Cherie.— 
The 38-gun frigate Pomone, 
Capt. Robert Carthew Reynolds, 
being on a cruise off Ushant, at 


c c 3 












390 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 6. 


11 r.M. came up with a large 
ship, which had the temerity to 
exchange several broadsides- be¬ 
fore she surrendered. Captain 
Reynolds had scarcely had time 
to shift the prisoners, when it was 
discovered that the prize was in a 
sinking state; and shortly after¬ 
wards she went down. She proved 
to be the Cherie of 26 guns and 
230 men, of whom 12 were killed, 
her commander (M. Chaffin) and 
21 wounded. The Pomone had 
one man killed and 4 wounded, 
and was disabled in her masts and 
rigging. 

1807. The boats of the 38-gun 
frigate Imperieuse, under the 
orders of Lieut. D. Mapleton, 
were sent by Capt. Lord Cochrane 
in search of the enemy’s vessels 
in the basin of Arcasson, near 
Rochefort. The party landed and 
carried fort Roquette, mounting 
four 36-pounders, two field-pieces, 
and a 13-inch mortar. After the 
guns were spiked, carriages burnt, 
and the fort laid in ruins, several 
vessels were taken and destroyed. 

1809. The 38-gun frigate Loire, 
Capt. A W. Schomberg, at noon, 
lat. 39° 24' N., long. 11° 41' W., 
fell in with, and, after a short 
action, captured, the French 20- 
gun corvette Hebe, bound to San 
Domingo, having on board 600 
barrels of flour. 

January 6. 

1762. The 36-gun frigate Ve¬ 
nus, Captain Thomas Harrison, 
captured the French 20-gun ship 
Boulogne, from the Isle of France, 
laden with coffee, after an action 
of one hour, in which the enemy 
had 7 killed and 20 wounded. 

1810. Guadaloupe surrendered 
to the squadron under V.-Adm. 
Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, and 
troops under Lieut.-Gen. Sir Geo. 
Buckwith.— ftlctral. 


1813. Early in the morning, 
the boats of the 38-gun frigate 
Bacchante, under the orders of 
Lieut. D. H. O’Brien, were des¬ 
patched in pursuit of three gun¬ 
boats near Otranto. At 8 a. m., 
Lieut. O’Brien, in the barge, cap¬ 
tured the sternmost, mounting one 
French 12-, and one 6-pounder, 
both on pivots, with a crew of 36 
men. Leaving Mr. Hoste in the 
gig to take possession of the prize, 
Lieut. O’Brien pushed on after 
the two other vessels. Mr. Hoste, 
sending his prisoners below and 
fastening down the hatches, 
opened a fire on the retreat¬ 
ing gun-boats, which in a little 
time also surrendered. This dash¬ 
ing enterprise was fortunately 
achieved without loss. 

The 18-gun brig Weasel was at 
the same time detached after two 
other gun-vessels in another 
quarter; and not being able to 
overtake them, two of her boats, 
under Lieut. Thomas Whaley, 
and a boat belonging to the Bac¬ 
chante, under Mr. E. Webb, mas¬ 
ter’s mate, pi’oceeded in chase. 
The latter taking the lead, soon 
came up with, and, although she 
carried only a 3-pounder and 18 
men, captured, in spite of a warm 
opposition, the sternmost gun¬ 
boat. Leaving her to the care of 
the boats astern, Mr. Webb pur¬ 
sued the remaining gun-boat, 
which he carried in the same 
gallant manner, and also without 
loss.— JHctfal. 

1814. Capture of Ceres.— 
On the 5th, at 10 a. m., off the 
Cape de Verds, the 38-gun frigate 
Niger, Capt. Peter Rainier, and 
36-gun frigate Tagus, Captain 
Philip Pipon, gave chase to the 
French 40-gun frigate Ceres, 
Capt. H. Y. P. le Baron de Bou¬ 
gainville. The pursuit was con¬ 
tinued until the morning of the 
6th, when the Tagus, at 8h. 45m. 






NAVY. 


I 

January 7. 


391 


A. m., got within gun-shot. A 
running fire now commenced, 
and continued until 9h. 30m., 
when, having her main-topmast 
shot away, the French frigate 
fired a broadside and surrendered. 
At this time the Niger had headed 
her consort and was about to 
open her fire upon the enemy. 
No loss was sustained on either 
side. The Ceres became the 
Seine in the British navy. 

January 7. 

1806. Capture op the Ra- 
posa. — The British 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Franchise, Captain Charles 
Dashwood, having anchored 
abreast the town of Campeachy 
in the evening of 6th of January, 
but, on account of the shallowness 
of the water, at a distance of five 
leagues from the shore, despatched 
her launch, barge, and pinnace, 
containing 64 officers and men, 
under the command of Lieut. John 
Fleming, with orders to scour the 
bay. Owing to the distance they 
had to row, the boats did not 
arrive at the spot in which the 
vessels lay until 4 a. m. on the 
7th. By that time the moon hav¬ 
ing risen, discovered their ap¬ 
proach to the Spaniards, conse¬ 
quently they made every prepara¬ 
tion of defence by tricing up the 
boarding nettings, and projecting 
the sweeps from the sides of the 
vessels. But, although the alarm 
had spread from one end of the 
bay to the other, nothing could 
damp the ardour of the assailants. 
Dashing rapidly on, they pre¬ 
sently saw approaching them, two 
Spanish brigs of war, an armed 
schooner, and seven gun-boats, 
who opened a heavy fire upon 
the three boats. Lieut. Fleming 
in the launch, nevertheless laid the 
nearest brig on board; and being 
speedily supported by the barge 


and pinnace, after an obstinate 
conflict of 10 minutes’ duration, 
the British carried the Raposa, 
pierced for sixteen, but mount¬ 
ing twelve carriage-guns, besides 
swivels, and cohorns, and having 
on board 75 men. This exploit 
was achieved with the loss to 
the British of only seven men 
wounded; whilst the Raposa had 
an officer and five men killed, 
and 25 wounded; and several 
had leaped overboard and were 
drowned. The other brig, which 
mounted 20 guns, with a crew 
of 180 men, as well as several 
armed vessels, now opened a fire 
of cannon and musketry upon 
the Raposa; but the latter, as well 
as the boats, so smartly returned 
the fire, that the flotilla soon re¬ 
tired, leaving Lieut. Fleming in 
quiet possession of his prize. 

January 3 . 

1758. Capture op Vengeance. 

— At daybreak the 28-gun fri¬ 
gate Hussar, Capt. John Elliott, 
cruising off the Lizard, bore up 
in chase of the French privateer 
Vengeance, armed with 32 guns, 
12- and 8-pounders,and 20 swivels. 
At 3 p.m. the enemy hove to, and 
an action commenced, which 
lasted one hour and fifty minutes. 
After a gallant defence, in which 
she had her main and mizen 
masts shot away, five of her guns 
dismounted, and having sustained 
a loss of 52 men killed and 37 
wounded, out of a crew of 319, 
the Vengeance struck her colours. 
In this well-contested engage¬ 
ment, the Hussar had six men 
killed and 15 wounded. 

1761. Unicorn and Vestale. 

— The 32-gun frigate Unicorn, 
Capt. Joseph Hunt, cruising off 
the French coast, at 8 a. m. gave 
chace to the French 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Vestale, and at lOh. 30m. 


C c 4 












392 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 10. 


brought her to action. By the 
third broadside Capt. Hunt re¬ 
ceived a mortal wound, and the 
command devolved upon Lieut. 
John Symons, who continued 
the engagement until thirty mi¬ 
nutes past twelve, when the Ves- 
tale surrendered. Her Capt., M. 
Boisbertelot, was also mortally 
wounded, and a great portion 
of her crew, which originally 
amounted to 220 men, were killed 
and wounded. Exclusive of her 
gallant captain, the Unicorn had 
live men killed and ten wounded. 
The Vestale was added to the 
British navy, by the name of 
Flora. 

1780. Capture of Spanish 
Convoy. — Admiral Sir George 
Rodney, with twenty-one sail of 
the line and nine frigates, while 
on passage to relieve Gibraltar, 
fell in with, and, after a chase of 
a few hours, captured, the whole 
of a Spanish convoy from St. 
Sebastian, bound to Cadiz, laden 
with naval stores, provisions, &c., 
under the escort of the following 
seven ships of war belonging to 
the Royal Caraccas Company : 
Guipuscaio, 64, San Carlos, 32, 
San Rafael, 30, Santa Teresa, 28, 
San Bruno, 26, San Fermia, 16, 
and Vincente, 16. Sir George 
Rodney commissioned the 64, as 
the Prince William, in compli¬ 
ment to Prince William Henry, 
in whose presence she was taken. 

1798. At daylight the 18- 
gun brig Kingfisher (6-pounders), 
Captain Charles H. Pierrepont, 
cruising 50 leagues to the west¬ 
ward of the Burlings, fell in with 
the French privateer, Betsey, of 
16 guns, 6-pounders. After some 
manoeuvring on both sides to ob¬ 
tain the weather-gage, the pri¬ 
vateer closed with the Kingfisher 
to windward, and a smart action 
ensued. The engagement had 
lasted more than an hour, when the 


Betsey, taking advantage of the 
loss of the jib-boom of her oppo¬ 
nent, made sail ahead ; but the 
Kingfisher, having soon repaired 
her damage, was enabled to re¬ 
new the action at 1 p. m. The 
Betsey continued to defend her¬ 
self until lh. 30m., and then 
hauled down her colours. Her 
loss amounted to one man killed 
and eight wounded, out of a crew 
of 118. The Kingfisher had only 
one man slightly wounded. 

January 9. 

1801. The British hired armed 
cutter Constitution, of 12 guns, 
Lieut. W. II. Faulknor, was cap¬ 
tured off Portland by two French 
cutters of superior force, after a 
very gallant resistance. She was 
retaken on the same evening by 
the 18-gun brig Harpy and Grey¬ 
hound revenue cutter. 

1811. Aimable Flore, of 14 
guns, was captured in the Chan¬ 
nel by the 38-gun frigate Princess 
Charlotte, Captain Tobin. 

January 10. 

1797. The French 16-gun brig 
Atalante was captured 18 leagues 
SW. of Scilly, by the 36-gun 
frigate Phoebe, Capt. Robert Bar- 
low. 

1806. The Dutch ships Bato, 
of 68, and Atalante, of 40 guns, 
driven, on shore at the Cape of 
Good Hope by the squadron un¬ 
der Sir Home Popham. 

1810. Saratin, French privateer 
of 20 guns, captured by the 18- 
gun sloop Plover, Capt. Philip 
Browne, in the Channel. 

1810. In the morning, the 
Christian VII. of 74 guns, and 
the 38-gun frigate Armide, Capts. 
Sir Joseph S. Yorke and Lucius 
Hardyman, lying in Basque roads, 
sent their boats under Lieut. G. 










NAVY. 


January 11. 


H. Guion, to intercept a convoy of 
French coasters, on their passage 
from Isle d’Aix to Rochelle. The 
vessels were soon driven on shore, 
within grape and musket range of 
the French battery ; but, not¬ 
withstanding their apparent secu¬ 
rity, a chasse-maree was captured, 
and two others, with a brig and 
schooner destroyed. 

1813. The French brig Argus, 
of 12 guns, captured by 36-gun 
frigate Furieuse, Capt. Mounsey, 
off Monte Christo. 

January 11. 

1782. Attack on Ceylon.— 
On the 5th of January, a large 
party of seamen and marines, be¬ 
longing to the squadron of Vice- 
Adm. Sir Edward Hughes, under 
the command of Capt. Gell, of the 
Monarca, accompanied by a de¬ 
tachment of troops and sepoys, 
landed on the island of Ceylon, 
about three miles from Trinco- 
malee fort, and made so rapid a 
movement, that the garrison sur¬ 
rendered without opposition. It 
was then determined to attempt 
the destruction of fort Osten- 
burgh; and at daybreak on the 
11th, 450 seamen and marines, 
with a company of pioneers on 
each flank, advanced to the as¬ 
sault, and, having gallantly driven 
the enemy from their works, 
gained possession of the fort. In 
the harbour were found two richly 
laden Dutch ships, and on the 
works sixty-seven pieces of can¬ 
non, besides several dismounted 
guns and mortars. The British 
sustained a loss of Lieut. G. Long, 
of the Superb, and 20 killed. 
Lieuts. W. Wolsey, of the navy, 
and Sami. Orr, of the marines, 
and 40 men wounded. 

1794. The 32-gun frigate Juno, 
Capt. Samuel Hood, unaware of 
of the evacuation of Toulon, ar¬ 


393 


rived at that port at lOh. p. m. 
Not finding the fleet in the outer 
road, Capt. Hood supposed they 
had taken shelter in the inner 
harbour, where, seeing several 
ships, he concluded he was close 
to the British admiral ; nor was 
he undeceived until the French 
officers apprised him of the de¬ 
parture of Lord Hood. A favour¬ 
able breeze springing up, the Juno 
was again under way, and, al¬ 
though exposed to a fire from the 
numerous batteries, at 12h. 30m. 
on the 12 th was clear of all 
danger, without sustaining any 
further loss than considerable 
damage to her sails and rigging. 

1810. At 1 a. M., the 10-gun 
brig Cherokee, Capt. Richard Ar¬ 
thur, favoured by a southerly 
wind, stood in towards the har¬ 
bour of Dieppe, to attack seven 
luggers lying at anchor close 
under the batteries, and within 
200 yards of the pier-head. Run¬ 
ning between five of the luggers, 
the Cherokee gallantly laid one 
on board, which, after a fruitless 
attempt to board the brig, was 
gallantly carried by the British 
crew. The captured vessel proved 
to be the Aimable Nelly, of 16 
guns, with 60 men, of whom two 
were killed and eight wounded. 
The remaining six privateers kept 
up a smart fire of musketry; but 
the Cherokee succeeded in bring- 
ing out her prize with no greater 
loss than two wounded, Lieut. 
Vere Gabriel, and her boatswain, 
James Ralph. Capt. Archer was 
deservedly promoted.—JHclJaL 

January 12. 

1794. French 18-gun brig 
Trompeuse, taken by Sphinx of 
20 guns, Capt. R. Lucas, off Cape 
Clear. 

1806. Reduction of Cape of 
Good Hope.— A squadron under 







394 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 13. 


Commodore Sir Home Popham, 
consisting of 64-gun ships Diadem, 
Raisonable, and Belliqueux, 50- 
gun ship Diomede, Leda and 
Narcissus frigates, and brigs 
Espoir and Encounter, conveying 
5000 troops, under Major-Gen. 
Sir David Baird, sailed from 
England in the Autumn of 1805, 
to effect the reduction of the 
Cape of Good Hope. The expe¬ 
dition arrived at their destination 
on 4th January 1806, On the 
8th, the British army, about 4000 
strong, formed in two brigades, 
reached the summit of the Blue 
Mountain, and routed a Dutch 
force of about 5000 men, with 
23 pieces of cannon, under Lieut. - 
Gen. Janssens. On the 12th the 
British took possession of Cape 
Town and its dependencies. On 
the several batteries were mount¬ 
ed 113 pieces of brass, and 343 of 
iron ordnance. 

1810. Scorpion and Oreste. 
— The 18-gun brig Scorpion, 
Capt. Francis Stanfell, was de¬ 
tached by Capt. V. V. Balland, to 
bring out a French brig-corvette, 
at anchor in Basse-terre, Gua- 
daloupe. At 9h. p.ivi., she dis¬ 
covered the object of her attack, 
which was the French 16-gun 
brig Oreste, just clearing the 
north point of the bay. The wind 
dying away, the Scorpion had re¬ 
course to her sweeps, which en¬ 
abled her, at lOh. 30m. p. m., to 
open a fire from her bow chasers; 
and at 11 p. m. she brought the 
French brig into action. A sort 
of running fight, in which the 
Scorpion had occasionally to keep 
in check a battery on shore, was 
maintained between the two brigs, 
until lh. 30m. a. m. on the 12th, 
when, being completely unrigged 
by her opponent’s fire, the Oreste 
hauled down her colours. At this 
moment the barge of the 38-gun 
frigate Blonde arrived and as¬ 


sisted in taking possession of the 
prize. The Scorpion, although 
much cut up in sails and rigging, 
had no greater loss than four 
men wounded. The Oreste, out 
of a crew of 100 men and 20 pas¬ 
sengers, had two killed, her cap¬ 
tain and ten wounded. -JHetrat. 

January 13. 

1797. The French 74-gun ship 
Droits de l’Homme, Commodore 
La Crosse, returning from the 
coast of Ireland, had arrived 
within 25 leagues of the Pen- 
marcks, when, at lh. p. m., she 
was discovered by the 44-gun 
frigate Indefatigable, Capt. Sir 
Edward Pellew, and 36-gun 
frigate Amazon, Capt. Robert 
Carthew Reynolds. The enemy 
having in a squall carried away 
her fore and main topmasts, the 
utmost despatch was now used in 
clearing the wreck ; and in 20 
minutes the French ship, under 
her courses and mizen-topsail, was 
going at the rate of five knots an 
hour. At about 5h. 30m. p. m., 
the Indefatigable, then between 
seven and eight miles ahead of 
her consort, arrived within hail, 
astern of the Droits de l’Homme, 
and, shortening sail to close-reef¬ 
ed topsails, hauled up to pour 
in a raking fire ; but the two- 
decker hauling up also, a broad¬ 
side was exchanged, accompa¬ 
nied by a heavy discharge of 
musketry from the enemy. The 
Indefatigable endeavouring to 
pass ahead of her antagonist, the 
Droits de lTIomme defeated that 
manoeuvre, and attempted to 
run the frigate on board. The 
combat continued between the 
two ships until 6h. 45m. r. m., 
when the Amazon, arriving up 
under a press of sail, poured a 
broadside within pistol-shot dis¬ 
tance into the French ship’s quar- 









January 14. 


NAVY. 


395 


ter, and then attempted to pass 
under her stern ; hut the enemy 
skilfully avoided the raking fire, 
and brought both frigates on one 
side. The cannonade was main¬ 
tained with much spirit until 7h. 
30m. p. m., when both British 
ships shot ahead. At 8h. 30m. 
they recommenced the action, 
stationing themselves one on each 
bow of the 74, and, by yawing 
occasionally, raked her by turns ; 
being nevertheless frequently ex¬ 
posed to the fire of their gallant 
opponent. At lOh. 30m. p. m., 
the mizen-mast of the Droits de 
l’Homme having fallen over the 
side, the frigates placed them¬ 
selves on either quarter. The ac¬ 
tion continued, with little inter¬ 
mission, until 4h. 20m. A. M. on 
the 14th, when the sudden ap¬ 
pearance of land close on board 
of all three ships, caused the In¬ 
defatigable and Amazon to haul 
off from the threatened danger. 
During the whole of this long en¬ 
gagement the sea ran so high, 
that the people on the main deck 
of the frigates were up to their 
middle in water. The first lieu¬ 
tenant of the Indefatigable, John 
Thompson, and 18 men, were 
wounded; and the loss of the 
Amazon amounted to three men 
killed and 15 badly wounded. 
The Droits de PHomme, out of a 
crew, including 700 troops, of 
1350 men, had 3 officers and 100 
men killed, 12 officers and 100 
men wounded. The trifling loss 
of the British can only be ac¬ 
counted for by the violent motion 
of the sea, felt the more by the 
loss of the 74’s masts, she having 
no sails to steady her. It is also 
to be remarked, that the lower 
deck ports were so unusually low 
that the water rushed down into 
the cable tiers as soon as the ports 
were opened; consequently the 
principal battery of the Droits de 


PHomme was scarcely available 
during this protracted and severe 
engagement of eight hours.— 

JHcHal. 

January 14. 

1676. Destruction of Ships 
at Tripoli. — The Tripolines 
having seized several English 
ships, and otherwise very much 
annoyed the trade, Sir John Nar- 
boi’ough was sent with a squa¬ 
dron into the Mediterranean, to 
chastise these pirates. On 14th 
January, he arrived off Tripoli. 
The night being extremely dark, 
he despatched Lieut. Cloudesley 
Shovel, with the boats of the fleet, 
to destroy the ships in the mole. 
Having first secured the guard- 
boat, Lieut. Shovel entered the 
mole, and burnt a ship of 50 guns, 
one of 36, one of 24, and one of 
20. The Tripolines were so much 
alarmed that they sued for peace ; 
but, soon after the admiral took 
his departure, they recommenced 
their depredations on the trade. 
Sir John Narborough was oblig¬ 
ed to visit Tripoli twice before 
he could bring these barbarians 
to any fixed terms of pacifica¬ 
tion. 

1797. Destruction of Droits 
de l’Homme. —Having related the 
atcion of the Indefatigable and 
Amazon on the 13th, we shall now 
endeavour to describe the awful 
occurrences on the 14th January, 
1797. At about 4h. 20m. a. m., 
the land was seen on the north¬ 
east, distant about two miles ; 
and in a few minutes the breakers 
were visible. The Indefatigable 
instantly made sail to the south¬ 
ward ; but just before day, 
breakers appearing on the lee- 
bow, she wore to the northward. 
As the day appeared, at about 6h. 
30m. a. m., the land was seen 
very close on the weather-bow 















396 CALENDAR 


and breakers to leeward; the 
ship was again wore to the south¬ 
ward. In the direction of the 
land was seen, at 7h. 10m. a. m., 
the French 74, broadside upper¬ 
most, with a tremendous surf 
beating over her. The wind was 
blowing dead on the shore, now 
known to be that of the bay of 
Audierne, when the Indefatigable 
passed at a distance of a mile 
from the wreck of her late op¬ 
ponent, without the possibility of 
affording any succour. Her own 
safety, indeed, depended on her 
weathering the Penmarcks, which 
she accomplished at 11 a. m., pass¬ 
ing about half a mile to wind¬ 
ward of those dreaded rocks. At 
the time the Indefatigable wore 
to the southward, the Amazon, 
apprised by signal of the danger 
near her, wore to the northward. 
In about half an hour afterwards, 
the Amazon struck the ground. 
The ship’s company, with the ex¬ 
ception of six men that stole the 
cutter and were drowned, pre¬ 
served themselves by making 
rafts ; and by 9 a. m. the whole 
had safely landed, and were made 
prisoners. Soon after the land 
was discovered on board the 
Droits de l’Homme, and just as 
she had altered her course to 
avoid the danger, the bowsprit 
and foremast fell over her bows. 
An anchor was dropped in twelve 
fathoms, but it did not hold an 
instant, and the ship presently 
struck (at 7 a.m.) directly oppo¬ 
site the town of Plouzenec. The 
second shock carried away the 
mainmast by the board. The 
Indefatigable was seen on the 
starboard quarter, standing off in 
a tremendous sea ; and at about 
two miles on the larboard side 
appeared the Amazon, whose fate 
had just been sealed. We have 
not space to desci'ibe the heart¬ 
rending scenes on board this ill- 


OE VICTORY. January 15. 


fated ship during the 15th and 
16th. Above 900 souls had pe¬ 
rished in attempts to reach the 
shore. On the fourth day, the 
17th, the gale moderated, and the 
French brig and cutter having 
anchored near, rescued about 150 
men ; but it was not until the 
18th that the remnant of these 
unhappy sufferers were removed 
in safety. 

1809. Cayenne surrendered to 
Capt. J. L. Yeo, of the Confiance, 
20, co-opei-ating with 500 Portu- 
guese troops under Lieut.-Col. 
Marques. 

January 15. 

1743. The 40-gun frigate Sap- 
phire,Capt. Charles Holmes, stood 
into the harbour of Vigo to at¬ 
tack five Spanish privateei - s, and 
having anchored close to the town, 
opened so well-directed a fire 
upon the battei'ies and the priva¬ 
teers, that she sank two of them, 
and greatly damaged the other 
three. Her loss amounted to one 
man killed and 7 wounded. 

1814. Capture of Heureux. 
— Lieut. R. A. Loveless in the 
cutter of the Castor frigate, with 
15 men, boarded and captured the 
Heureux, French privateer, car¬ 
rying one long gun and 26 men, 
mooi-ed close under the guns of 
fort Montjuic, Barcelona. Lieut. 
Loveless lost his arm at the 
shoulder joint, and one seaman 
was mortally wounded. 

1815. Capture of the Pre¬ 
sident. — The 40-gun frigate 
Endymion, Capt. Henry Hope, 
Pomone, 38, Capt. John R. Lum- 
ley, 38-gun frigate Tenedos, Capt. 
Hyde Parker, under the orders of 
Capt. John Hayes, in the 56-gun 
ship Majestic, were cruising off 
Sandy Hook, when, at 5 a. m., the 
United States’ 44-gun frigate 
Pi'esident (mounting 53 guns) 
Commodore S. Decatui', was disJ 








NAVY. 


January 16. 


covered very near them. All sail 
was made in pursuit. The En- 
dymion, outsailing the Majestic, 
commenced lightening herself by 
cutting away anchors, boats, spars, 
&c., and continued wetting her 
sails from the royals down. At 
2 p. m., the President commenced 
firing her stern chasers, which 
was replied to by the bow guns 
of the Endymion. At 5h. 30m., 
the Endymion, having for more 
than 20 minutes maintained a 
position within half gun-shot of 
the chase, the President bore 
away south, to bring her antago¬ 
nist upon her beam. The Endy¬ 
mion, quickly meeting the ma¬ 
noeuvre, the two frigates came to 
close action in a parallel liue of 
sailing. At 6h. 40m., the Presi¬ 
dent luffed across the bows of her 
opponent, when the latter, passing 
under the American’s stern, poured 
in two raking broadsides, and 
then hauled up, and again placed 
herself on the President’s star¬ 
board quarter. From 7h. 18m. 
to 7h. 25m., the President ceased 
firing ; then recommencing, she 
hauled suddenly to the wind, and 
the Endymion hauling up also, 
bestowed another raking fire into 
her stern. The President, shortly 
afterwards, kept more away, and 
at 7h. 58m. ceased firing. She 
continued her course to the east¬ 
ward, under a press of canvass, 
until llh. 15m., when the Po- 
mone, having gained a position 
on her larboard quarter, and dis¬ 
charged her starboard broadside, 
the President immediately round¬ 
ed to, and hailed to say she had 
surrendered. The Endymion, out 
of 319 men and 27 boys, had 11 
men killed, and 14 wounded. The 
President’s loss amounted to three 
lieutenants and 32 men killed, 
her commander, and 68 wounded, 
out of a crew of 465 men and 4 
boys.— jHctfal. 


397 


January 16. 

1704. The 32-gun frigate Lyme, 
Capt. Edmund Lechmere, off the 
Dodman, engaged a French pri¬ 
vateer, mounting 46 guns, and 
beat her off, after a long and san¬ 
guinary contest. Capt. Lechmere 
was killed, and the total loss 
amounted to 36. 

1780. Defeat of Spanish 
Squadron. — Admiral Rodney, 
cruising off Cape St. Vincent 
Avith 21 ships of the line, fell in 
with a Spanish squadron, under 
Admiral Langara, of 11 sail of 
the line and two frigates. At 
this time it v r as blowing strong 
from the westward, with hazy 
weather. The British gained ra¬ 
pidly upon the enemy, and about 
4h. p.m. the 74-gun ships Defence, 
Bedford, Revolution, and Edgar, 
Capts. John Cranston, Edmund 
Affleck, Sir Chaloner Ogle, and 
John Elliott, commenced en¬ 
gaging. At 5h. p.m., the 64-gun 
ship Bienfaisant having opened 
a fire upon the 70-gun ship San 
Domingo, the latter blew up with 
a tremendous explosion, and all 
on board perished. The action 
continued until 2h. a.m. on the 
17th, when the wind having in¬ 
creased to a gale, Admiral Rod¬ 
ney brought to and took posses¬ 
sion of the Phoenix, 80, San Ju¬ 
lian, San Eugenia, Monarca, 
Princeza, and Diligente, of 74 
guns. Two of the prizes, the 
San Julian and San Eugenia, 
were retaken by their crews and 
carried into Cadiz. The loss of 
the British on this occasion 
amounted to 32 killed, and 93 
wounded. 

1798. On 16th January, near 
Martinique, Lieut. Samuel Pym, 
with two boats of the 20-gun ship 
Babet, each containing 12 men, 
proceeded to attack a schooner. 
Lieut.Pym, in the pinnace, having 










398 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 17. 


gained considerably on the launch, 
dashed alongside the schooner, 
and, after a sharp contest, carried 
her. She proved to be the 6-gun 
French schooner Desiree. British 
loss, two men drowned, Lieut. 
Pym and 5 men wounded. 

1808. In the forenoon, the 
Linnet gun-brig, mounting 12 
carronades, 18-pounders, and two 
long sixes, Lieut. John Tracey, 
when off Barfleur observed a 
lugger in chase of a merchant 
ship and a brig. The Linnet 
immediately joined the two latter, 
until night should favour her in 
closing with the lugger. At 6h. 
30m. p.m. the lugger Courrier, of 
18 guns and 60 men, commenced 
firing, which was promptly re¬ 
turned. At 7h. p.m. the Linnet, 
arriving within musket-shot, 
poured in a well-directed broad¬ 
side of round and grape, which 
cut away the enemy’s main lug; 
but the sail was again hoisted. A 
steady and well-directed tire w r as 
then maintained by the Linnet 
for an hour and a half, during 
which time the lugger’s main 
haul-yards were cut away no less 
than ten times. At 8h. p.m., the 
Courrier being in a sinking state, 
hailed that she had surrendered. 
Her loss amounted to 4 men 
killed and 3 wounded. 

1814. Capture of Alcmene 
and Iphigenie.— The French 40- 
gun frigates Iphigenie and Alc¬ 
mene, were cruising off the Canary 
islands, when discovered at 7h. 
a.m. by the 74-gun ship Venera¬ 
ble, Capt. James Andrew Worth, 
bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral 
P. C. Durham, in company with 
the 22-gun ship Cyane, and the 
Jason, French letter-of-marque 
they had captured. After a chase 
throughout the day, the Venera¬ 
ble arrived within hail of the 
Alcmene, the lecwardmost fri¬ 
gate, at 6h. 15m. p.m., and had 


opened her fire as the guns came 
to bear, when the Alcmene put 
her helm up, and under all sail 
laid the British 74 on board. A 
very short struggle decided her 
fate, and before 6h. 25m. the 
French colours were hauled down 
by the British boarders, headed 
by Capt. Worth. In this short 
conflict the Alcmene, out of a 
crew of 319, had 32 men killed 
and 50 wounded, including among 
the latter the gallant Captain 
Alexander Ducrest de Ville- 
neuve. The loss of the Vene¬ 
rable consisted of 2 men killed 
and 4 wounded. As soon as the 
prisoners were shifted, the Cyane 
and Jason made sail in pursuit 
of the Iphigenie. In the evening 
of the 19th, the Venerable was 
fast approaching the fugitive fri¬ 
gate, and at daylight on the 20th 
had arrived within two miles of 
her. A running fight was main¬ 
tained until 8h. a.m., when, after 
throwing overboard her boats, 
and cutting away her anchors 
without effect, the Iphigenie 
struck her colours without sus¬ 
taining any loss of men.—JHctfal. 

January 17. 

1745. The 70-gun ships, Cap¬ 
tain and Hampton Court, Capts. 
Thomas Griffin and Savage Movs- 
ton, 60-gun ships Dreadnought 
and Sunderland, Capts. Thorpe, 
Fowke, and John Brett, in the 
Channel, gave chace to the French 
74-gun ships Neptune and Floris¬ 
sant, having in company the 
Mars, late English privateer, 
which, separating from the ships 
of the line, was pursued and re¬ 
captured by the Captain. Owing 
to the Sunderland losing her fore¬ 
topmast, and to the want of 
anxiety on the part of Capt. 
Moyston to engage the enemy, 
the pursuit was abandoned at'a 














January 13. 


NAVY. 


399 


moment -when the action might 
have commenced. Capt. Moyston 
was tried by a court-martial, but 
acquitted. The conduct of Capt. 
Griffin in pursuing the smallest 
ship, instead of closing with a 
more important adversary, was 
anything but creditable to him. 

1801. Capture of Eclair.— 
While the 20-gun ship Daphne, 
Capt. Richard Matson, 18-gun 
ship-sloops Cyane and Hornet, 
Capts. Henry Matson and James 
Nash, and schooner Garland, were 
at anchor in the harbour of the 
Saintes, a convoy of French 
coasters, in charge of an armed 
schooner, was observed on the 
15th January standing across 
towards Vieux-Fort, in the island 
of Guadaloupe. At midnight, the 
Garland, accompanied by two 
boats from each of the three 
ships, under the command of 
Lieuts. Kenneth Mackenzie and 
Francis Peachey, were despatched 
to attempt the capture or the de¬ 
struction of the convoy. The 
whole of the vessels, however, ex¬ 
cept one, succeeded in getting un¬ 
der the guns of Basse-terre. That 
one having anchored near Vieux- 
Fort, was boarded and brought 
off under a heavy but harmless 
cannonade. On the 17th, in the 
afternoon, the French schooner 
Eclair, of four long 4-pounders, 
twenty 14-pounder brass swivels, 
and 45 men, the escort of the 
convoy in question, was ob¬ 
served to put into Trois-Rivieres 
and anchor under the protec¬ 
tion of a battery, flanked by two 
smaller ones. Lieuts. Mackenzie 
and Peachey having volunteered 
to cut her out, the first-named 
officer, with 25 men, went on 
board the Garland; and at 5h. 
a.m. on the 18th, which was as 
early as the breeze would permit, 
the Cyane, with the tender and 
the boats, stood across to Trois- 


Rivieres. On arriving at that 
anchorage, the Garland ran the 
Eclair on board, and Lieuts. 
Mackenzie and Peachey, with 30 
men, carried the French schooner 
in the face of the batteries. This 
gallant exploit was not performed 
wholly without loss, the British 
having one seaman and one ma¬ 
rine killed, and 3 men wounded. 
The Eclair, in her gallant de¬ 
fence, had 1 man killed, two 
drowned, her captain, and eight 
men wounded. The schooner, 
although mounting only four 
guns, was pierced for twelve, 
which she afterwards mounted in 
the British service. 

January 18. 

1746. Due de Chartres, French 
privateer of 32-guns, was cap¬ 
tured off the Lizard by Edin¬ 
burgh, 70, Capt. Cotes. 

1783. At daybreak, the 44-gun 
ship Argo, Capt. John Butchart, 
being off Sombrero on her way 
to Antigua, sprang her main-top- 
mast, and, whilst getting up an¬ 
other, was chased by the French 
40-gun frigates Concorde and 
Nymphe. At 1 lh. a.m. the Nymphe 
closed and commenced the action 
with great disadvantage to the 
Argo, in consequence of the 
heavy sea running and the low¬ 
ness of her ports. Nevertheless, 
the Argo maintained the action, 
for nearly two hours, until the 
Concorde, arriving up, took part 
in the contest. At 4h. p.m., the 
Argo, having sustained a loss of 
13 killed and a great many 
wounded, and the ship being 
much disabled, hauled down her 
colours. The Argo . was recap¬ 
tured by Invincible, 74, on the 
20th. 

1811. Dubourdieu, French 14- 
gun privateer, captured by Po- 
mone, 38, Capt. Barrie. 











400 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 20. 


January 19. 

1677. The 26-gun ship Guern¬ 
sey, Capt. James Harman, with a 
crew of 110 men, engaged the 
Algerine 50-gun ship White 
Horse, having a crew of 500 
men. The action continued with 
much determination until the 
disabled state of the Guernsey’s 
masts and rigging enabled the 
Algerine to make her escape. 
Capt. Harman was wounded by 
three musket-balls and a severe 
contusion by a cannon-shot; he 
nevertheless retained . the com¬ 
mand until he sank exhausted 
upon the ship’s deck; and three 
days afterwards he expired. 
Lieut. John Harris, who nobly 
supported his commander, was 
promoted in the month of August 
following. 

1783. Leander and Cou- 
ronne. — The 50-gun ship Lean¬ 
der, Capt. John Willet Payne, 
when near Jamaica, on the 18th 
of January, fell in with and 
chased the French 80-gun ship 
Couronne, or, as stated by another 
authority, Pluton, 74. At lh. a.m. 
on the 19th, the Leander ranged 
up alongside to leeward -of her 
powerful opponent, and gallantly 
brought her to action. Her posi¬ 
tion was so close, that she was 
three times set on fire by the 
wads of the French ship. At one 
time they were foul of each other, 
and an attempt was made to 
board the Leander, but the enemv 
were beaten back with consider¬ 
able loss. For two hours the 
Leander sustained this unequal 
contest, when she became so 
crippled by the heavy fire of her 
opponent that she dropped to lee¬ 
ward. After an ineffectual 
attempt to rake the Leander, the 
enemy discontinued the action, 
and, hauling to the wind, was out 
of sight when the day broke. 


January 20. 

1783. Argo, 44, taken on the 
18th by two French frigates, re¬ 
captured by Invincible, 74, Capt. 
C. Saxton. 

1801. Sans Pareille, 20 guns, 
laden with military stores for the 
French army in Egypt, taken by 
Mercury, 28, Capt. Rogers, near 
Sardinia, after nine hours’ chase. 

1810. In the evening a French 
convoy of about 30 sail making 
their appearance in the Mau- 
musson passage, and the van 
seeming inclined to push for Ro¬ 
chelle, the boats of the Christian 
VII., 80 guns, and Armide frigate, 
lying in Basque roads, under the 
direction of Lieutenant Gardiner 
Henry Guion, were sent to inter¬ 
cept them. With their accus¬ 
tomed gallantry, the British at¬ 
tacked the convoy, which having 
run aground within a stone’s 
throw of the batteries, five of the 
vessels, under a heavy fire of 
grape and musketry, were burnt, 
a sixth captured, and the re¬ 
mainder compelled to put back. 
The captured vessels were chasse- 
marees, laden with wine, brandy, 
&c. In this affair, one of the 
Armide’s seamen was wounded, 
and two of the enemy killed. 

1814. Capture of Iphigenie. 
—The French 40-gun frigate 
Iphigenie, the consort of the 
Alcmene, captured by the Vene¬ 
rable, as described on the 16th. 
was pursued by the Cyane, 22, 
and prize-brig Jason. At lOh. 
p.m., the Jason, having outrun 
the former, commenced firing at 
the Iphigenie with her two guns. 
Such was the slow sailing of the 
French frigate, or the unskilful¬ 
ness of those who manoeuvred 
her, that at 45 minutes past mid¬ 
night, the Cyane had approached 
near enough to open a fire with 
her bow-guns, receiving in return 








January 21. 


NAVY. 


401 


a fire from the stern-chasers of 
the Iphigenie, which damaged 
her sails and rigging. At 4h.30m. 
a.m. on the 17th, the Cyane fired 
three broadsides at her opponent; 
bnt she soon found the latter too 
heavy for her, and »dropped 
astern. At 5h. 45m. Captain 
Forrest despatched the brig in 
search of the Venerable, and con- 
tinued his pursuit of the Iphigenie, 
who shortly afterwards hauled to 
the wind on the larboard tack, 
and fired three harmless broad¬ 
sides at the Cyane. At 9h. a.m., 
the Iphigenie bore up and steered 
south-west, still followed by the 
Cyane. The chase thus con¬ 
tinued, the Cyane losing sight of 
the enemy occasionally, during 
the remainder of the 17th and 
the whole of the 18th and 19th. 
In the evening the Cyane dropped 
astern; but the Venerable was 
now fast approaching, and at 
daylight on the 20th was within 
two miles of the French frigate. 
The Cyane was not visible from 
the Venerable, when the 74 
opened a fire from her bow-guns, 
receiving in return a fire from 
the stern and quarter-guns of the 
Iphigenie. Having thrown over¬ 
board her boats, and cut away 
her anchors without effect, the 
French frigate, after firing her 
starboard broadside, struck her 
colours. Neither of the British 
ships sustained any loss, neither 
was there any casualty on board 
the Iphigenie.— 


January 21. 

1807. Capture of Lynx.— 
At daybreak, the 32-gun frigate 
Galatea, Capt. George Sayer, 
cruising off the coast of the 
Caraccas, on the Spanish main, 
discovered from the mast-head 
the French 16-gun brig Lynx 


(24-pounder carronades and 2 
sixes). As the brig, with the ad¬ 
vantage of the land-wind, aided 
by her sweeps, was fast leaving 
the Galatea, Capt. Sayer at 2 p.m. 
despatched six boats in pursuit, 
containing 50 seamen and 20 
marines, under the command of 
Lieut. Wm. Coombe. Arrived 
within pistol-shot of the Lynx, 
then going about two knots an 
hour, the British, giving three 
cheers, pushed forward, and in 
another five minutes were along¬ 
side the brig. The assailants 
were repulsed by a heavy fire of 
grape and musketry, wounding, 
among others, Lieut. Coombe, by 
a musket-ball, which passed 
through the muscular part of his 
legless thigh. A second attempt 
to board was equally unsuccess¬ 
ful; but the boats, as they dropped 
astern, poiu-ed into the brig a 
destructive fire of musketry. The 
British, nothing daunted, again 
dashed alongside, and after an 
arduous struggle, in which Lieut. 
Walker fell dead of his third 
wound, they gained the brig’s 
deck. A desperate and sangui¬ 
nary conflict of 5 minutes ter¬ 
minated by the Lynx being in 
possession of the boarders. Thus, 
in about 15 minutes from the 
first attempt to board, the Ga¬ 
latea’s boats carried the French 
brig, in chase of which they had 
been 7 hours pulling under a 
burning sun. The loss of the 
British amounted to 9 killed, 22 
wounded. Out of a complement 
of 161 men and boys, the Lynx 
had 1 lieutenant and 18 killed, 
her captain, 5 officers and 14 
men wounded. The Lynx, a 
fine vessel of 337 tons, became 
the Heufeux in the British Navy, 
and her first commander was he 
who had the best right to her,— 
the gallant William Coombe.— 

Mtfn iL 


D D 











402 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 22. 


1810. Freija at Baie-Ma- 
haut. — The 36-gun frigate 
Freija, Capt. John Hayes, dis¬ 
covered three vessels lying at 
anchor in Baie-Mahaut, Guada- 
loupe. At 9h. 15m. p.m., four 
boats, containing 50 seamen and 
30 marines, under the orders of 
Lieut. David Hope, pushed off 
from the frigate to attack the 
forts and attempt the capture or 
destruction of the vessels. After 
much difficulty in finding a pas¬ 
sage, the boats arrived within gun¬ 
shot, when they were met with a 
discharge of grape from a battery 
on the north-east point, and from 
another at the head of the bay. 
The guns of a brig, 6 in number, 
which were all mounted on one 
side, also opened upon the boats, 
and they were likewise assailed 
by a fire of musketry from the 
shore. Nevertheless, the British 
dashed alongside the brig, and as 
they entered on one side the 
Frenchmen fled from her on the 
other. Lieut. Hope pushed for 
the shore, and the enemy having 
retreated from the battery, were 
quickly pursued and soon routed 
by the bayonet. A long 24- 
pounder and 6 howitzers, toge¬ 
ther with the magazine, were 
destroyed. The lieutenant then 
attacked and carried the other 
battery, which was a complete 
work, ditched all round, mount¬ 
ing three 24-pounders. These 
the British destroyed, also a 
schooner pierced for 16 and 
mounting 12 guns, together with 
a large ship under repairs; and 
a 6-gun brig was brought out. 
The British had only two men 
wounded. 

January 22. 

1783. Hussar and Sybille. 
—The French 36-gun frigate 
Sybille, under jury-masts, in con¬ 
sequence of the damage she had 


sustained in action with the Bri¬ 
tish 36-gun frigate Magicienne 
on the 2nd of January, was fallen 
in with off the Chesapeak on the 
22nd, by the 28-gun frigate Hussar, 
Capt. Thomas Macnamara Russel. 
The Sybille had been under the 
necessity of throwing twelve of 
her main-deck guns overboard, 
and was otherwise apparently in 
a defenceless state. This, added 
to a disgraceful misuse of the 
signal of distress, and to her 
hoisting British over French co¬ 
lours, induced Captain Russel, to 
run down under her lee, with the 
intention of affording assistance. 
But, on coming close alongside, 
the British colours were hauled 
down, and the Hussar became ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire from the 
French frigate, followed by an 
attempt to board her. This the 
Hussar quickly returned, and the 
two ships running off the wind, 
were warmly engaged for up- 
wards of an hour, when the 
Sybille hauled up on the larboard 
tack, closely followed by the 
Hussar; and, after a pursuit of 
two hours, was again brought to 
action, and soon compelled to 
haul down her colours. On Com¬ 
modore Ivergario presenting his 
sword to Capt. Russel, the latter 
was so incensed at the treache¬ 
rous proceeding of that officer, 
that he indignantly broke the 
sword in pieces, and put the Com¬ 
modore in confinement as a state 
prisoner. 

1809. Capture op Topaze.— 
At 7 a.m., the 18-gun ship-sloop 
Hazard, Capt. Hugh Cameron, 
cruising off Guadaloupe, fell in 
with the French 40-gun frigate 
Topaze. At 9 a.m., the 32-gun 
frigate Cleopatra, Capt. Samuel 
John Pechell, appeared in the 
south-east, and shortly afterwards 
the 3S-gun frigate Jason, Capt. 
W. Maude, was seen in the same 






1 


January 23. NAVY. 403 


direction. Thus hemmed in, the 
Topaze, hauled towards the shore, 
and at 11 a.m. came to an anchor 
under a battery a little to the 
southward of Pointe Noire. 
Owing to light and baffling 
winds, it was 4h. 39m. p.m. when 
the Cleopatra was enabled to 
arrive within 200 yards of the 
Topaze. Both ships then opened 
their fire. After the action had 
continued forty minntes, the Jason 
and Hazard arrived up ; and 
while the frigate brought to on 
the starboard quarter of the 
Topaze, the Hazard engaged the 
battery. Thus assailed, the 
French frigate, at 5h. 30m., 
hauled down her colours, having 
12 men killed and 14 wounded, 
out of a complement, including 
100 soldiers, of 430 men. The 
Cleopatra had 2 men killed, and 
1 wounded. The Topaze was 
added to the British navy under 
the name of Alcmene. 


January 23. 

1761. Minerva and War¬ 
wick. — The 32-gun frigate Mi¬ 
nerva, Capt. Alexander Hood, 
being off Cape Pinas, at daylight 
discovered the French 60-gun 
ship Warwick (late British), armed 
en flute. At lOh. 20m. the action 
commenced, and at llh., having 
had her fore and main-topmast 
shot away, she fell foul of the 
Minerva’s starboard-bow, and 
then dropped alongside. The 
heavy sea soon parted the com¬ 
batants, and just at the same time 
the British ship lost her bowsprit, 
and then her foremast. Having 
cleared the wreck, Capt. Hood 
again closed with his opponent, 
and at 4 p. m. renewed the en¬ 
gagement, which continued until 
4h. 50m., when the Warwick sur¬ 
rendered with the loss of 14 men 


killed and 32 wounded, out of a 
complement of 295. The loss of 
the Minerva amounted to 14 killed 
and 34 wounded. At 9 p.m., the 
the mizen-mast of the Minerva 
fell over her side, and shortly 
afterwards the mainmast follow¬ 
ed, leaving her a complete wreck; 
nevertheless, Capt. Hood suc¬ 
ceeded in reaching a friendly port 
with his prize. 

1798. The 36-gun frigate Me- 
lampus, Capt. Graham Moore, in 
lat. 50° N. long. 12° W., came up 
with, and captured, after a short 
defence, the French corvette Yo- 
lage, of 22 guns. The Melampus 
had 5 men wounded ; the Yolage 
4 killed, 8 wounded. The prize 
was added to the British navy 
as a 20-gun ship. 

1801. Lieut. Michael Fitton, 
having fitted out a prize felucca 
of 50 tons burden, armed with 
one long 12-pounder gun on a 
pivot, was cruising on the Spanish 
Main, when, early in the morn¬ 
ing of 23rd January, she dis¬ 
covered near Cape Rosario, a 
schooner running along shore. The 
stranger, which was the Spa¬ 
nish garda-costa Santa Maria, 
mounting six (but pierced for ten) 
long 6-pounders, ten swivels, 
with a crew of 60 men, approach¬ 
ed within musket-shot ; but, 
suspecting the character of the fe¬ 
lucca, altered her course to avoid 
the latter. Lieut. Fitton being 
thus denied the opportunity of 
boarding, could only resort to his 
gun, which was discharged with 
such celerity and precision, that, 
after thirty minutes action, the 
Santa Maria crowded all sail, and 
stood in for the isle of Yarus, 
closely followed by her antagonist, 
who compelled her to run on 
shore ; and in a few minutes the 
felucca grounded within a few 
yards of her. The Spanish crew 
still keeping up a galling fire of 


D D 2 








404 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 26. 


musketry, Lieut. Litton, having 
no boat, gallantly jumped over¬ 
board, with his sword between 
bis teeth, and, followed by seve¬ 
ral of bis crew,' swam to the 
schooner, which he boarded, and, 
in spite of much resistance, gain¬ 
ed complete possession of the 
vessel. After allowing her crew 
to land, and taking from her all 
that could be removed, she was 
set on fire. The loss of the ene¬ 
my amounted to 5 killed and 9 
wounded; that of the British 
was 2 killed and 5 wounded. 


January 24. 

1761. Richmond and Felt- 
cite. — The 32-gun frigate Rich¬ 
mond, Capt. John Elphinstone, 
cruising off the coast of Flanders, 
on the 23rd, at 7 p. m. fell in with 
the French 32-gun frigate Feli- 
cite, to whom she gave chase. 
The pursuit was continued 
through the night under a press 
of sail, and it was not until 
lOh. 30m. a.m. on the 24th that 
the Richmond was enabled to 
bring the enemy to close action. 
Both ships standing towards the 
land near the Hague, at a little 
past noon they both took the 
ground, but continued the action 
with unabated vigour, in sight of 
hundreds of spectators on the 
shore. On the rising of the tide, 
the Richmond floated off, and, 
shortly afterwards, the crew of the 
French frigate having deserted her, 
she was boarded and taken pos¬ 
session of by the British. Her loss 
amounted to nearly 100 in killed 
and wounded, including her cap¬ 
tain, M. Donnel; whilst the Rich¬ 
mond, in this well-contested en¬ 
gagement, had only 3 killed and 
13 wounded. The Felicite was 
bound to the West Indies, and 
had on board a cargo valued at 


30,000/., but being hard and fast 
aground, the prize was set on 
fire and destroyed. 

January 25. 

1782. Co3ite de Grasse de¬ 
feated. — The British fleet of 
twentv-two sail of the line, under 
Rear-Adm. Sir Samuel Hood, 
was close off the south-east end 
of the island of Nevis, on the 
23rd January, and on the follow¬ 
ing day captured the French 16- 
gun cutter Espion, with ammuni¬ 
tion for the relief the island of 
St. Christopher’s. At daybreak 
on the 25th, the French fleet of 
twenty-nine sail of the line was 
discovered steering to the south¬ 
ward on the larboard tack. Adm. 
Hood stood towards the enemy, 
with the apparent intention of 
bringing on an action, which had 
the effect of drawing the French 
fleet off the land ; but no sooner 
had he accomplished this ma¬ 
noeuvre, than, aided by a favour¬ 
able change in the wind, he tacked, 
and succeeded in reaching the 
anchorage of Basse-terre, which 
the French admiral had quitted. 
Enraged at being thus defeated, 
the Comte de Grasse, on the 26th, 
made three distinct and furious 
attacks upon the British fleet, but 
was each time repulsed with con¬ 
siderable loss. 

January 26. 

1781. In the morning of 22nd 
January, the 36-gun frigate Pre- 
sidente, being in company Avith 
the Porcupine, gave chase to a 
strange sail, and having outsailed 
her consort, continued the pursuit 
alone. In the night she brought 
the stranger to action, but the 
latter contrived to make her 
escape. On the 26th, she was 
again seen to leeward, without a 











NAVY. 


January 27. 


main-topsail-yard, and the Pre- 
sidente having again closed with 
her, she hauled down her colours. 
She proved to be the 32-gun pri¬ 
vateer Americain, with a crew of 
248 men. Having thrown her 
quarter-deck guns overboard in 
the chase, she had no more than 
24 guns on board (long 8-pound¬ 
ers ) when captured. 

1782. Defeat op the Prench 
Fleet. —The British fleet under 
Rear-Adm Sir Thomas Graves, 
which had engaged the Comte de 
Grasse on 5th September, 1781, 
and returned to New York to 
refit, having been reinforced by 
two or three ships, sailed to the 
West Indies, under the command 
of Rear-Adm. Sir Samnel Hood; 
and it being known that the 
French were besieging the island 
of St. Christopher’s, the admiral 
bore away for that place, in the 
hope of being able to throw in 
succour. On the 23rd January, 
1782, .this force, amounting to 23 
ships of the line, was close off the 
south-east end of the island of 
Nevis, and on the following day 
captured the French 16-gun cut¬ 
ter Espion, laden with shot and 
shells to be employed in the at¬ 
tack of St. Christopher’s. At day¬ 
break on the 25th, the French 
fleet, under Comte de Grasse, 
consisting of one ship of 110 guns, 
28 two-deckers, and two frigates, 
was discovered standing to the 
southward, on the larboard tack. 
Sir Samuel Hood, in order to 
draw the enemy off shore, feign¬ 
ed an immediate attack. This 
manoeuvre having thrown the 
enemy to leeward, the British 
fleet tacked and fetched the an¬ 
chorage of Basse-terre, which the 
French had quitted, and in the 
evening anchored in line of battle- 
ahead, in Frigate bay. The Comte 
de Grasse, disappointed in his 
object, and apprehensive that all 

I_ 


405 

A 

communication with the army 
would be cut off, made a furious 
attack upon the rear of the Bri¬ 
tish fleet; but this manoeuvre was 
so firmly resisted, that the enemy 
bore up for the offing. The Sole- 
bay frigate, being closely pur¬ 
sued, ran on shore on Nevis 
point, and was destroyed by her 
crew. On the morning of the 
26th, the French fleet stood in, and 
attacked the British line, from 
van to rear, without making any 
visible impression; they then wore 
and hauled off to seaward. In 
order to strengthen the position 
of the rear of his fleet, Sir Samuel 
moved the seven rearmost ships 
towards the town of Basse-terre, 
forming an obtuse angle, by 
which means no one part of his 
fleet could suffer a partial attack. 
In the afternoon, the Comte de 
Grasse renewed the engagement, 
directing his principal attack 
against the centre and rear; but 
he was again repulsed, with more 
loss than in the previous engage¬ 
ments. The British loss amount¬ 
ed to 72 men killed and 244 
wounded. That of the enemy must 
have been very considerable, as 
above 1000 wounded men were 
sent to St. Eustatius. 

January 27. 

1695. A squadron of six fri¬ 
gates, under Commodore James 
Killegrew, in the 60-gun ship 
Plymouth, being off Cape Bona, 
on the Barbary coast, fell in 
with the French ships Content, 
of 60 guns, and Trident, of 52 
guns ; who, mistaking the fri¬ 
gates for merchant ships, made 
sail towards them, but discover¬ 
ing their error, hauled to the 
wind and endeavoured to escape. 
Commodore Killegrew gave chase, 
and at 4 p. m. the Plymouth, 
having outsailed her companions, 


p d 3 










406 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. January 29. 


commenced engaging the enemy. 
For more than an hour did she 
alone contend with those two 
powerful ships ; during which 
time the gallant commodore was 
killed by a cannon-ball. The 
Falmouth, Capt. Caleb Grantham, 
next got into action, which she 
maintained for nearly an hour, 
when, the other British ships ar¬ 
riving up, the enemy separated 
on different courses. After a 
running fight during the night, 
the Content, pursued by the Car¬ 
lisle and Newcastle, and Trident 
by the Falmouth and Adventure, 
surrendered in the forenoon of 
the 28th, having lost many men, 
and being much disabled. The 
Plymouth sustained the loss of 
her captain and 14 men killed, 
and 30 wounded, besides being 
much damaged, with the loss of 
her fore-topmast. The united 
loss of the other ships amounted 
to about double that number. 
Commodore Killegrew was hur¬ 
ried at Messina, with military 
honours. 

1807. At daylight, when about 
26 miles N.b.W. of Soramine 
river, on the coast of Guiana, the 
32-gun frigate Jason, Captain 
Thomas Cochrane, having dis¬ 
covered and chased a ship and a 
brig on her weather-beam, at lOh. 
15m. a.m. bi'ought the ship to 
action, and presently compelled 
her to haul down her colours. 
The prize proved to be the late 
British sloop-of-war Favourite, 
mounting 29 guns, with a com¬ 
plement of 150 men. 

January 28., 

1798. French privateer Ileu- 
reuse Nouvelle, 22, taken in the 
Channel by Indefatigable, 44, and 
squadron, under Capt. Sir Edward 
PelleAv. 

1801. Capture of Dedai¬ 
gneuse. — On the 26th January, 


at 8 A.M.,in lat. 45° N., Ion. 12° 
W., the 36-gun frigate Oiseau, 
Capt. Samuel Hood Linzee, fell 
in with and chased the French 
36-gun frigate Dedaigneuse, from 
Cayenne, bound to Rochefort. 
The pursuit was continued until 
noon on the 27th, when, Cape 
Finisterre in sight, the 36-gun 
frigates Sirius and Amethyst, 
Capts. Richard King and John 
Cooke, joined in the chase. But 
so well did the Dedaigneuse 
maintain her advantage, that it 
was not until 2 a.m. on the 28th 
that she was brought to action, 
and, after a running fight of 45 mi¬ 
nutes, compelled to haul down 
her colours ; having sustained a 
loss of several men killed and 17 
wounded,—among the latter her 
captain. The prize, a ship of 807 
tons, was added to the British 
navy under her own name. 

1806. French privateer Vol- 
tigeur, 14 guns and 66 men, taken 
off Brest by Growler, 12, Lieut. 
Nesbitt. 

1806. Sorcier, 14,60 men, taken 
off Brest by Attack, 12, Lieut. 
Swain. 

January 29. 

1744. Spanish 12-gun brig 
Nostra del Rosario taken by 
Fly sloop of 8 guns, Capt. Thom¬ 
son, off the Lizard. 

1801. The British 24-gun ship 
Bordelais, Capt. Thomas Manby, 
while cruising to windward of 
Barbadoes, at noon discovered, in 
chase of her to windward, two 
men-of-war brigs and a schooner. 
The Bordelais immediately short¬ 
ened sail, and at sunset the 
French national brigs, Curieux, of 
18 long 8-pounders and 160 men, 
Capt. George Radelet, and Mu- 
tine, of 16 long 6-pounders and 
156 men, with the schooner Es- 
perance, of six 4-pounders and 
52 men, had arrived within gun- 







NAVY. 


January 30, 


shot. At 6 r. m., the Bordelais 
wore round, and had scarcely 
brought the Curieux to close ac¬ 
tion when the two consorts of 
the latter abandoned her to her 
fate. Nevertheless, the Curieux 
nobly defended the honour of her 
flag, sustaining an action with a 
ship of such superior force for 
thirty minutes within pistol-shot. 
The loss of the French brig was 
very severe: her captain had 
both his legs shot off, and sur¬ 
vived but a few hours ; and her 
killed and wounded amounted to 
about 50. The Bordelais, on the 
other hand, escaped with only 
one man killed and seven wound¬ 
ed, including among the latter 
Lieut. Robt. Barrie, who did not 
quit his quarters. The French 
brig’s hull had been so pierced with 
shot, that, in about half an hour 
after she was taken possession of, 
the Curieux was found to be sink¬ 
ing. Already had 120 prisoners 
been received from her, and 
every exertion was now made to 
save the wounded. So zealous 
were Lieut. Archibald Montgo¬ 
mery and his 20 men in perform¬ 
ing this service, that at 8h. p. m. 
the vessel foundered under them, 
close alongside the Bordelais. 
The floating wreck buoyed up all 
those brave fellows, except two 
midshipmen, Messieurs Spence 
and Auckland, and five seamen, 
who unfortunately perished with 
the gallant wounded of the Cu- 
rieux’s crew. 

1806. Impromptu, French pri¬ 
vateer, 14 guns, taken by the 
Bruizer gun-brig, Lieut. Smithies, 
in the Downs. 

1810. Charles, 14 guns, taken 
by the boats of the Phoenix fri¬ 
gate and Jalouse sloop, under 
the orders of Lieuts. Munday and 
Randall. 

1813. The island of Augusta, 
in the Adriatic, surrendered to a 


407 


British force, consisting of the 
38-gun frigate Apollo, Capt. B. 
W. Taylor, Esperanza privateer, 
four gun-boats, and 250 troops, 
under Lieut.-Colonel Robertson. 
Curzola surrendered to the same 
force on 3rd of February. 

January 30. 

1761. Capture of Brune.— 
The 36-gun frigate Venus, Capt. 
Thomas Harrison, and 32-gun 
frigate Juno, Capt. Philips 
Towry, cruising off Scilly, gave 
chase to the French 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Brune. The Venus, taking 
the lead, maintained a manning 
fight with the chase during two 
hours, when the Juno having also 
closed with the enemy, the Brune 
struck her colours, having 19 
men killed and 39 wounded. The 
Venus had 4 men killed, Captain 
Harrison, the first lieutenant, 
master, and 15 men wounded. 
The Juno had two men wounded. 
The prize was commissioned as a 
British cruiser, axnder the same 
name. 

1780. The 28-gun frigate Sur¬ 
prise, Capt. Samuel Reeve, being 
off the Dodman, fell in with two 
French privateers, a brig and a 
ship. The brig effected her es¬ 
cape ; but the ship, which was the 
Du Guay Trouin of 20 guns, was 
brought to action and compelled 
to surrender. Lieut. Charles 
Henry Lane, with a midshipman 
and seven men, were sent on 
board to take possession ; and 
the wind having increased to 
a heavy gale, rendered it impos¬ 
sible for the Surprise to send 
further assistance. Although 
among 130 Frenchmen, by dint 
of great perseverance anal cour¬ 
age, Mr. Lane succeeded in 
taking the Du Guay Trouin into 
Plymouth, and she being a new 
ship, was purchased into the 
Royal navy, under the same name. 


d d 4 






408 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 1. 


January 31. 

1748. Capture of Magna- 
NIME. —The 60-gun ship Notting¬ 
ham, Capt. Robert Harland, hav¬ 
ing chased from a squadron under 
Rear-Admiral Hawke, at lOh. 
a. m. commenced a running fight 
with the French 74-gun ship 
Magnanime, Capt. the Marquis 
d’Albert, which continued six 
hours. The Portland, 60, joined 
in the pursuit, and having arrived 
up and opened her fire, the Mag¬ 
nanime struck her colours. Out 
of a crew of 686 men, she had 45 
killed and 105 wounded. Being 
a new ship, she was added to the 
British navy under the same 
name. The Nottingham sustained 
a loss of 16 men killed and 
18 wounded; Portland 4 men 
wounded. 

1761. The 28-gun frigates 
Solebay and Amazon, Capts. John 
Dalrymple and Basil Keith, 
chased, and drove ashore under 
the walls of Calais, the French 
18-gun privateer Chevrette. The 
privateer was afterwards got off 
by the exertions of the crews of 
the British ships, and was added 
to the British navy under the 
name of Pomona. 

1779. Capture of Oiseau.— 
The 32-gun frigate Apollo, Capt. 
Philemon Pownall, cruising off 
the north coast of France, chased 
a convoy of 10 sail, under the 
protection of the 2 6-gun frigate 
Oiseau, commanded by the Che¬ 
valier de Tarade. At lh. 30m., 
being then close to the shore off 
St. Brieux, the Apollo brought 
the enemy’s frigate to close ac¬ 
tion, and, after a defence of one 
hour and thirty minutes, com¬ 
pelled her to surrender, with con ¬ 
siderable loss of men. The Apollo 
had six men killed, Capt. Pownall, 
his twm lieutenants, and 19 men 
wounded. 


1797. The 12-pounder 32-gun 
frigate Andromache, Captain 
Charles John Moore Mansfield, 
having run far ahead of a small 
squadron cruising off the Mon- 
sheque Mountains, in pursuit of 
a strange ship, came up with her 
just as the day had closed in. 
After hailing, and being answered 
in Spanish, the Andromache 
opened her fire, and the two ships 
continued closely engaged for up¬ 
wards of 40 minutes; when, after 
an attempt to board the British 
frigate, her opponent surrendered. 
She proved to be an Algerine, of 
the same force as the Andro¬ 
mache, who had taken the latter 
for a Portuguese frigate. The 
mistake cost the British 3 men 
killed and 6 wounded; and the 
Algerine 66 killed and 70 
wounded. 

February 1. 

1807. Lark and Spanish Gun¬ 
boats. —Late in the evening of 
26th January, the 18-gun sloop 
Lark, Captain Robert Nicholas, 
cruising off the Spanish main, 
chased, and, early on the 27th, 
captured two Spanish garda-costa 
schooners ; one, the Postilion, of 
one long 12-pounder, two 6- 
pounders, and 76 men, and the 
other the Carmen, of one 12- 
pounder, four 6-pounders, and 
72 men, each commanded by a 
lieutenant in the Spanish navy. 
On the 1st February, having the 
prizes in company, with ten men 
in each, the Lark discovered a 
convoy of market-boats, protected 
by tw^o gun-vessels and an armed 
schooner. The convoy ran on 
shore; but the gun-boats and 
schooner sought refuge in a creek 
of Zespata bay, protected by a 
four-gun battery. The Lark'fol¬ 
lowed these vessels into the bay 
and soon silenced the fort; but 







NAVY. 


February 2. 


409 


not being able, owing to the shal¬ 
lowness of the water, to enter 
the creek, she anchored at the 
entrance. The captain, taking 
with him the whole of the sloop’s 
remaining officers and crew, 
amounting to about 100 men and 
boys, proceeded up the creek in 
the boats. The Spaniards rowed 
out to meet the British, and, 
until they got near, kept up a 
smart fire; but, finding them¬ 
selves closely attacked, they wore 
round and fled. Capt. Nicholas, 
in a single boat, closed with the 
sternmost gun-vessel, mounting 
one long 24-pounder and two 6- 
pounders, and, although she ran 
on shore, was carried, after a des¬ 
perate resistance. Out of 16 
men in the captain’s boat, three 
were dangerously, and himself se¬ 
verely wounded. All further suc¬ 
cess was now at an end ; for, in 
following the other gun-boat and 
the armed schooner up the creek, 
the pilot missed the channel and 
ran the two garda-costas on shore. 
The action, nevertheless, con¬ 
tinued until 5h. p.m., when, find¬ 
ing that there was no probability 
of getting the vessels afloat, the 
two schooners were destroyed 
and the boats returned to their 
ship. 

February 2. 

1747. French 36-gun frigate 
Bellone taken by squadron itnder 
Capt. Cotes, cruising in the bay. 

1813. The 18-gun brig King¬ 
fisher, Capt. Ewell Tritton, being 
about six miles to the NNW. 
of Faro, early iu the morning de¬ 
tached two boats, under acting 
Lieut. Geo. H. Palmer, in pursuit 
of several trabaccolos. After a 
chase of five hours, the boats suc¬ 
ceeded in capturing one vessel, 
and running nine on shore near 
St. Catherine’s, in the island of 
Corfu, five of which were totally 


destroyed. In executing this ser¬ 
vice, during which they were ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire of musketry 
from the heights and from a one- 
gun battery, the British sustained 
a loss of two men killed and seven 
severely wounded. 

February 3. 

1781. Mars, 38, and five other 
Dutch vessels mounting from 14 
to 26 guns, surrendered, with the 
island of St. Eustatia, to the fleet 
under Admiral Rodney. 

1807. Eleven Spanish ships of 
war, mounting from 16 to 22 guns, 
with 15 gun-boats, 6 row-boats, 
and 43 merchantmen, surrendered 
at Montevideo to the British squa¬ 
dron under Rear-Adm. Stirling. 

1810. Capture of Canno- 
niere. —At daylight, the 74-gun 
ship Valiant, Capt. John Bligh, 
being close to Belleisle, in light 
baffling winds, discovered about 
three miles off and immediately 
chased the late French 40-gun 
frigate Cannoniere, but now the 
armed merchant-ship Confiance, 
mounting 14 guns, and laden with 
a cargo of colonial produce, va¬ 
lued at 150,000/. sterling, with 
which she had sailed from the 
Isle of France 93 days before. 
About noon, after a seven hours’ 
chase, the Confiance was taken 
aback ; consequently, her escape 
being hopeless, she hauled down 
her colours. 

1812. Southampton and 
Amethyste. — The 12-pounder 
32-gun frigate Southampon, 
mounting 38 guns, including 10 
carronades 24-pounders, and two 
sixes, Capt. Sir James Lucas Yeo, 
arrived off the south side of Gua- 
naboa, St. Domingo, where, at 
6h. a. m., she fell in with three 
vessels belonging to the revolters 
from Petion and Christophe. These 
were the Amethyste, 18-pounder 







410 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY 


February 4 


40-gun frigate (late French Feli- 
cite, captured in June, 1809, by 
the Latona), mounting 44 guns, a 
corvette, and a brig. Sir James 
Yeo determined to detain the 
Amethyste, and conduct her to 
the admiral; but her captain, re¬ 
fusing the order to that effect, the 
Southampton, at 6h. 30m., opened 
her fire, which was instantly re¬ 
turned. Before the action had 
lasted half an hour the main and 
mizen masts of the Amethyste 
had fallen, and at 7h. 45m. she 
surrendered, just as her foremast 
and bowsprit went by the board. 
In the meantime her two consorts 
had made sail, and ran for shelter 
under the batteries of Maraguana. 
Out of 212 men and boys in 
the Southampton, only one man 
was killed and ten wounded ; 
whilst her antagonist, out of a 
crew of 700 men, of all nations, 
had 105 killed and 125 wounded, 
including her captain, M. Gas- 
pard. 

1813. Reduction or Curzola. 
— The 38-gun frigate Apollo, 
Capt. B. W. Taylor, with Espe- 
ranza schooner, and 4 gun-boats, 
with troops under Lieut.-Col. 
Robertson, leaving a garrison in 
the island of Augusta, in the 
Adriatic, which had surrendered 
on 29th January, sailed on 1st 
February for the neighbouring 
island of Curzola; and on the 
same night, 160 soldiers, 70 sea¬ 
men, and 50 marines, with a 
howitzer, landed at Port Bufalo, 
and carried a hill that command¬ 
ed the town. Finding the enemy 
determined to hold out, Captain 
Taylor embarked the seamen, 
and on the morning of the 3rd 
attacked and silenced the six bat¬ 
teries. This led to an immediate 
capitulation. The loss of the 
British amounted to two men 
killed and one wounded on board 
the Apollo. 


1814. Capture of Terpsi¬ 
chore. — On the 2nd February, 
the 56-gun ship Majestic, Cap¬ 
tain John Hayes, at daylight dis¬ 
covered four sail, which proved 
to be the French 40-gun fri¬ 
gates Atalante and Terpsichore, 
with two captured vessels. At 
10h., the Majestic bore up in 
chase ; and at llh. 45m. the 
enemy stood away under all sail, 
the prizes separating, and making 
off to the eastward. After a run¬ 
ning fight, which lasted until 5h., 
the Terpsichore hauled down her 
colours. The wind had increased 
so much, that it was with diffi¬ 
culty part of the prisoners could 
be removed. The Atalante es¬ 
caped. The Terpsichore, out of a 
crew of 320, had three men killed 
and six wounded ; but the Ma¬ 
jestic did not sustain any loss. 

February 4. 

1667. On 4th February, the 
10-gun Ketch, Deptford, Com¬ 
mander Mark Pearce, near Al¬ 
derney, engaged and beat off 
some French armed vessels por- 
tecting a convoy, and captured a 
frigate-built merchant-ship of 400 
tons, mounting 6 guns. 

1781. The Dutch 60-gun ship 
Mars, with the whole of her con¬ 
voy, captured in the West Indies, 
by Monarch, 74, Panther, 60, and 
Sybil, 28, Capts. Reynolds, Har¬ 
vey, and Fitzgerald. 

1804. In the evening of 3rd 
February, the 74-gun ship Cen¬ 
taur, stationed off the Diamond 
rock, detached four boats, con¬ 
taining 60 seamen and 12 ma¬ 
rines, under the orders of Lieut. 
Robert Carthew Reynolds, to at¬ 
tempt the capture of the French 
brig Curieux, mounting 16 long 
6-pounders, with a crew of 70 
men, lying at anchor close under 
fort Edouard, at the entrance of 


J 










February 5. NAVY. 411 


the Carenage, fort Royal harbour, 
Martinique, fully prepared to re¬ 
sist an attack, having the board¬ 
ing netting triced up. It was 
about three-quarters past mid¬ 
night, after a hard pull of 20 
miles, just as the moon was peep¬ 
ing from behind a cloud, that the 
Centaur’s boats were hailed by the 
Curieux, and immediately tired 
into. The marines discharged 
their muskets, and the boats 
pulled rapidly on. Lieut. Rey¬ 
nolds ascended the bi-ig’s stern by 
a rope-ladder, to which two boats 
were fast, having cut away one 
of the tricing-lines with his sword, 
in defiance of the swivels and 
wall-pieces of the enemy ; and 
was quickly followed by the 
barge’s crew. The other three 
boats were thus enabled to board 
on the brig’s quarter. A san¬ 
guinary combat now ensued, but 
the French were soon over¬ 
powered, and all further resist¬ 
ance presently ceased. In a few 
minutes the Curieux was under 
sail, standing out of fort Royal 
harbour, under a smart fire from 
fort Edouard and two other bat¬ 
teries ; and long before break of 
day was at anchor by the side of 
the Centaur. This gallant enter¬ 
prise was accomplished with so 
small a loss as 9 wounded. Of 
that number were three officers,— 
the gallant leader, Lieut. Rey¬ 
nolds, with five severe, and, as 
they eventually proved, mortal 
wounds ; Lieut. George Edmund 
Byron Bettesworth, and Mr. John 
Trcacy, midshipman. The loss 
on the part of the enemy amount¬ 
ed to one midshipman and 9 men 
killed, and 30, including all her 
officers, wounded. The Curieux 
was commissioned, and the com¬ 
mand given to the officer who 
headed the party that captured 
her ; but the wounds of Captain 
Reynolds were of too severe a 


nature to admit of his taking 
charge of her; and in September 
following, this gallant young offi¬ 
cer breathed his last.—iHclJaL 

February 5. 

1800. Capture of Pallas.— 
Intelligence having reached Jer¬ 
sey that a French frigate was 
hovering about the islands, the 
18-gun corvette Fairy, Capt. S. 
Horton, and 18-gun brig Harpy, 
Capt. Henry Bazeley, weighed 
from St. Aubin’s bay early on 
the morning of 5th February, 
with a fresh breeze at north-west. 
At llh. 30m. a.m. Cape Frehel 
bearing south-east, distant about 
six miles, a large ship was dis¬ 
covered running down along the 
land to the westward. It being 
determined to bring the stranger, 
which was the French 18-pounder 
38-gun frigate Pallas, to action, 
in order to draw her off the land, 
the Fairy and Harpy tacked 
to the northward. The Pallas 
immediately did the same, and 
lh. p.m. arrived within pistol-shot 
to windward of the British vessels. 
The engagement lasted from lh. 
p.m. until 3h. p.m., when the latter 
bore away to the north- east. 
Soon afterwards, the 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Loire, Capt. N. Newman, 
20-gun ship JDanae, Capt. Lord 
Proby, and 16-gun sloop Railleur, 
Capt. W. T. Turquand, hove in 
sight to leeward of her. The 
French frigate gallantly engaged 
the Loire, Railleur, Harpy, and 
Fairy, until midnight, when she 
surrendered. The Loire had 3 
men killed, Midshipmen W. O. 
Pell, F. W. Eves, and J. A. 
Medway, and 16 men wounded. 
Railleur, Midshipman William 
Brothers and 2 seamen killed, and 
4 wounded. Fairy, 4 men killed, 
Capt. Horton, the purser (Peter 
Hughes), and 7 wounded; and the 






412 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 6. 


Harpy, 1 man killed and three 
wounded. Total, 9 killed, 36 
wounded. The Pallas, a new 
ship of 1029 tons, was added to 
the British navy by the name of 
Pique.—JHctlal. 

1804. The 12-gun schooner 
Eclair, Lieut. William Carr, while 
cruising about 60 leagues to the 
northward of Tortola, fell in with 
the French privateer Grand De¬ 
cide, mounting 22 long 8-pound¬ 
ers, with a creAV of 220 men. 
After a very close action of 45 
minutes, the Decide bore up and 
made sail to the northward, and, 
although pursued by the Eclair, 
made her escape. In this very 
gallant exploit, the Eclair, out of 
her 60 men and boys, lost one 
man killed and 4 wounded. 

February 6. 

1799. Spanish 34-gun frigate 
Santa-Teresa, captured near Ma¬ 
jorca by the Argo, 44, Capt. 
James Bowen, after a feeble re¬ 
sistance; the Leviathan, 74, Com¬ 
modore J. T. Duckworth, being 
in sight. 

1806. Battle of San Do¬ 
mingo. — A squadron, consisting 
of the Superb, 74, Vice Admiral 
Sir John T. Duckworth, K. B., 
Capt. R. G. Keats; Northumber¬ 
land, 74, Rear-Admiral Hon. 
Alexander J. Cochrane, Capt. 
John Morrison ; Canopus, 80, 
Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas. Louis, 
Capt. Francis W. Austen; Spen¬ 
cer, 74, Capt. Hon. Robert Stop- 
ford; Donegal, 74, Capt. Pultney 
Malcolm; Atlas, 74, Capt. Samuel 
Pym; Agamemnon, 64, Capt. 
Sir Edward Berry ; Acasta, 38, 
Capt. Richard D. Dunn; King¬ 
fisher, 18, Capt. N. D. Cochrane, 
and Epervier, Lieut. T. Higgin- 
son, at daylight on the 6th, gained 
sight of a French squadron at 
anchor off the town of St. Do¬ 


mingo. At 7h. 30m. A. M., the 
French ships slipped, and made 
sail to the westward, with a light 
air of wind from the northward, 
formed in line of battle thus:— 
Alexandre, 80, Imperial, 120 
(Hag of Vice-Admiral Leissei- 
gues), Diomede, 74, Jupiter, 74, 
Brave, 74, with Felicite and Cor- 
nete frigates, and Diligente cor¬ 
vette. At 8h. a.m, the British 
formed in two lines, the Superb, 
Northumberland, Spencer, and 
Agamemnon, the weather; the 
Spencer, Donegal, and Atlas, the 
lee; the frigates and brigs being 
to windward. At lOh. 10m., the 
Superb opened her fire on the 
larboard quarter of the Alexandre, 
and in a few minutes the North¬ 
umberland was in action with the 
Imperial. In another five minutes 
the Spencer engaged the Dio¬ 
mede ; the ships now running 
nearly before the wind, at the 
rate of seven knots an hour. 
After the third broadside, the 
Alexandre hauled suddenly up 
on the larboard tack, across the 
bows of the Superb, leaving the 
Imperial in close action with the 
Superb and Northumberland. At 
10b. 25m., the Alexandre at¬ 
tempted to pass between the 
Northumberland and Spencer, 
but the latter pouring in a raking 
fire compelled her to wear, and 
then brought her to close action; 
and the two ships continued en¬ 
gaging with their heads to the 
northward, while the remaining 
ships of both squadrons were 
standing to the westward. The 
Northumberland having advanced 
on the Superb, gallantly pushed 
in between that ship and the 
Imperial, and was for a con¬ 
siderable time exposed to her 
tremendous broadside. At lOh. 
35m., the Canopus, leading the 
lee column, crossed the bows of 
the Alexandre and Spencer, and 








February 7. 


NAVY. 


413 


firing a broadside into the French 
ship, brought down her already 
tottering masts. The Donegal 
and Atlas, in passing, also fired 
into the Alexandre, which ship 
continued to defend herself until 
llh. a.m., when being incapable 
of further resistance, she sur¬ 
rendered. Without waiting to 
take possession, the Spencer made 
sail towards the resisting enemy. 
At lOh. 15m., the Donegal fired 
her starboard broadside into the 
Brave; then passing under her 
stern, ranged up on the starboard 
side, and, after an hour’s close 
action, the French colours were 
hauled down. The Atlas brought 
the Jupiter to action, but in obe¬ 
dience to a signal from the ad¬ 
miral, she proceeded on, to attack 
the enemy’s van. The Donegal 
now became the opponent of the 
Jupiter, and after engaging a 
short time, threw herself across 
the bows of the Jupiter, the bow¬ 
sprit passing over the Donegal’s 
larboard quarter, in which po¬ 
sition it was secured. Finding 
further resistance of no avail, the 
Jupiter surrendered. The Atlas, 
at about llh. a.m., closed with 
the Imperial, still engaged with 
the Northumberland, and was 
endeavouring to pass under her 
stern, when she fell on board the 
Canopus, and carried away her 
own bowsprit. The Atlas became 
closely engaged with the Diomede 
for about ten minutes, when the 
Spencer came up and joined in 
the action. The Imperial, at 
llh. 30m. having lost her main 
and mizen masts, hauled towards 
the land, and within ten minutes 
she struck with such violence that 
her remaining mast went over the 
side. About the same time, the 
mainmast of the Northumberland 
fell in-board. The Diomede also 
ran ashore, and at the same mo¬ 
ment her three masts went over 


the side. Thus within two hours, 
the five ships of the line were 
either captured or driven ashore. 
The total loss of the British 
amounted to 74 killed and 264 
wounded.— jHctal. 

1810. The island of Guada- 
loupe surrendered to a squadron 
under Vice-Adm. Hon. Sir. Alex. 
Cochrane, and troops commanded 
by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Geo. Beckwith. 

February 7. 

1813. Amelia and Arethuse. 
— The 38-gun frigate Amelia, 
mounting 48 guns, Capt. the Hon. 
Paul Irby, when off Tamara, coast 
of Africa, on the 7 th of February, 
at 6h. p. m., observed the French 
40-gun frigate Arethuse, mount¬ 
ing 44 guns, Commodore Bouvet, 
standing towards her. It was a 
beautiful moonlight night, with 
the sea perfectly smooth, when as 
the Amelia, at 7h. 45m., arrived 
within pistol-shot on the starboard 
and weatlier-bow of the Arethuse, 
the action commenced. After the 
third broadside, the main-topsail 
of the Amelia being thrown a- ' 
back, she fell on board her oppo¬ 
nent, and became exposed to a 
heavy fire of musketry and hand 
grenades from the Arethuse, who, 
after an ineffectual attempt to 
board, threw all a-back, and 
dropped clear. The Amelia, upon 
this, set her stay-sails, and, in 
endeavouring a second time to 
cross the bows of her antagonist, 
she fell on board her, and the 
ships swung alongside of each 
other at about 9h. 15m. Among 
those who fell at this period of 
the contest were Lieuts. John 
James Bates and John Pope, 
and Lieut, of marines Kobert G. 
Grainger. Capt. Irby was so se¬ 
verely wounded as to be obliged 
to leave the deck to the command 
of Lieutenant George Wells, who 













414 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 9. 


shortly afterwards was killed, 
and Mr. Anthony Mayne, the 
master, took the command. At 
length the two ships separated, 
and in the almost calm state of 
the weather they gradually re¬ 
ceded, with their broadsides still 
hearing upon each other, until 
llh. 20m. p. m. In this desperate 
conflict the masts and yards of 
the Amelia were badly wounded, 
her rigging cut to pieces, and her 
hull much shattered. Of the crew, 
consisting of 265 men and 30 
boys, making, with 54 supernu¬ 
meraries (part of the crew of the 
Daring gun-brig), a total of 349, 
she had 51 killed, 90 wounded. 
The Arethuse is stated to have 
had 31 killed, including 11 officers, 
and 74 wounded. 

February 8. 

1805. Curieux and Dame 
Ernouf. — The 16-gun brig Cu¬ 
rieux, Capt. George E. B. Bettes- 
worth, cruising off Barbadoes, at 
daylight gave chase to the French 
privateer Dame Ernouf, mount¬ 
ing the same force as the Curieux, 
—16 long 6-pounders,—and after 
a run of twelve hours, ranged up 
on her weather and starboard 
quarter. A close action was main¬ 
tained for 40 minutes, when the 
privateer luffed up with the in¬ 
tention of boarding the Curieux, 
but the latter, putting her helm 
a-starboard, caught the jib-boom 
of her opponent between the fore¬ 
mast and the forestay, and in this 
position poured in a raking and 
destructive fire on the French¬ 
man’s decks. The British crew 
were preparing to board, when 
the Dame Ernouf dropped clear 
of the Curieux, and after a trifling 
resistance hauled down her co¬ 
lours, having 30 men killed and 
40 wounded, out of a crew of 120 
men. The Curieux, out of 67 
men and boys, lost the purser 


(Mr. Madox) and 5 seamen killed, 
and Capt. Bettesworth and three 
seamen wounded. 

1808. In the evening, three 
boats of the 36-gun frigate Me¬ 
leager, Capt. John Broughton, 
cruising off San Jago de Cuba, 
were detached under the orders 
of Lieut. George Tupman to cap¬ 
ture the polacca-rigged privateer 
schooner Renard, armed with one 
long 6-pounder, and 47 men, at 
anchor under the shore. Although 
the enemy were perfectly pre¬ 
pared, she was gallantly boarded 
and carried without loss on either 
side,—a great portion of the crew 
having jumped overboard and 
swam to the shore. 

1813. Capture of Lottery. 
—Nine boats were detached from 
the Maidstone, Belvidera, Junon, 
and Statira frigates, lying in Lyn- 
haven bay, under the orders of 
Lieut. Kelly Nazer, in chase of 
the American schooner Lottery, 
of 6 carronades, 12-pounders, and 
28 men. At 7b. p. m., it fell calm, 
and as the boats approached an 
animated fire of round and grape 
was opened upon them; never¬ 
theless, she was boarded, and, 
after an obstinate resistance, 
carried. Captain Southcomb, of 
the Lottery, and 18 men, were 
wounded. The loss of the British 
was comparatively slight, having 
one mail killed and 5 wounded. 

February 9. 

1746. Portland and Au¬ 
guste.— Portland, 50, Captain 
Charles Stevens, cruising in the 
English Channel, captured, after a 
smart action, the French 50-gun 
ship Auguste, in which she sus¬ 
tained a loss of 50 men killed and 
94 wounded, and was totally dis¬ 
masted before she surrendered. 
The Portland had 5 men killed 
and 13 wounded. 








■ '--- 

February 10. NAVY. 415 


1799. Daedalus and Pru- 
dente. —At daybreak the 12- 
pounder 32-gun frigate Daedalus, 
Capt. Henry Lidgbird Ball, off 
Cape Natal, on the south-east 
coast of Africa, gave chase to the 
French 36-gun frigate Prudente, 
mounting 30 guns. At about a 
quarter past noon the Prudente 
closed with the Daedalus, which 
shortly afterwards passed close 
under the stern of the French 
frigate, and luffed up within pistol- 
shot on her starboard quarter. 
After a spirited action, that 
lasted until lh. 20m., and having 
lost her mizen-mast, with 27 of 
her men killed and 22 wounded, 
the Prudente struck her colours. 
The Daedalus, out of 212 men 
and boys, had only 2 killed and 

12 wounded. 

1808. The Decouverte schoon¬ 
er, of 8 carronades, 12-pounders, 
and 37 men and boys, chased the 
French schooner Dorade, mount¬ 
ing one long 18-pounder on a 
pivot, and two long-8s, with 72 
men, into Bottomless Cove, St. 
Domingo, and at 3h. p.m., brought 
her to action. In the second 
round, three of the Deeouverte’s 
carronades were dismounted: not¬ 
withstanding this, and the great 
superiority of the enemy in mus¬ 
ketry, the Decouverte, in three 
quarters of an hour, compelled the 
Dorade to haul down her colours. 
The British loss amounted to 5 sea¬ 
men wounded, including Lieut. 
Campbell. On board the privateer 

13 were killed and 7 wounded. 

February 10. 

1710. On 10th February, off 
Cape Clear, the 50-gun ships Salis¬ 
bury and St. Albans, Captains 
Francis Hosier and Thomas 
Laurence, captured a French 60- 
gun ship, alter a gallant defence. 
Salisbury had 5 men killed and 
25 wounded. 


1809. Capture of Junon.— 
At 2h. p. m., on the 8th February, 
the French 40-gun frigate Junon, 
Capt. Rousseau, was chased off 
the Virgin Islands by the 16-gun 
brigs Asp and Superieure, Capts. 
Robert Preston and William 
Ferrie. The Asp was soon left 
far behind, but the Superieure, 
although with only four guns 
mounted, continued with the most 
persevering gallantry to follow 
and engage the enemy. In course 
of the following day the 38-gun 
frigate Latona, Capt. Hugh Pigot, 
made her appearance to leeward. 
At daylight on the 10th, the 
Junon was about 12 miles distant, 
and would probably have made 
her escape had not the Horatio, 
38, Capt. George Scott, and 18- 
gun sloop Driver, Capt. Charles 
Claridge, hove in sight, at about 
lOh. 30m., on the French frigate’s 
weather-bow. Thus hemmed in, 
the Junon gallantly defended 
herself in a close action of 50 
minutes with the Horatio, until 
she had her main and mizen top¬ 
masts shot away, and sustained a 
loss of 130 in killed and wounded, 
including her gallant commander 
mortally, out of a crew of 323 
men. Being closely pressed by 
the Latona, she endeavoured to 
haul to the wind, when her main 
and mizen-mast fell over the side, 
and at 3h. 40m. p.m. the Junon 
struck her colours. The Horatio, 
out of a crew of 270, had 7 killed; 
her captain and 25 wounded. 
The Latona, 6 wounded. The 
Driver, one man wounded. — 

jFtctrat. 

1810. Thistle and Havik.— 
The 10-gun schooner Thistle 
(18-pounder carronades), Lieut. 
Peter Procter, with 50 men and 
boys, in lat. 25° 22' N., long. 61° 
27' W., at 5h. p.m.. brought to 
action, after a chase of 7 hours, 
the Dutch corvette Havik, pierced 







416 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 11. 


for 18 guns, but mounting 6 long 
4-pounclers, and four 2-pounder 
swivels, with a complement of 52 
men and boys, including the 
Batavian Rear-Admiral A. A. 
Buyskes, and was valuably laden. 
The engagement continued until 
6h. 45m., when the Havik made 
all sail before the wind; but at 
8h. 30m. the Thistle was again 
alongside, and, after some further 
resistance, compelled her to strike 
her colours. The Thistle had 
one man killed, her commander 
and 6 men wounded. On board 
the Havik, 1 man was killed; the 
Dutch admiral and 7 men were 
badly wounded.—fHctklL 

February 11. 

1744. Battle off Toulon. 
—On the 9th February, the com¬ 
bined fleet of France and Spain, 
consisting of 28 ships of the line, 
including 3 of 50 guns, appeared 
outside the port of Toulon, where 
a British fleet of 27 sail of the 
line, exclusive of nine of 50 guns 
under Admiral Matthews, was 
cruising. The two fleets spent 
that day and all the next in 
manoeuvring; and on the 11th 
the British admiral made the 
signal for battle. After waiting 
some time for the junction of Vice- 
Adm. Lestock’s division, which 
was about five miles to windward, 
Adm. Matthews determined on 
engaging without the aid of that 
force. The combined fleet was 
under easy sail, with their heads 
to the southward on the starboard 
tack, the French ships being in 
the van. At lh. p. m. the Namur, 
90, bearing the flag of Adm. 
Matthews, closed with Adm. Na¬ 
varro in the Royal Phillip, 112, 
and Rear-Adm. Hon. W. Rowley 
in the Barflcur, 90, arrived 
abreast of the Terrible, 74, the 
flag-ship of the French Admiral 


De Court. These ships, followed 
by the Marlborough, 74, Capt. 
Cornewall, and Norfolk, 74, Capt. 
Hon. J. Forbes, gallantly attacked 
the centre of the combined fleet; 
whilst the Princessa, 74, Bedford, 
74, Dragon and Kingston, 50, 
engaged the rear division. The 
Barfleur was well supported by 
the Princess Caroline, 80, Capt. 
Henry Osborne; and Capt. Ed¬ 
ward Hawke in the Berwick, 70, 
engaged the Poder, 74, with such 
effect as to compel her to sur¬ 
render. The wind was so light 
and variable, that the ships could 
with difficulty keep clear of each 
other. The Namur, aided by the 
Marlborough, reduced the Royal 
Philip to a wreck, and succeeded 
in beating out of the line those 
ships which came to her support. 
The loss of the English, amount¬ 
ing to 92 killed, 185 wounded, fell 
principally on the following ships: 
—The Marlborough had her cap¬ 
tain and 42 killed ; Lieut. Fred. 
Cornewall and 120 men wounded. 
The Namur 8 killed; Capt. John 
Russell (mortally) and 11 men 
wounded. Barfleur, 25 men killed, 
and 20 wounded ; Princess Ca¬ 
roline, 8 killed and 20 wounded ; 
Norfolk, 9 killed and 18 wounded. 
The captured ship, the Poder, 
was destroyed on the succeeding 
day. The loss to the Spaniards 
is estimated at 1000 men killed 
and wounded. 

1782. Fort Ostenburg 
stormed.-— A party of seamen 
and marines, under Capt. Cell 
of the Monarca, 68, from the 
fleet of Vice-Adm. Sir Edward 
Hughes, after the reduction of 
Trincomalee fort in the island of 
Ceylon, on 5th February, deter¬ 
mined to attack fort Ostenburg. 
At daybreak on the 11th, 450 
men, with pioneers on each flank, 
advanced to the assault, and 
driving the enemy from the 






NAVY. 


February 12. 


works, despite a vigorous oppo¬ 
sition, gained possession of the 
fort. The British loss on this 
occasion amounted to 21 killed 
and 42 wounded. 

February 12. 

1745. Rose and Conception. 
—The Rose, of 20 guns and 125 
men, Capt. Thomas Frankland, 
cruising off the coast of South Ca¬ 
rolina, after a sanguinary battle, 
captured the Spanish 20-gun ship 
Conception, with a crew of 326 
men,—116 of whom were killed 
and 40 wounded. The prize was 
from Carthagena, hound to the 
Havannah, having, besides a va¬ 
luable cargo, sixty-eight chests of 
silver. It is related that, when 
the ship was put up for sale, the 
captain, upon promise of reward, 
discovered to Capt. Frankland 
30,000 pistoles, that had been con¬ 
cealed in the lining of the ship. 

1811. Attack of Ortona.— 
The 32-gun frigate Cerberus, 
Capt. Henry Whitby, and Active, 
38, Capt. J. A. Gordon, cruising 
off the north-east coast of Italy, 
in the morning of the 12th Feb. 
despatched the boats, under the 
orders of Lieut. James Dickinson, 
to attempt the capture of the 
enemy’s convoy in the harbour of 
Ortona, formed by a large pier 
projecting into the sea, connected 
with a range of hills leading to 
the town, which, situated on the 
highest, completely commands 
the vessels in the port. As the 
boats approached at lOh. a.m., a 
fire of great guns and musketry 
was opened upon them from an 
armed Venetian trabaccolo and 
from soldiers on the beach. The 
British, cheering, dashed forward, 
and although the trabaccolo 
mounted six guns and was full of 
men, she was gallantly boarded 
and carried. Lieut. Dickinson 


417 


then landed with the marines 
and small-arm men. This party 
had to climb up rocks of difficult 
ascent; but, in spite of every ob¬ 
stacle, they attained the strong 
post, and the British colours were 
planted at the very gates of the 
town. Ten vessels in the harbour 
were then secured, whilst the di¬ 
vision on shore burnt two large 
military stores destined for the 
garrison of Corfu. This was ac¬ 
complished with the trifling loss 
of 4 men wounded. 

1848. Attack of Nicaragua. 
— Capt. Granville Loch, com¬ 
manding the Alarm, 26, proceeded 
up the river San Juan di Nica¬ 
ragua, with twelve boats, con¬ 
taining 260 officers and men from 
the Alarm and Vixen steamers; 
and, after a sharp action of one 
hour and forty minutes, with 
the loss of 2 men killed and 13 
wounded, captured the post and 
fort of Scropagni, which consisted 
of six angular stockaded intrench- 
ments, situated on a point under 
which the river ran at the rate of 
five miles an hour. Capt. Loch 
then took possession of Fort San 
Carlos, at the entrance of the 
lake of Nicaragua, whence he 
compelled that government to re¬ 
dress the insults offered to the 
British Protectorate of the Mos¬ 
quito King; and a treaty was 
signed on 7th March, by which the 
Nicaraguan Government bound 
themselves to secure the King of 
Mosquito peaceable possession of 
his dominion. For this important 
service, which lasted 35 days, 
performed entirely in boats, Capt. 
Loch received the Companionship 
of the Bath. 

February 13. 

1808. The 20-gun ship Con- 
fiance, Capt. James Lucas Yeo, 
cruising off Lisbon, watcinhg the 


E E 







418 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 14. 


movements of the Russian squa¬ 
dron lying in the Tagus, sent her 
cutter and jolly-boat, under the 
command of master’s mate Robert 
Trist, to row guard at the en¬ 
trance of the river. Perceiving 
a French gun-vessel at anchor 
under fort St. Pedro, between 
Belem and San Julien, he in¬ 
stantly attacked her, and in spite 
of a determined resistance, car¬ 
ried the gun-vessel No. 1., com¬ 
manded by an enseiynede vaisseau, 
mounting one long 24-pounder, 
and two brass sixes, with 100 
stand of arms and 50 men, of 
whom 3 were killed and 9 badly 
wounded; but the British, though 
fired upon in then’ approach, did 
not lose a man. Mr. Trist was 
deservedly promoted for this truly 
gallant exploit.— iirlctfaL 

1810. Basque Roads.— Three 
chasse-marees, having grounded 
on the reef that projects from the 
point of Chatelaillon, between 
the Isle d’Aix and Rochelle, the 
boats of the squadron, under the 
orders of Lieut. G. II. Guion, 
were immediately despatched,con¬ 
sisting of three from the Christian 
VII., three from the Armide, and 
two from the Seine, for the pur¬ 
pose of destroying the grounded 
vessels. As the eight boats ad¬ 
vanced towards the chasse-marees, 
nine French boats, each carrying 
a 12-pounder carronade and six 
swivels, and rowing from 20 to 
30 oars, pulled out to intercept 
them. Lieut. Guion made a feint 
of retreating to decoy the flotilla 
from their shore defences. The 
enemy, encouraged by this ap¬ 
parent flight, exultingly pursued 
their opponents, until Lieut. Guion 
pulled round, and, followed by the 
other boats, stood towards them. 
The French immediately retreat¬ 
ed; but the Christian VII.’s barge, 
in which was Lieut. Guion, boldly 
advanced along their rear until 


she reached the third boat. Find¬ 
ing, however, that the rearmost 
boat was the only one likely to 
be attacked with any prospect of 
success, Lieut. Guion gallantly 
laid her on board and carried 
her, with the loss of two men 
killed and three wounded, in¬ 
cluding the French officer. The 
British, having destroyed the 
chasse-marees on the reef, re¬ 
turned to their ships without in¬ 
curring any loss. Lieut. Guion 
was promoted.—iHtdJal. 

1814. Skirmish off Toulon. 
— A French squadron of three 
sail of the line and three frigates 
was chased into Toulon by the 
British fleet, under Sir Edward 
Pellew. The Boyne, 98, closely 
followed by the Caledonia, 120, 
bearing the flag of the com¬ 
mander-in chief, gallantly en¬ 
gaged the enemy; and in endea¬ 
vouring to cut off the Romulus, 74, 
the Boyne was in great danger of 
getting on shore. After a spirited 
action, and being also fired upon 
by the numerous batteries, the 
British relinquished the pursuit. 
The Boyne had 2 killed and 40 
wounded. The Romulus had 70 
killed and wounded, and the 
Adrienne frigate 11 men wounded. 

February 14. 

1797. Battle off Cape St. 
Vincent. — At 6h. 30m. a. m., 
Adm. Sir John Jervis, having 
under his command 15 ships of 
the line, 7 frigates, 2 sloops, and 
a cutter, was about 8 leagues to 
the westward of Cape St. Vincent, 
standing in two divisions, close 
hauled on the starboard tack, with 
the wind W. by S. when the Spa¬ 
nish fleet under Adm. Cordova 
hove in sight. At llh. it was 
found to consist of 26 sail of the 
line, 12 frigates, and a brig, 
formed in two divisions, the main 












February 14. NAVY. 419 


body bearing down to form a 
junction with the 6 ships to lee¬ 
ward. In order to prevent this, 
the British formed the line of 
battle ahead, in close order, and 
stood boldly on towards the enemy. 
The Spanish admiral consequently 
wore round on the larboard tack, 
steering free; and 2 three-deckers 
and 1 ship of 74 guns having 
succeeded in joining the 6 de¬ 
tached ships, at 1 lh. 30m. the lead¬ 
ing ships of the British engaged 
the Spanish weather division; and 
at about ten minutes past noon 
the Culloden, 74, having passed 
beyond the enemy’s rear, tacked, 
as did successively the Blenheim, 
98, Prince George, 98, and Orion, 
74. The Spanish lee division 
having opened their fire, the Co¬ 
lossus, 74, became disabled by a 
three-decker; but the Orion gal¬ 
lantly interposing, compelled her 
opponent to withdraw. The Orion 
then pressed on to the support of 
the leading ships. The Irresisti¬ 
ble, 74, after engaging the two 
leading three-deckers of the lee 
division, tacked to support her own 
van. At about 30 minutes past 
noon, the Principe de Asturias, 
bearing a vice-admiral’s flag, at¬ 
tempted to cut the British line 
ahead of the Victory. But that 
ship poured in such a destructive 
fire, that her opponent bore up in 
great confusion, followed by the 
remaining ships of the lee divi¬ 
sion, except the Oriente, which 
gallantly stood on to leeward of 
the British fleet, and succeeded in 
joining the ships to windward. 
The rearmost ship of the British 
line, still on the starboard tack, 
having so far advanced as to 
leave an open sea to leeward of 
the Spanish weather division, the 
advanced ships bore up together 
to join their companions to lee¬ 
ward. Upon this Commodore 
Nelson, in the Captain, 74, the 


third ship from the rear of the 
British line, immediately wore 
round, and passing between the 
Diadem and the Excellent, stood 
across the bows of the Spanish 
ships, and towards the British 
van. The leading ship of which, 
the Culloden, at lh. 20m. opened 
her fire upon the Santissima Tri- 
nidada, and 10 minutes after¬ 
wards the Captain arriving up, 
also engaged that ship. Seeing 
the near approach of the Blen¬ 
heim, Prince George, and other 
ships, the Spanish admiral hauled 
up on the starboard tack. The 
captain now pushed on in search 
of another opponent. The Excel¬ 
lent, 74, at 2h. 30m., arrived 
abreast of the Salvador del Mun- 
do, 112, and, engaging her for 
some time, crossed her bows and 
passed on to the support of the 
Captain, then opposed to the San 
Nicolas, 80, which in luffing up 
ran foul of the San Josef, then 
much shattered, with her mizen- 
mast gone. The Excellent next 
became engaged with the Santis¬ 
sima Trinidada, 120, already in 
action with the Orion and Irre¬ 
sistible. The fore and mizen masts 
of the four-decker were shot away, 
and she was reduced to a defence¬ 
less state, when the Spanish lee 
division coming up, and four 
other ships bearing down to her 
support, she was rescued from 
further molestation. As the Ex¬ 
cellent shot clear of the San 
Nicolas the Captain renewed her 
fire, until her fore-topmast fell over 
the side, and being otherwise much 
disabled, the commodore deter¬ 
mined to board his immediate op¬ 
ponent. The Captain accordingly 
ran foul of the San Nicolas with 
her larboard cathead striking the 
starboard quarter of the enemy. 
Capt. Berry was the first man that 
sprang into the mizen chains, and 
Nelson forced an entrance through 


EE 2 
















420 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 15* 


the quarter-galley window, speedi¬ 
ly followed by several others. In 
a few minutes Capt. Berry was in 
possession of the poop, and the 
Spanish colours were hauled 
down. Nelson passed along the 
larboard gangway to the fore¬ 
castle; and after a discharge of 
musketry into the stern of the San 
Josef, then lying foul of the San 
Nicolas, the British boarded the 
first-rate. At that moment a 
Spanish officer looking over the 
quarter-deck rail, said they had 
surrendered. At 3h. 50m., Adm. 
Jervis made the signal for ships 
to form a line in the Victory’s 
wake; and about 5h. p.m. all firing 
had ceased. The total loss of the 
British amounted to 74 killed, 
227 wounded. The killed and 
wounded on board the captured 
ships was as follows: Salvador, 112 
guns, 160; San Josef, 112, 140 ; 
San Nicolas, 80, 200 ; and the 
San Ysidro, 74, 93. —JHetfaL 
1807. The 20-gun ship Bac¬ 
chante, Captain James Richard 
Dacres, and 32-gun frigate Me¬ 
diator, Capt. William Furlong 
Wise, cruising off Cape Raphael, 
San Domingo, having captured a 
French schooner, determined on 
making an attack upon the ad¬ 
jacent fort of Samana. For this 
purpose the prize was sent in, 
under French colours, followed 
by the Mediator as a disguised 
neutral. The stratagem was so 
well conducted that the Mediator 
and Bacchante anchored within 
a mile and a half of the forts be¬ 
fore they were discovered. A fire 
was then opened from the fort, 
and a mutual cannonade had con¬ 
tinued four hours, when Capt. 
Wise proceeded with the boats of 
the two ships, and having gal¬ 
lantly stormed, carried the fort 
without a casualty. The loss 
of the British amounted to two 
men killed and 17 wounded. 


1813. The barge of the Bac¬ 
chante, 38, with a crew of 23 offi¬ 
cers and men, under Lieut. Silas 
ThomasHood,captured the French 
gun-vessel Alcinous, of two long 
24-pounders and 45 men, steering 
for Otranto, and last from Corfu. 

February 15. 

1805. St. Fiorenzo and 
Psyche. — On the 13th Feb., the 
San Fiorenzo, mounting 42 guns, 
Capt. Henry Lambert, cruising 
off Vizagapatam, at 5h. a.m. dis¬ 
covered the French 40-gun fri¬ 
gate Psyche, mounting 36 guns, 
Capt. Bergeret, with two prizes, 
under the land. Light and baf¬ 
fling winds continued until the 
morning of the 14th, when the 
chase was continued. At 7h. 30m. 
p.m., the San Fiorenzo came up 
with and took possession of the 
Thetis, late country ship; and it 
was ascertained that the other 
prize was now the Equivoque of 10 
guns and 40 men. At 8h. 10m. 
the two frigates commenced a 
furious action within musket- 
shot, and were warmly engaged 
until 9h. p.m., when the Psyche 
fell on board her opponent. In 
about a quarter of an hour, the 
ships got clear of each other, and 
the action continued, the Equi¬ 
voque occasionally taking part in 
it. At llh. 30m., the San Fio¬ 
renzo hauled off to reeve new 
braces and repair her rigging. 
At midnight she bore up to re¬ 
new the conflict, and was about 
to open her broadside, when a 
boat from the Psyche came along¬ 
side with a message, stating that 
Capt. Bergeret, from motives of 
humanity to the survivors of his 
crew, had surrendered. Out of 
her complement of 253 men and 
boys, the San Fiorenzo had 10 
killed; Lieut.W. Dawson, and 36 
wounded. The Psyche had her 







February 16. 


NAVY. 


421 


I 


second captain, two lieutenants, 
and 54 men killed, and 70 officers 
and men wounded, out of a crew 
of 240.—iHetfat. 

1809. Capture op Yar. — 
On the 14th February, in the 
morning, the 38-gun frigate Belle 
Poule, Capt. James Brisbane, 
when about 12 leagues, to the 


northward of the island of Corfu, 
chased a suspicious sail. Capt. 
Brisbane, believing that her in¬ 
tention was to enter the gulf of 


Velona, shaped the course of the 
Belle Poule accordingly. On the 
15th, at daybreak, the chase, 
which was the French frigate- 
built store ship Yar, mounting 
22 long 8-pounders and four 
24-pounder carronades, with a 
crew of 200 men, was discovered 
moored with cables to the for¬ 
tress of Yelona, mounting 14 
long 18- and 24-pounders; and 
upon an eminence commanding 
the anchorage was another strong 
fort. At lh. p.m., the Belle Poule 
opened upon the Var a well- 
directed fire. Finding that the 
forts made no effort to protect 
her, the French ship, after the 
discharge of a few ineffective 
shot, hauled down her colours; 
but, before she could be taken 
possession of, the greater part of 
the crew had escaped to the 
shore. 


February 16. 

1782. Capture of French 
Convoy. — The squadron, under 
Yice-Adm. Sir Edward Hughes, 
being in want of stores and pro¬ 
visions, sailed from Trincomalee 
on 31st January, 1782, and ar¬ 
rived at Madras roads on 8th 
February. Learning on the same 
day that a French squadron, con¬ 
sisting of thirty vessels, were at 
anchor about twenty leagues to 
the northward of that port, and 


being reinforced by three ships 
on the 9th, every possible expe¬ 
dition was used to get on board 
the stores and provisions ; but, 
before it was completed, the ene¬ 
my’s squadron made its appear¬ 
ance on the 15th, and came to 
an anchor about four miles with¬ 
out the road. Preparation of 
defence was made to resist an 
attack; but about four in the af¬ 
ternoon Commodore De Suftrein 
suddenly weighed, and stood to 
the southward. Having embarked 
three hundred men of the 98th 
regiment, which were distributed 
on board the ships worse manned, 
the British pursued the enemy 
under easy sail. At daybreak 
on the 16th, the French ships of 
the line and a frigate were seen 
about four leagues to the east¬ 
ward of the British squadron, 
whilst the rest of the frigates, with 
the transports, were about three 
leagues to the SW„, steering for 
Pondicherry. Sir Edward having 
made the signal for a general 
chase in that quarter, in order if 
possible to cut off their transports, 
the copper-bottomed ships came 
up with, and captured six sail of 
the convoy, five of which were 
English ships taken by the enemy 
when to the northward of Madras. 
The sixth was the Lauriston, taken 
by the Iris, deeply laden with 
military stores, and had on board 
300 troops. 

1783, Capture of Concorde. 
— The French 36-gun frigate 
Concorde, after a long chase and 
gallant resistance, was captured 
near Antigua by the Magnificent, 
74, Capt. Robert Linzee. 

1798. Scipion, 20, French pri¬ 
vateer, captured by boats of Al¬ 
fred, 74, Capt. Totty, from under 
the batteries of Basseterre, Gua- 
daloupe. 


E e 3 














422 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 17> 


February 17. 

1782. Vice-Admiral Sir Ed¬ 
ward Hughes, K. B., with his 
squadron, arrived in Madras roads 
on the 8th February, and, learn¬ 
ing the arrival of a French fleet 
on the coast, put to sea on the 
16th in pursuit of the enemy, 
with the following ships: — Su¬ 
perb, 74, Vice-Admiral (b) Sir 
Edward Hughes; Exeter, 64, 
Commodore Richard King; Hero, 
74, Monarch, 68, Eagle, 64, 
Monmouth, 64, Worcester, 64, 
Burford, 64, Isis, 50, Seahorse, 
24. Commodore Suffrein, em¬ 
boldened by the supposed infe¬ 
riority of the British squadron, 
appeared off Madras roads with 
the design of attacking it, but, on 
perceiving nine two-decked ships 
instead of six, as he expected, he 
made dispositions for his own de¬ 
fence. On the appearance of the 
French squadron in the offing, the 
British got underway in pursuit, 
and in the night recaptured 
several vessels. Continuing to 
stand to the south-east, the two 
squadrons at daybreak on the 
17th came in sight of each other. 
The enemy was soon observed 
coming down before the wind to 
the attack, consisting of the fol¬ 
lowing : — Heros, 74 ; Annibal, 
74, Orient, 74, Artisien, 74, 
Severe, 64, Vengeur, 64, Bril- 
| liant, 64, Sphinx, 64, Ajax, 64, 
Flammand, 50, Hannibal, 50, 
(late British), with 4 frigates and 
a corvette. At 4h. r. m., the 
British formed in line on the lar¬ 
board tack; their centre and rear 
was attacked by the French in 
double line abreast. The stern- 
most ship, the Exeter, suffered 
severely, having four ships upon 
her at one time; and with those 
between her and Superb bore the 
brunt of the action. The wind 
was so light that the van, in 


which were the heaviest British 
ships, could not tack to their 
support. The action had con¬ 
tinued two hours with undi¬ 
minished vigour, when, at about 
6h. p. m., a squall came on from 
the south-east, which took the 
British ships aback; and as they 
paid off to the north-east, they 
steered in the direction to assist 
the ships in the centre. Upon 
this, the French discontinued the 
action, and hauled to the north¬ 
ward, leaving the majority of 
their opponents in no condition 
for pursuit. The total loss of the 
British was 32 killed and 83 
wounded. 

1797. Reduction op Trinidad. 
—A squadron off our sail of the 
line under Rear-Adm. Henry Har¬ 
vey, with several transports con¬ 
veying troops, having anchored 
within range of the batteries of 
the island of Trinidad, at 2h. 
a. m. on the 17th flames were ob¬ 
served bursting from one of the 
Spanish ships in Shaggaramus bay. 
In a short time three others were 
on fire ; and the San Damaso, 74, 
was brought off by the boats of the 
squadron. The ships destroyed 
were the San Vincente, 80, Gal¬ 
lardo and Arrogante, 74, and 
Cecilia, 36. On the 18th the 
island capitulated. 

1810 . Reduction of Am- 
boyna.— This colony capitulated 
to a squadron consisting of 
Dover, 38, Capt. Edward Tucker, 
Cornwallis, 44, and Samarang, 18 , 
in which was embarked a detach¬ 
ment of the Madras European 
regiment. The conquest was 
accomplished with no greater loss 
than 5 men killed and 8 wounded. 
An armed brig and two cutters 
fell into the hands of the captors. 
This success led to the reduction 
of the Spice Islands dependent on 
Amboyna, and also of Manado 
and its dependencies. 














NAVY. 


February 18. 


February 18. 

1653. Dutch Fleet attack¬ 
ed off Portland. — In the 
morning, the Dutch fleet, com¬ 
manded by Van Tromp, consist¬ 
ing of 73 ships of war, having 
under their convoy 300 merchant 
ships, returning from the Isle of 
Rhe, were fallen in with by the 
English fleet of 70 sail, under 
Adms. Blake, Deane, and Monk, 
off Portland. They were divided 
into three squadrons under the 
respective commands of Tromp, 
De Ruyter, and Evertzeen. On 
discovering the English, Tromp 
ordered the convoy to haul their 
wind, while he, with his fleet in 
line abreast, bore down upon the 
English. Vice-Adm Penn, and 
Rear Adm. Lawson, with about 20 
ships, being many miles to wind¬ 
ward, wei’e the first to engage, 
and a hard-fought battle ensued. 
The Prosperous, Assistance, and 
Oak, were boarded by the Dutch, 
and carried, but eventually reco¬ 
vered, and the English, until re¬ 
inforced, were nearly annihilated 
by the overpowering force op¬ 
posed to them. The Dutch then 
hauled up and endeavoured to 
make off, but they were pursued 
and engaged until dark. During 
the night the English made every 
preparation for a renewal of the 
fight, and for this purpose several 
ships that had suffered most in 
the action were destroyed, and 
their crews distributed where re¬ 
quired. 

1800. Capture of Genereux. 
—At daylight on 18th February, 
the Alexander, 74, Lieut. Wm. 
Harrington (acting^), fell in with 
and chased a French squadron 
under Rear-Adm. Perree, consist¬ 
ing of the Genereux, 74, Badine, 
28, two corvettes, and several - 
transports, with 3000 troops, in- 


423 


tended for the relief of the garri¬ 
son of Malta. The Genereux 
having bore up, the Success fri¬ 
gate, Capt. Peard, gallantly lay 
across the bows of the French 74, 
and raked her with several broad¬ 
sides. Presently afterwards, how¬ 
ever, the Success became ex¬ 
posed to a fire from the Gene¬ 
reux, by which one man was 
killed, her master and eight men 
wounded. At 4h. 30m. p. m., 
the Foudroyant, 80, closely fol¬ 
lowed by the Northumberland, 
74, having arrived within gun¬ 
shot, the Genereux discharged 
her broadside, and struck her co¬ 
lours. Just before the French 
ship surrendered, Rear-Adm. 
Perree was killed by a cannon- 
shot. 

February 19. 

1653. The English fleet under 
Admiral Blake, which had en¬ 
gaged the Dutch, commanded by 
Van Tromp, on the preceding 
day, was on the morning of the 
19th February off the Isle of 
Wight, in pursuit of the enemy. 
At 2h. p. m., the fleets were again 
furiously engaged, and in course 
of the day five Dutch ships of 
war were captured and destroyed. 
The chase continued all night, 
and at 9h. a. m. on the 20th the 
engagement was renewed. 

1801. Phcebe and Africaine. 
— At 4h. p. m„ the 18-pounder 
36-gun frigate Phoebe, mounting 
44 guns, Capt. Robert Barlow, 
when about two leagues to the 
eastward of Gibraltar, discovered 
under the African shore the 
French 40-gun frigate Africaine 
(mounting 44 guns), Capt. Saul- 
nier, steering to the eastward 
under a press of sail. The Phcebe, 
by her superiority in sailing, at 
7h. 30m. arrived upon the enemy’s 
larboard quarter, who, shortening 
sail, brought her broadside to 


e e 4 







424 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 20. 


bear upon her opponent. The 
Phoebe having closed, the two 
ships, with their heads to the 
northward, continued the engage¬ 
ment within pistol-shot distance 
until 9h. 30m. p. M., when the 
; Africaine being nearly unrigged, 
having five feet water in the hold, 

| and many of her guns dismounted, 

I struck her colours. Out of a 
complement of 239, the Phoebe 
had only one man killed ; her 
first-lieutenant (John Wentworth 
Holland), master (Thomas Grif¬ 
fiths), and ten seamen wounded. 
The loss on board the Africaine 
was terrific: out of 715 persons 
(400 of whom were troops), her 
captain, a brigadier-general, three 
surgeons, ten officers, and 185 
seamen and soldiers were killed ; 
Gen. Desforneaux, two generals 
of brigade, 14 officers, and 125 
seamen and soldiers wounded ; 
total 200 killed, and 143 wounded. 
Capt. Barlow received the honour 
of knighthood, and Lieut. Holland 
was promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander. The prize was added to 
the British navy, under the name 
of Amelia.— M* toil. 

1807. A squadron commanded 
by Vice-Adm. Sir J. T. Duck¬ 
worth forced the passage of the 
Dardanelles, exposed to a heavy 
fire from the forts on each side. 
At 8 a. m., the leading ship, the 
Canopus, 80, Rear-Adm. (w.) Sir 
Thomas Louis, arrived abreast of 
the outer castles, and at 9h. 30m. 
passed the inner pair, successively 
followed by Repulse, 74 ; Royal 
George, 100, Vice-Admiral (w.) 
Sir J. T. Duckworth, Iv. B ; 
Windsor Castle, 98 ; Stan¬ 
dard, 64, having in tow bomb 
Meteor ; Pomp£e, 80, Rear-Ad¬ 
miral Sir Sidney Smith ; Thun¬ 
derer, 74, having in tow bomb 
Lucifer ; Endymion, 40 ; Active, 
38. The only return made to the 
heavy cannonade of the batteries 


was by the mortar-vessels throw¬ 
ing a few shells into the forts. 
The loss sustained by the squa¬ 
dron amounted to 6 men killed 
and 51 wounded. A Turkish 
squadron, consisting of a 64-gun 
ship, four frigates, four corvettes, 
and four smaller vessels, anchored 
near Pointe Pesquies, having 
opened upon the British, Sir 
Sidney Smith was ordered to 
attack them with the Pompee, 
Thunderer, Standard, Endymion, 
and Active, whilst the vice-ad¬ 
miral, with the remaining ships, 
stood on for the anchorage, about 
three miles distant. The Turkish 
ships, as well as a redoubt on 
Point Pesquies, were destroyed, 
the British sustaining a further 
loss of 4 killed and 26 wounded. 

February 20. 

1653. Defeat of Dutch 
Eleet. — The English fleet un¬ 
der Blake, which had engaged 
the Dutch commanded by Van 
Tromp on the 18th and 19th 
February, continued the pur¬ 
suit during the night, and at 9h. 
a. m. on the 20th, five of the 
fastest sailing ships of the line 
attacked the enemy’s rear. The 
Dutch, finding themselves hard 
pressed, ordered the merchant 
ships to drop astern, thinking by 
this means to induce the English 
to forego further pursuit; but the 
action continued until evening;. 
By this time, the fleets were only 
four leagues distant from Calais. 
The Dutch stood in for that 
anchorage; whilst the English 
came to an anchor off Blanc 
Nez. During the night, it 
coming on to blow, the Dutch, 
availing themselves of the dark¬ 
ness, put to sea with the flood tide, 
aud thereby effected their escape; 
so that at daylight on the 21st, 
not a ship was to be seen. In 
















February 21. NAVY. 425 


this determined encounter both 
fleets suffered severely. The loss 
on the part of the English was 
one ship sunk by the enemy, be¬ 
sides those destroyed after the 
battle of the 18th ; but, with re¬ 
ference to the men, although the 
number killed and wounded is 
acknowledged to have been great, 
we are at a loss to find any stated 
number. Among the killed were 
Capts. Bell, Mildmay, and Barker, 
and Mr. Sparrow the secretary. 
The loss of the Dutch, in the 
three days’ actions, ivas eleven 
ships of war and sixty merchant 
vessels : 1500 men were killed and 
wounded, and 700 made prisoners. 

February 21. 

1759. Vestal and Bellone. 

— The 32-gun frigate Vestal, 
Capt. Samuel Hood, being some 
distance ahead of the squadron 
of Rear-Adm. Holmes, bound 
to North America, descried a 
strange sail, which she was or¬ 
dered to chase, supported by the 
Trent, 28, Capt. John Lindsay. 
At 2 p.m. the Vestal arrived 
■within gun-shot ; a running fight 
ensued, which continued four 
hours, when the enemy hauled 
down her colours. She proved 
to be the French 32-gun frigate 
Bellone, Captain the Comte de 
Beauharnois, with a crew of 220 
men, forty of whom were killed, 
and a great number wounded. 
The Vestal had 5 men killed and 
22 wounded. Her masts and 
rigging were much cut up, and 
her topmasts fell over the side 
shortly after the action. The 
Trent was four miles astern when 
the action ceased. The Bellone 
was commissioned under the name 
of Repulse. 

1810. Capture op Necessite. 

— The 38-gun frigate Horatio, 
Capt. George Scott, in lat. 33° 


10' N., long. 29° 30' W., fell in 
with, and, after a long chase and 
a running fight of one hour, cap¬ 
tured the French frigate-built 
store-ship Necessite, mounting 26 
guns, with a crew of 186 men. 

February 22. 

1799. Espoir and Africa.— 
The 14-gun brig Espoir (6- 
pounders), and 80 men, Captain 
James Sanders, when off the town 
of Morbella, near Malaga, at 
noon, chased two brigs and two 
xebecs, who formed in line to 
receive her. The Espoir ex¬ 
changed broadsides in passing on 
opposite tacks, then put about 
and brought to close action the 
lecwardmost vessel, which was 
the Spanish xebec Africa, mount¬ 
ing 14 long Spanish 4-pounders 
and four brass swivels, with a 
crew of 75 seamen and 38 soldiers. 
The action had continued an 
hour and a half, when a favourable 
opportunity presenting itself, the 
Africa was boarded, and, after a 
sharp struggle of 20 minutes, 
was carried by the British crew. 
The Espoir’s loss amounted to 
two men killed and two wound¬ 
ed ; that of the enemy nine killed, 
her commander and 27 wounded. 

1812. Victorious and Rivoli. 
-—On the 21st February, the 74- 
gun ship Victorious, mounting 
82 guns, Capt. John Talbot, and 
18-gun brig Weazel, Capt. John 
Williams Andrew, cruising off 
Venice, at 3h. p.m. discovered 
and chased the French 74-gun 
ship Rivoli, mounting 80 guns, 
Capt. J. B. Barre ; 16-gun brigs 
Jena and Mercure, and Mame- 
louck of 8 guns, with two gun¬ 
boats. The whole had sailed that 
morning from Venice, bound to 
the port of Pola, in Istria. At 
4h. 15m. a.m. on the 22nd, the 
Weazel overtook the Mercure, 








426 CALENDAR 


and, after engaging within pistol- 
shot for half an hour, the French 
brig blew itp. At 4h. 30m. a.m., 
the Victorious having arrived 
within pistol-shot of the larboard 
quarter of the Rivoli, a furious 
combat commenced, the two 
ships standing towards the gulf 
of Trieste, w-ith royals set, and 
courses brailed up. In the early 
part of the action Captain Talbot 
received a severe contusion from 
a splinter, which nearly deprived 
him of his sight, and the com¬ 
mand devolved upon Lieutenant 
Thomas Ladd Peake. After the 
action had continued three hours, 
and the Rivoli had become un¬ 
manageable, Lieut. Ladd recalled 
the Weazcl, which at 8h. a. m. 
stood across the bows of the Ri¬ 
voli, and raked her twice. Mean¬ 
while the Victorious maintained 
a steady cannonade, and at 8h. 
5m. shot away the mizen-mast of 
the French ship. In another 
quarter of an hour the Rivoli fired 
a lee gun, and hailed the Vic¬ 
torious that she had struck. Her 
loss amounted to 400 killed and 
wounded, out of a crew of 810 
men. The Victorious had 27 
killed, her captain and 98 wound¬ 
ed.—jiHctfal. 

February 23. 

1674. Tiger and Schaerles. 
—The Dutch ship Schaerles, Capt. 
Paschal de Witte, of thirty-six 
guns and 140 men, fell in with 
the Tiger, Capt. Harman, a small 
English frigate, and came with 
her to Cadiz. The Spaniards, 
jesting with De Witte, told him 
that he durst not fight the En¬ 
glish captain. Admiral Evert 
hearing of this, told De Witte, 
that he must, for the honour of his 
nation, challenge Capt. Harman. 
He-did so, and his admiral lent 
him sixty mariners and seventy 


OF VICTORY. February 23. 


soldiers. Capt. Harman, who 
had but 184 men, having stood 
out to sea, engaged the Dutch fri¬ 
gate in sight of the town; and, 
commencing the action when 
within pistol-shot, brought down 
the Dutchman’s mainmast. Fol¬ 
lowing up this advantage, Har¬ 
man boarded and carried the 
Schaerles, which was in a dis¬ 
abled state, and had no less than 
one hundred and forty men killed 
and wounded. The Tiger had 
nine killed and fifteen wounded; 
and among the latter Captain 
Harman, by a musket-shot, which 
entered his left eye, and came out 
between the ear and the jawbone, 
but from which he perfectly re¬ 
covered. 

1805. Leander and Ville 
de Milan. — The French 40-gun 
ship Ville de Milan captured the 
British 32-gun frigate Cleopatra, 
Capt. Sir Robert Laurie, Bart., 
on 16th February, which having- 
lost her main and mizen masts 
during the night after the action, 
was consequently jury rigged. 
Continuing her course homeward, 
accompanied by her prize, on 23rd 
February they were descried by 
the 50-gun ship Leander, Capt. 
John Talbot. The Leander having 
made all sail in pursuit, the Ville 
de Milan and the Cleopatra closed 
for mutual support, and firing a 
gun to leeward, each displayed a 
French ensign at the mainstay. 
At 4h. p. m., the Leander arriving 
within gun-shot, the enemy se¬ 
parated, the Cleopatra putting 
before the wind, and the Ville de 
Milan steering free, with the wind 
on the larboard quarter. At 4h. 
30m. p. jl, the Leander being 
within musket-shot of the Cleo¬ 
patra, the captured ship hauled 
down the French colours and 
hove ^ to. Those of the Cleo¬ 
patra’s original crew remaining 
on board, now came upon deck, 





















NAVY 


February 24. 


427 


and took possession of their re¬ 
covered ship. Directing her to 
follow, the Leander immediately 
made sail after the Ville de 
Milan, and in about an hour, 
having arrived alongside, the 
French frigate, without waiting 
for the discharge of a shot, sur¬ 
rendered. 

February 24. 

1744. The Solebay, 20, Capt. 
Bury captured the Spanish regis¬ 
ter-ship Concordia, from Vera 
Cruz, bound to Cadiz, after an 
action of nearly four hours. She 
had 26 guns mounted, with a 
crew of 140 men, seven of whom 
were killed and 20 wounded. 
The loss of the Solebay was no 
more than 7 men wounded. The 
prize had on board, in addition to 
a valuable cargo of merchandise, 
190,000 dollars. 

1809. Destruction of three 
Frigates. — The three French 
40-gun frigates, Italienne, Ca¬ 
lypso, and Cybele, which had 
sailed from L’Orient, steering for 
Rochfort, at daylight were dis¬ 
covered by the squadron under 
Rear-Adm. Stopford, cruising oif 
the Tour de Baleine. Being thus 
completely cut off, the enemy 
steered for Sables d’Olonne, 
closely followed by the 38-gun 
frigate Amelia. At about lOh. 
a.m. the French frigates came to 
an anchor in line of battle under 
the powerful batteries of the town. 
The British ships soon afterwards 
stood in towards the enemy in 
the following order : — Defiance, 
74, Capt. Henry Hotham; Ckesar, 
80, Rear-Adm. R. Stopford, Capt. 
Charles Richardson; Donegal, 74, 
Capt. Peter Heywood; and Ame¬ 
lia, 38, Capt. F. P. Irby. At 
llh. a.m., the Defiance, drawing 
less water than the other ships, 
anchored in seven fathoms, with¬ 


in about 600 yards of the enemy’s 
frigates, and opened her fire, 
which was returned by the ships 
as well as the batteries. In ano¬ 
ther quarter of an hour the Caesar 
and Donegal opened their broad¬ 
sides, the Aanelia soon afterwards 
taking part in the cannonade. 
At llh. 50m. the Cybele and 
Italienne cut their cables, and ran 
onshore. Just as the Caesar was 
compelled to haul off to get into 
deeper water, the Calypso cut her 
cable, and drove on shore stern 
foremost. The ebb-tide making, 
the ships by signal stood out, and 
shortly afterwards the Defiance 
cut her cable, and made sail to¬ 
wards the Caesar. The Donegal 
had one man killed and six 
wounded. The Defiance, who 
bore the brunt of the action, had 
two killed, and 25 wounded. The 
French frigates having taken the 
ground at high water, became en¬ 
tire wrecks. Total loss of the 
enemy, 24 killed, 51 wounded. 

1809. Reduction of Mar¬ 
tinique. — A squadron, consist¬ 
ing of Neptune, 98, Pompee, 74; 
l r ork, 74, Intrepid, 64, with nume¬ 
rous frigates and smaller vessels, 
under Rear-Adm. Sir Alexander 
Cochrane, with a fleet of trans¬ 
ports, conveying 10,000 troops, 
under Lieut.-Gen. Beckwith, ar¬ 
rived off the island of Martinique 
on the 30th January. The army 
landed on the 3rd of February, 
and, after a series of operations, 
as detailed in our Military Calen¬ 
dar, the colony surrendered on 
the 24th to the arms of Great 
Britain.— iHctfal. 

February 25. 

1781. Cerberus and Grana. 
— The 32-gun frigate Cerberus, 
Capt. Robert Mann, when off 
Cape Finisterre, gave chase to the 
Spanish 2 8-gun frigate Grana, and 









r- 

428 CALENDAR OE VICTORY. February 26. 


after a pursuit of two hours, and 
an action of 20 minutes, com¬ 
pelled her to surrender, having 
six men killed, and 17 wounded, 
out of a complement of 166. 

1798. Early in the morning, 
the hired 4-pounder 12-gun cut¬ 
ter Cobourg, Lieut. Charles Webb, 
off Cromer, gave chase to the 
Erench 16-gun lugger privateer 
Revanche. At 7h. a.m. she closed 
with the enemy, and after a close 
action of two hours, the main and 
mizen masts of the lugger having 
been shot away, the crew called 
for quarter; but she was so much 
shattered, that she sank soon after 
her surrender. The Cobourg, out 
of a crew of 66, had only two 
men wounded. The privateer, 
whose crew consisted of 62 men, 
had seven killed and eight 
wounded. 

1814. Eurotas and Clorinde. 
—In the forenoon, the 24-pound¬ 
er 38-gun frigate Eurotas, 
mounting 46 guns, Capt. John 
Phillimore, in the Bay, gave chase 
to the Erench 18-pounder 40-gun 
frigate Clorinde, mounting 46 
guns, Capt. Denis Lagarde. At 
5b. p.m., the Eurotas, after pour¬ 
ing in her starboard broadside, 
luffed up on the enemy’s quarter, 
and, in the course of 20 minutes, 
her mizen-mast fell by the board; 

i 7 

and nearly at the same time the 
Clorinde had her fore-topmast 
shot away. The French frigate 
now attempted to cross the bows 
of the Eurotas, which the lat¬ 
ter evading, passed under her 
opponent’s stern; and the two 
frigates, again alongside each 
other, renewed the action with 
vigour. At 6h. 20m. p.m., the 
Eurotas had her mainmast shot 
away, which fell over the star¬ 
board quarter, and almost at the 
same instant the mizen-mast of 
the Clorinde came down. At 
6h. 50m. the foremast of the j 


Eurotas fell over the starboard 
bow, and a few minutes afterwards 
the mainmast of the Clorinde 
shared the same fate. The Eurotas 
being now quite unmanageable, 
the Clorinde, at 7h. 10m. p.m., set¬ 
ting her foresail and fore-staysail, 
stood to the south-east, out of gun¬ 
shot. Capt. Phillimore, who in the 
early part of the action was wound¬ 
ed in the shoulder by a grape- 
shot, now consented to go below, 
and the command devolved upon 
Lieut. Robert Smith, who imme¬ 
diately made preparations for 
getting up jury-masts. On the 
26th, at daylight, when the two 
ships were eight miles apart, the 
Eurotas, und^r jury-courses, top¬ 
sails, staysails, and spanker set, 
was going six and a half knots 
through the water in pursuit of 
her antagonist, the 36 -gun frigate 
Dryad, Capt. Edward Galway, 
and 18-gun brig Achates, joined 
in the chase; and at lh. 35m. p.m. 
the Clorinde surrendered, and was 
taken possession of by the Dryad. 
Out of 329 men, the Eurotas had 
21 killed ; Capt. Phillimore se¬ 
verely, and 38 Avounded. The 
Clorinde, out of a complement of 
344, had 30 men killed and 40 
wounded. —iHctaL 

February 26. 

1813. Reduction of Ponza. 
— In the morning, the 32-gun 
frigate Thames, Captain Charles 
Napier, and 36-gun frigate Fu- 
rieuse. Capt. William Mounsey, 
having on board the second bat¬ 
talion of the 10th regiment of 
foot, under Lieut.-Col. Coffin, en¬ 
tered the narrow channel leading 
to the harbour of the island of 
Ponza, on the coast of Naples. 
After exchanging a few broad¬ 
sides with the batteries, the fri¬ 
gate anchored close to the mole- 
head. Col. Coffin and the troops 













NAVY. 


February 27. 


429 


were then landed, and pushed 
for a tower into which the enemy 
had retreated. The appearance 
of this force, added to the severe 
tire of the ships, induced the go¬ 
vernor to hoist a flag of truce. 
This led to a capitulation, and 
on the same day the island sur¬ 
rendered to the arms of His Bri¬ 
tannic Majesty. Nor did the 
British lose a single man in either 
service, although the batteries 
mounted ten 24- and 18-pounders, 
and two 9-inch mortars, by the 
fire of which the Thames was 
hulled three times and the Fu- 
rieuse twice, besides having their 
sails and rigging much disabled. 

1841. Attack of Batteries 
at Anunghoy. —At 11 a. m., the 
breeze springing up, the 74-gun 
ships Blenheim and Melville, two 
war steamers, and four rocket- 
boats commenced attacking 
Anunghoy, whilst the 74-gun 
ship Wellesley, frigates Druid, 
Calliope, Samarang, Herald, Alli¬ 
gator, and Modeste were opposed 
to the batteries on the south, south¬ 
west, and north-west of Wan- 
tong, and the forts on the west¬ 
ern side of the channel. In less 
than an hour these batteries were 
silenced, and the troops under 
Major Pratt, of 26th regiment, 
having landed from Madagascar 
and Nemesis steamers, soon be¬ 
came masters of the island, with¬ 
out sustaining any loss ; and 1300 
Chinese troops surrendered. The 
Anunghoy batteries having been 
silenced by the Blenheim, Mel¬ 
ville, and Queen, Captain Sir F. 
Senhouse landed on the southern 
battery at the head of the marines 
under Capts. Gillespie and Whit¬ 
comb, with a party of seamen; 
and having driven the Chinese 
in all directions, before 1 p. m. 
the British colours were flying 
on the whole chain of these ce¬ 
lebrated works. The loss sus¬ 


tained by the Chinese amounted 
to 250 killed and wounded at 
Wantong, and about the same 
number in Anunghoy, at which 
place Adm. Ivwan and several 
other mandarins of rank fell. 

February 27. 

1806. Capture of Furet. — 
On the 26th February, Captain 
La Marre Meillerie put to sea 
from Cadiz with 40-gun frigates 
Hortense, Hermione, Bliin, and 
Themis, and brig-corvette Furet, 
having a number of troops on 
board. At 9h. 15m. p. M., the 
Hydra, 38, and Moselle, 18, then 
about three miles west of Cadiz 
lighthouse, discovered and chased 
the French squadron, which, with 
a wind so strong and favourable, 
had already got outside of them. 
At 11 p.m. the Moselle was de¬ 
tached to the fleet, whilst the 
Hydra continued the pursuit. On 
the 27th, at 2h. 30m. a. m., in 
consequence of the French com¬ 
modore having altered his course, 
the Hydra had considerably ap¬ 
proached the squadron. The 
brig, being somewhat astern, be¬ 
came the object of attack, and, 
after two hours’ further chase, the 
Furet, mounting 18 long 8- 
pounders, with a crew of 130 
men, surrendered, whilst the 
French commodore continued his 
route to the westward. 

1841. Expedition to China. 
—In the morning, the light squa¬ 
dron named in the preceding 
column proceeded up the river 
Tigris under the command of 
Capt. Herbert, who on his arrival 
off the first bar found the enemy 
strongly fortified on the left bank 
of the river, close to Whampoa 
reach, with upwards of forty 
war-junks, and the Cambridge, 
a captured Indiaman, mounting 
34 guns. On the approach of 










430 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. February 29. 


the Madagascar and Nemesis 
steamers, tne Chinese opened a 
heavy fire ; but the other ships 
arriving up, soon silenced the 
enemy’s vessels and batteries. 
The marines and small-arm men 
then landed and stormed the 
works, driving before them up¬ 
wards of 2000 Chinese troops, 
and killing nearly 300. All the 
defences were carried, and the 
Cambridge blown up. Only one 
man was killed on the part of the 
British, and 8 wounded. 

February 28. 

1758. Capture of Orphee.— 
At daybreak the fleet, under 
Adin. H. Osborne, was off Cape 
De Gatt, when four large sail 
were discovered to leeward. Se¬ 
veral ships were detached in pur¬ 
suit of the strangers, who sepa¬ 
rated in different courses. At 
about 7h. p.m. the Revenge, 64, 
Capt. John Storr, brought the 
Orphee, 64, Capt. D’Herville, to 
close action, which was warmly 
maintained on both sides until 
7h. 45in., when the Berwick, 64, 
Capt. Robert Hughes, arrived up, 
and having fired a broadside, the 
Orphee surrendered Out of a 
crew of 502 men, her loss amount¬ 
ed to 21 men killed, and 89 
wounded. The Revenge had 32 
killed, and Capt. Storr and 53 
wounded. 

1760. Capture of French 
Squadron. — At 4h. a.m., a Bri¬ 
tish squadron, consisting of the 
32-gun frigate iEolus, Capt. John 
Elliott, and 36-gun frigates Pal¬ 
las and Brilliant, Capts. Michael 
Clements and James Loggie, 
on the coast of Ireland, fell in 
with a French squadron of five 
frigates under Capt. Thurot, which 
escaped from Dunkirk on 17th 
October, 1759, conveying 1500 
troops, consisting of the Mar¬ 


shal Belleisle, 44, 545 men (in¬ 
cluding troops), Blonde 32, 400 
men, and 26-gun ship Terpsi¬ 
chore, 300 men. After a variety 
of adventures, among the most 
important of which was the taking 
of Carrickfergus, the French 
squadron, reduced to three fri¬ 
gates, was returning to France; 
but information having reached 
Capt. Elliott at Ivinsale, that offi¬ 
cer at once proceeded in search 
of the French commodore. The 
chase continued from 4h. a.m. 
until 9h. a.m., when the _ZEolus , 
brought the 44 to close action, 
and, being well supported by her 
consorts, the French ships had 
all surrendered by lOh. 30m. 
a.m. Capt. Thurot died nobly 
in defending his ship, nor were 
her colours struck until she was 
reduced to a sinking state, and 
her decks covered with the slain. 
This ship also had her bowsprit, 
mizen-mast, and main-yard, shot 
away. The iEolus had four 
killed and fifteen wounded; Pal¬ 
las one killed,and five wounded; 
and the Brilliant eleven wounded. 

February 29. 

1758. Monmouth and Foud- 
rotant. — The 74-gun ships 
Swiftsure, Capt. Thos. Stanhope, 

64-gun ships Monmouth and 
Hampton Court, Capts. Arthur 
Gardiner and Hon. J. A. Hervey, 
detached from the fleet of Adm. 
Osborne, off Cape De Gatt, went 
in pursuit of the Foudroyant, of 
84 guns. At 8h. p.m., the Mon¬ 
mouth having run her consorts 
out of sight, closed with the 
enemy’s ship, and a furious action 
commenced. Capt. Gardiner was 
one of the first wounded, but he 
refused to quit the deck, and re¬ 
mained encouraging his men to 
fight the ship. Having succeeded 
in knocking away some of the 







NAVY. 


March 1 . 


Foudroyant’s spars, the Mon- 
mouth placed herself close on 
her opponent’s quarter, and for 
four hours maintained the unequal 
contest. At 9h. p.m., Captain 
Gardiner was mortally wounded 
by a musket-ball in the forehead, 
and the command devolved upon 
Lieut. Robert Carket. At 9h. 
p.m. the Monmouth’s mizen-mast 
was shot away, which was soon 
followed by the mizen-mast of the 
Foudroyant; and shortly after¬ 
wards the French ship’s main¬ 
mast shared the same fate. The 
action was nevertheless continued 
until 12h. 30m. a.m., by which 
time the Foudroyant’s fire had 
nearly ceased. The Swiftsure 
now arriving up, Capt. Stanhope 
hailed the French ship to know 
if she had struck; being an¬ 
swered by a volley of musketry, 
and a few' guns, the Swiftsure 
opened her fire, and after the 
second broadside the Foudroyant 
surrendered. Pier loss amounted 
to 190 killed and wounded. The 
Monmouth lost her captain and 
27 men killed, and 79 wounded. 
The Foudroyant mounted 42- 
pounders on the lower, and 24s 
on the main deck, whilst the 
Monmouth had only 12s on the 
main, and 24s on the lower bat¬ 
tery; so that the comparative 
weight of metal stood thus, — 
Monmouth, 540 lbs., Foudroyant, 
1136 lbs. Lieut. Carket obtained 
the promotion he had so w r ell 
merited, and w'as appointed to the 
ship he had so gloriously won. 

March 1. 

1797. The 32-gun frigate 
Terpsichore, Captain Richard 
Bowen, off Cadiz, fell in with the 
Spanish 120-gun ship Santissima 
Trinidada, in a dismasted state. 
At 10b. a.m., she brought the; 
three-decker to action, and con- | 


431 


tinued the engagement until mid¬ 
night, when the frigate hauled 
off to repair damages. 

1799. Sybille and Forte.— 
The 18-pounder 38-gun frigate 
Sybille, mounting 48-guns, Capt. 
Edward Cooke, which sailed 
from Madras, being off' the South 
Sand Heads, on 28th February, 
at 8h. 30m. p. m., discovered 
three sail. These were the 24- 
pounder French 44-gun frigate 
Forte, Capt. B. Le Long, mount¬ 
ing 48-guns, and two Indiamen 
which she had captured. At lOh. 
the Sybille having neared the 
strangers, tacked, and, shortening 
sails to her topsails, jib, and 
spanker, steered for the centre 
ship. At about midnight the 
Forte crossed the Sybille’s bows, 
and discharged her broadside. 
The latter, reserving her fire, tack¬ 
ed when the Forte was abaft her 
beam, and when she arrived on 
her opponent’s weather and lar¬ 
board quarter,bore up, passed close 
under her stern; then, hauling up 
under her lee, engaged her with¬ 
in pistol-shot distance. At lh. 
30m. on 1st March, Capt. Cooke 
was mortally w'ounded, and the 
command devolved upon Lieut. 
Lucius Hardyman. The action 
continued unabated until 2h., 
when the firing having ceased on 
board the Forte, she was hailed 
to know if she had surrendered. 
No reply being made, the Sybille 
renewed her fire. After a second 
cessation, and obtaining no an¬ 
swer to the hail another broad¬ 
side was thrown in. This brought 
down the enemy’s foremast, 
quickly followed by her main 
and mizen masts and bowsprit; 
and at 2h. 28m. p.m. the Sybille 
ceased firing. Out of a comple¬ 
ment, including troops, of 371 
men and boys, the British loss 
amounted to 5 killed, Captain 
| Cooke (mortally) and 16 men 






432 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 3. 


wounded. Out of a crew of 370, 
the Forte had 65 men killed, in¬ 
cluding her captain and first 
lieutenant, and 80 wounded. The 
prize was commissioned by Lieut. 
Hardyman ; but unfortunately, 
she was subsequently wrecked 
near the entrance of the Red Sea, 
—iHctral. 

1807. The boats of the 50-gun 
ship Glatton, Capt. Thomas Se- 
combe, under the orders of Lieut. 
Edward Watson, covei'ed by the 
Ilirondelle brig, Lieut. George 
A. E. Skinner, proceeded to cut 
out a Turkish ship in the port of 
Sigri. This service was gallantly 
accomplished, with severe loss. 
Lieut. Watson and 4 men were 
killed, and 9 wounded. The cap¬ 
tured vessel had formerly been a 
French corvette of 18 guns, but 
10 were at this time mounted. 

March 2. 

1709. Du Guai Trouin de¬ 
feated. — The 70-gun ship As¬ 
surance, Capt. Anthony Toilet ; 
Hampshire, 60, Capt. the Hon. 
H. Maynard ; and Assistance, 50, 
Capt. Abraham Tudor, being off 
the Lizard, with a convoy of 
traders from Cork bound to Eng¬ 
land, discovered four ships stand¬ 
ing towards them. At 8h. a.m.,, 
the strangers bearing down, the 
convoy was ordered to disperse, 
and Capt. Toilet formed his 
three ships in line to receive the 
enemy. Arriving within mus¬ 
ket-shot, Commodore Du Guai 
Trouin, in the Achille, 70, ranged 
up so close alongside the Assur¬ 
ance that she fell on board, and 
a furious cannonade was main¬ 
tained on both sides for 30 mi¬ 
nutes. The two ships separated ; 
but in a short time again closed, 
and renewed the contest, until 
the Achille made sail after the 
merchantmen. The three other 


French ships, mounting from 40 
to 50 guns each, then ranged up 
alongside the Assurance, but she 
soon compelled them to haul off. 
The Assurance was much dis¬ 
abled, and her loss amounted to 
25 killed and 53 wounded. Capt. 
Toilet, who had been four months 
on the sick list, was taken on 
deck in a chair, in which he was 
wounded, but refused to go be¬ 
low. The Hampshire had 2 killed 
and 11 wounded ; the Assistance 
8 killed and 20 wounded; and 
among the latter her captain 
mortally. 

1801. Bienvenue, 14, taken by 
Cobourg, 14, Lieut. Wright, in 
the North Sea. 

1808. In the morning the 18- 
gun brig Sappho, Capt. George 
Langford, off Scarborough, chased 
the Danish brig Admiral Yawl, 
Capt. James Jorgenson. At lh. 
p. m., the stranger fired a broad¬ 
side at the Sappho, who imme¬ 
diately bore down and brought 
her antagonist to close action, 
which was obstinately sustained 
for 30 minutes, when the Admiral 
Yawl struck her colours. The 
prize mounted 28 guns on two 
decks: on the first deck she had 
12 can-onades, 18-pounders; and 
on the second, or principal deck, 
16 long 6-pounders, with a com¬ 
plement of 83 men, of whom 3 
were killed. The Sappho had 2 
men wounded. — #?UtfaL 

March 3. 

1747. Spanish register-ship 
Vestal, pierced for 60-guns, 
valued at 150,000/., captured on 
the Jamaica station by Enter¬ 
prise, 40, Capt. Holmes. 

1800. Capture of Ven¬ 
geance, 18. — In the night, the 
36-gun frigate Nereide, Capt. 
Frederick Williams, cruising off 
the Penmarcks, discovered to 







NAVY. 


March 4. 


windward the Bellone of 30- 
guns, Vengeance, 18, Favorite 
16,. Ileron 16, and a schooner 
of 14. At daylight on the 2nd, 
they were seen all lying to, 
as if waiting the attack of the 
British frigate, but just as the 
Nereide had arrived within gun¬ 
shot of them, they made sail 
on different courses, pursued by 
the Nereide, who, on the morning 
of the 3rd, regained a sight of one 
of the ships, and, after a run of 12 
hours, captured the Vengeance. 

1807. Repassing of the Dar¬ 
danelles. —The squadron under 
Vice-Admiral Sir J. T. Duck¬ 
worth, which forced the pas¬ 
sage of the Dardanelles on the 
19th February, after much time 
had been frittered away in 
menaces and proclamations, on 
the 1st of March got under 
way, by signal from the ad¬ 
miral, and at 8 h. 25 m. the 
whole of the ships were under 
sail in line of battle; and, after 
standing off and on before Con¬ 
stantinople during the day, an¬ 
chored about six miles above 
Point Pesquies. On the 3rd, the 
squadron, under topsails, pro¬ 
ceeded down the channel in the 
same order as they had sailed up 
on 19th February, except that 
the Active was ahead of the 
Endymion, and, instead of the 
Standard, tho Endymion had the 
Meteor in tow. On approaching 
the castle of Abydos, the two 
castles, the battery on Point Pes¬ 
quies, and the other forts succes¬ 
sively opened fire as the ships 
arrived abreast of them. A 
mutual cannonade v r as kept up 
until llh. 40m., and at a little 
before noon the squadron an¬ 
chored off Cape Janizary, out of 
the reach of further molestation,— 
several ships having been struck 
by stone shot weighing 700lbs. 
The loss of the British amounted 


433 


to 29 killed, 138 wounded; and 
the total loss incurred in this 
expedition was 46 killed and 235 
wounded 

March 4. 

1676. Attack upon Tripoli. 
—A squadron under Rear-Adm. 
Sir John Narborough, which had 
been despatched to Tripoli, to 
punish the still continued piracies 
of the corsairs, arrived off that 
place on the 16th January. The 
nature of Sir John’s instructions 
being to try the effects of negotia¬ 
tion, he directed Lieut. Cloudesley 
Shovel to wait upon the Dey; at 
the same time he was to make 
observations on the strength of the 
place. But the Dey, despising 
the youth of Mr. Shovel, treated 
him with much disrespect, and 
sent him back with an indefinite 
answer to his communication. On 
his return to the ship the lieu¬ 
tenant reported what had occurred 
to the admiral; upon which he 
was again sent with a more per¬ 
emptory message; but this was 
still more uncourteously received. 
The remarks which he had been 
able to make on the position of 
the shipping induced the admiral 
to attempt their destruction, and 
accordingly on the 4th of March, 
in the middle of the night, the 
boats of the squadron were des¬ 
patched under the orders of 
Lieut. Shovel. The English hav¬ 
ing approached unperceived, took 
the guard-ship, and then pro¬ 
ceeded undiscovered, towards four 
other ships, mounting 50, 36, 24 
and 20 guns. These were all 
boarded and carried; and, having 
set them on fire, the boats re¬ 
turned to their ships without in¬ 
curring any loss in this enterprise. 
The boldness of this measure so 
terrified the Dey of Tripoli, that 
he immediately sued for peace. 


F F 







434 CALENDAR 


The terms not being satisfactory, 
and the treaty in consequence 
delayed, Sir John Narborough 
cannonaded the town, and landing 
a party of men, burnt the store¬ 
houses containing timber. The 
admiral then sailed for Malta, 
but returning suddenly, induced 
the Dey to enter into a treaty to 
discontinue his piratical pro¬ 
ceedings. 

1804. Capture of Curieuse. 
— In the night, the barge and 
pinnace of 74- gun ship Blenheim, 
Capt. W. Ferris, having on board 
50 officers and men, under the 
orders of Lieut. Thomas Furber, 
made a gallant but unsuccessful 
attempt to cut out the French 
schooner Curieuse, lying chain- 
moored under a fort at the town 
of St. Pierre, Martinique. The 
schooner had made formidable 
preparations of defence, having 
triced her boarding nettings to her 
lower mastheads, and rigged her 
sweeps out on each side. Not¬ 
withstanding this, and a heavy 
fire of great guns and musketry, 
as well from the schooner as from 
the forts, a party of soldiers 
drawn up on the beach, and some 
vessels, Lieut. Furber and his 
followers gallantly boarded and 
carried the Curieuse. But no 
sooner were her cables cut, than, 
held fast by the chain, she swung 
round and grounded on the beach. 
Further attempts being useless, 
the two boats returned to the 
Blenheim, having thee men killed, 
five officers and 14 men wounded, 
and three missing. 

March 5, 

1800. Capture of IIeureux. 
—At 8h. a.m., the 36-gun frigate 
Phoebe, Capt. Sir Robert Barlow, 
cruising to the westward, was 
borne down upon by the French 
privateer IIeureux, of 22 long 


OF VICTORY. March 7. 


brass 12-pounders and 220 men, 
supposing the Phoebe to be an 
Indiaman. Not discovering her 
mistake until within musket-shot, 
the Heureux woi’e upon the fri¬ 
gate’s weather bow, and hauled 
up upon the same tack, hoping 
by a well-directed fire to disable 
the Phoebe’s masts and rigging, 
and thereby effect her escape. As 
soon as the British had recovered 
from their surprise, a few well- 
thrown broadsides compelled the 
daring privateer’s-man to haul 
down his colours. The Phoebe 
had three men killed and three 
wounded. Heureux, 18 men 
killed and 25 wounded. The 
Heureux was a very complete 
flush-decked ship, coppered and 
copper-fastened, highly finished, 
and admeasuring 598 tons. She 
was commissioned under the same 
name, as a 22-gun post-ship. 

1805. Rose, French privateer, 
mounting one long gun, with a 
crew of 45 men, cut out from Gua- 
daloupe by Mr. Salmon and 12 
men, in the cutter of the Eclair, 18. 

March 6. 

1793. The French lugger Cas- 
tine, captured in the North Sea 
by Iris, 32, Capt. Lumsdaine. 

1797. French privateer Actif, 
18, taken in the Channel by 
Phaeton, 38, Capt. Hon. Robert 
Stopford. 

1797. The Alcmene 32, Capt. 
Brown, cruising on the coast of 
Ireland, captured the French 16- 
gun privateer, Surveillante. 

1799. Infatigable, 18, French 
privateer, captured in the Channel 
by Ethalion, 38, Capt. Countess. 

March 7. 

1762. Milford and Gloire. 
—At lOh. a.m. the 28-gun fri¬ 
gate Milford, Capt. Robert Mann, 







NAVY. 


XVIarch 8. 


in lat. 34° 15' N., long. 25° 7' 
W., gave chase to the French 
letter-of-marque Gloire, pierced 
for 20 guns, but only mounting 
16 long 6-pounders, and 10 swi¬ 
vels, with a crew of 94 men. 
After a run of twelve hours, an 
action commenced, in the early 
part of which Captain Mann was 
mortally wounded ; and the com¬ 
mand devolved npon Lieut. Day, 
who boldly fought the ship until 
llh. 30m. p.m., when he also was 
mortally wounded by a musket- 
ball through the head. The se¬ 
cond lieutenant, Mr. Nash, then 
took the command, and continued 
the action until 2h. 33m. a.m. on 
the 8th, when the Gloire hauled 
down her colours, having six 
men killed and 18 wounded. The 
Milford, besides the loss of her 
captain and first lieutenant, had 
two men killed and 13 wounded. 

1778. Yarmouth and Ran¬ 
dolph. —The Yarmouth, 64, Capt. 
Vincent, sent to escort the home¬ 
ward-bound vessels, on 7th March, 
at 5 a. m., when about 50 leagues 
to the eastward of Barbadoes, 
chased six sail, and at 9h. a.m. 
closed with the largest, which, 
hoisting American colours, dis¬ 
charged her broadside. The fire 
was instantly returned, and, after 
an engagement of half an hour, 
the enemy’s ship blew up. Al¬ 
though the Yarmouth was for¬ 
tunately to windward, she was 
in a manner covered with the 
fragments of her opponent, and 
had 5 men killed and twelve 
wounded. On the 12th, some of 
the wreck was picked up, with 
four men on it who had been 
blown up in the ill-fated ship, 
and from them it was learnt that 
she was the Congress ship of war 
Randolph, of 36 guns and 305 
men. Her consorts were the 
Moultrie, 20, and three armed 
brigs, which had sailed from 


435 


Charlestown, South Carolina, 
about a month before. 

1804. Recapture of Goree. 
—The British settlement of Go¬ 
ree, which surrendered to a French 
force on 18th January, remained 
in their quiet possession until 
the morning of 7th March, when 
the Inconstant, 36, Capt. E. S. 
Dickson, accompanied by a store- 
ship and 3 transports, arrived off 
the place. The appearance of 
English colours on the citadel in¬ 
duced Capt. Dickson to send the 
cutter, with Lieut. Pickford, to 
ascertain in whose possession it 
really was. Not receiving any 
information, three boats were 
despatched under Mr. Runciman, 
midshipman, to cut a ship out 
of the harbour, and this service 
was gallantly executed under a 
heavy fire from the batteries, 
which sunk one of the boats and 
wounded one man. Preparations 
were made to disembark the 
troops ; but at daybreak on the 
8th, English colours were seen 
flying over the French at the 
fort, the garrison having on the 
previous evening capitulated to 
Lieut. Pickford. Thus was the 
settlement of Goree restored 
without the loss of a man to 
the British. 

1814. The boats of the frigates 
Belvidera and Endymion, and 
Rattler sloop, under the orders 
of Lieut. John Sykes, drove on 
shore at ’Sandy Hook, and de¬ 
stroyed the United States pri¬ 
vateer Mars, of 15 guns and se¬ 
venty men. 

XVIarch 8. 

1748. Reduction of Port 
Louis, Hispaniola. — An attack 
was made on Port Louis, Hispa¬ 
niola, by a squadron of six sail 
of the line and a ship of 50 guns, 
under Rear-Admiral Charles 


F f 2 






436 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


IVXarcli 8. 


Knowles, in the 80-gun ship 
Cornwall. Although the reduc¬ 
tion of the place was achieved, 
it was severely bought, no less 
than seventy men being killed 
and wounded on board the squa¬ 
dron ; and among the killed was 
Capt. James Rantome, of the 60- 
gun ship Strafford. 

1801. Expedition to Egypt. 
— A fleet under Admiral Lord 
Keith, consisting of 7 ships of 
the line, with frigates, troop¬ 
ships, &c., numbering about 70 
sail, having on board 16,000 
troops, anchored in Aboukir bay 
on the 1st March; but a succes¬ 
sion of northerly gales prevented 
the disembarkation until the 
morning of the 8th. The French 
troops assembled to dispute the 
landing, amounting to 7000 men, 
under Gen. Friant, who were 
formed behind the sand-hills, pro¬ 
tected by fifteen pieces of heavy 
artillery and numerous field- 
pieces and mortars. In spite of 
a destructive cannonade from the 
guns on the heights and also 
from the castle of Aboukir, the 
boats moved on in excellent order; 
and in a short time the troops, 
having hastily formed on the 
beach, dashed at the enemy, and 
drove them from their position. 
Before the evening of the 9th, 
the whole army, together with 
their stores and provisions, were 
landed. Sir Sidney Smith was 
then detached, with 1000 seamen, 
to serve with the army, who, 
with their wonted energy, under 
their daring leader, dragged can¬ 
non up the heights. The loss 
amounted to 20 killed and 70 
wounded; that of the army, 124 
killed, 585 wounded. —jMeUat. 

1806. In the evening, the 44- 
gun frigate Egyptienne, Captain 
the Hon. Charles Paget, anchored 
off the port of Muros in Spain, 
and despatched her boats, under 


the command of Captain Philip 
Charles Cosby Handheld, to at¬ 
tempt the capture of a frigate- 
built privateer lying there. Al¬ 
though this ship (which was the 
Alcicle of Bordeaux, pierced for 
34 guns) was moored close to the 
beach, under the protection of 
two batteries that kept up an 
incessant fire, she was boarded 
and captured without a casualty 
on the part of the British. 

1808. San Fiorenzo and Pie- 
montaise.— The 36-gun frigate 
San Fiorenzo, mounting 42 guns, 
Capt. George Nicholas Hardinge, 
on her return to Bombay on the 
6th March, at 8h. a.m. discovered 
on her starboard beam the French 
40-gun frigate Piemontaise 
(mounting 46 guns), Capt. Epron, 
which, after an action of ten mi¬ 
nutes, bore away under all sail. At 
6h. 20m. a.m. on the 7th, the two 
frigates being within point-blank 
range, the action recommenced, 
and continued until 8h. 15m., when 
the Piemontaise bore up before 
the wind, leaving her antagonist 
with her main-topsail-yard cut 
in two, main-royal-mast shot 
away, and her standing and run¬ 
ning rigging much disabled. The 
loss of the San Fiorenzo on this 
day amounted to 8 killed and 14 
wounded. The Piemontaise, at 
daylight on the 8th, was about 
four miles distant. At 9h. a.m,. 
being perfectly refitted, the San 
Fiorenzo bore up under all sail, 
and, at 4h. p.m., the two fri¬ 
gates passing on opposite tacks 
within 80 yards, the action re¬ 
commenced. In the second broad¬ 
side a grape-shot killed Captain 
Hardinge, and the command de¬ 
volved upon Lieut. Wm. Dawson. 
As the Piemontaise reached the 
beam of her opponent, she wore 
round, and a close engagement 
was maintained until 5h. 49m. 
p. m., when she struck her co- 














March 9. 


NAVY. 


437 


lours. Out of a crew (augmented 
by 200 lascars) of 566 men, the 
Piemontaise had 48 killed and 
112 wounded. The total loss of 
the San Fiorenzo in the three days 
was 13 killed and 25 wounded. 

—Jfte&al. 

March 9. 

1741. Reduction of Cartha- 
gena. —Vice-Admiral Vernon, 
with 29 sail of the line, several 
frigates, and a large fleet of trans¬ 
ports, conveying 12,000 troops 
under Major-Gen. Lord Cath- 
cart, anchored in Plaza Grande 
hay on 4th March, between Car- 
thagena and Point de Canoa; 
and on the 9th the ships moved 
in to the attack. The only en¬ 
trance to the harbour is six miles 
to the westward of the city, be¬ 
tween two peninsulas called the 
Terra Bomba and the Barradera. 
This entrance, called the Bocca 
Chica, is so narrow that only one 
ship can enter at a time. On 
the Terra Bomba side was the 
fort of St. Louis, mounting 82 
guns and 3 mortars, fort St. 
Philip of seven, St. Jago of 15, 
and a smaller battery of 4 guns. 
On the Barradera side, a battery 
of 15 and another of 5 guns, and, 
facing the entrance of the har¬ 
bour, on a small island, fort St. 
Josef, mounting 21 guns; and 
the Bocca was in addition pro¬ 
tected by a strong boom thrown 
across, flanked by the broadsides 
of 4 line-of-battle ships. The 
Princess Amelia soon silenced 
the batteries on the Terra Bomba 
side, and about noon the forts 
of St. Jago and St. Philip were 
not only silenced by the Norfolk, 
Russel, and Shrewsbury, but the 
troops landed and took posses¬ 
sion. The cannonade continued 
until evening. The Shrewsbury, 
from having been exposed to a 


raking fire from the enemy’s 
ships, as well as from the batte¬ 
ries, sustained a loss of 20 men 
killed and 40 wounded; whilst 
the loss on board the Norfolk and 
Russel was but inconsiderable. 
For the subsequent operations, 
see 30th March. 

1778. Early in the morning, 
the Ariadne, 32, Capt. Pringle, 
and Ceres sloop, cruising for the 
protection of the homeward trade 
from Barbadoes, chased two 
ships, and, about noon, brought 
to action, and compelled to sur¬ 
render, the Alfred, belonging to 
Congress, mounting twenty guns 
9-pounders, with a crew of 180 
men. Her consort, the Raleigh, 
of 32 guns, was pursued until 
10 a. m. on the 10th; but she 
effected her escape. 

1797. Capture of Resistance, 
40, and Constance, 22. — Early 
in the morning, the 18-pounder 
36-gun frigates San Fiorenzo and 
Nymphe, 12-pounders, Captains 
Sir Harrv Neale and John Cooke, 
having reconnoitred Brest, were 
standing out towards the fleet 
under Lord Bridport, when they 
discovered the French 40-gun 
frigate Resistance and 22-gun 
corvette Constance steering to¬ 
wards that port. At this time, 
Pointe St. Matthieu was no more 
than three leagues distant, the 
French fleet of 14 sail of the line 
and six frigates in sight from the 
tops, and the wind fair for sailing 
out of Brest. After a slight con¬ 
test, the Resistance struck her 
colours; and the Constance, after 
a gallant defence and being much 
disabled, also suri-endered. Nei¬ 
ther of the British ships suffered 
the slightest loss; but the Resis¬ 
tance had 10 men killed and 9 
wounded, and the Constance 8 
men killed and 6 wounded. Both 
ships were commissioned, the 
Resistance by the name of Fis- 


F f 3 















438 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


Marck 12 


gard, and the Constance by her 
own name. 

March 10. 

1705. Destruction of a 
French Squadron. — The fleet 
under Sir John Leake, off Cabrita 
Point, at daylight discovered five 
large ships, which were chased 
by the squadron under Sir Thos. 
Dilkes, consisting of the Revenge, 
Newcastle, Antelope, Expedition, 
and a Dutch ship, followed by 
the remainder of the fleet. At 
first the enemy made for the Bar¬ 
bary shore, but finding themselves 
gained upon, they stood towards 
the Spanish coast. At 9h. a.m. 
the Arrogant, of 60 guns, sur¬ 
rendered. The Magnanime, 74, 
bearing the flag of Admiral de 
Pontis, and Fleur-de-lis, 86, after 
a gallant resistance, were driven 
on shore to the westward of 
Morbella, and totally destroyed. 
The Ardent, 66, and Marquis, 
56, were captured by two Dutch 
ships. 

1757. The British 3-pounder 
8-gun sloop Harpy, Capt. Thomas 
Burnet, on her return from Jersey, 
was attacked by the French pri¬ 
vateer Infernal, mounting six 6- 
pounders, eight 4-pounders, and 
6 swivels, with a crew of 7 5 men. 
The commander of the Harpy 
grappled the privateer, and car¬ 
ried her by boarding after a slight 
opposition. 

1796. Capture of Bonne 
Citoyenne, 20. — The 38-gun 
frigate Phaeton, Captain Robert 
Stopford, captured French 20-gun 
ship Bonne Citoyenne of 511 tons, 
off Cape Finisterre. The prize 
was commissioned under the same 
name, and was for a long time the 
finest vessel of her class in the 
British navy. 


March 11. 

1762. Bonton, 20, French pri¬ 
vateer, captured off Lisbon by 
Blonde, 32, Capt. Kennedy. 

1810. Capricieuse, 16, French 
privateer, captured in the Downs 
by Echo, 16, Capt. Keen. 

1812. Cerf, French privateer, 
captured off Calais by Phipps, 14, 
Capt. Wells. 

March 12. 

1841. Capture of the Macao 
Fort. — An attempt was made 
to approach Canton through a 
hitherto unfrequented passage, by 
the Madagascar, 44, Modeste, 18, 
and Sulphur, accompanied by 
armed boats, in which were em¬ 
barked several detachments of 
marines from the fleet. Having 
arrived within two miles of Can¬ 
ton, Capt. Herbert summoned 
the Macao Passage fort to sur¬ 
render, but without success. On 
the following day, the 13th, the 
Modeste and Madagascar opened 
their fire upon this fort, mounting 
22 guns of different calibre, having 
also eight dismounted guns of 
small size placed on a raised em¬ 
bankment, to which a train was 
laid calculated to sweep the 
causeway and platform. From 
the small island on which the fort 
was built, a strong raft stretched 
to the shore, and another, imper¬ 
fectly constructed, communicated 
with a village on the opposite 
side. After some firing from the 
Modeste, the boats dashed on, and 
were soon in possession of the fort, 
with the comparatively trifling 
loss of three men wounded. The 
proximity of this fort to Canton, 
and its position as a convenient 
rendezvous, made it desirable to be 
held in possession. The marines 
belonging to the advanced squa¬ 
dron, under the command of 










Ittarch 13. NAVY. 439 


Lieut. Stransham, were accord¬ 
ingly placed in garrison. 

IVIarch 13. 

1761. Vengeance andEntre- 
prenante. — The 26-gun frigate, 
Vengeance, Capt.Gamaliel Night¬ 
ingale, mounting 20 long nines, 
and 6 four-pounders, captured, 
after an action of two hours, the 
French 44-gun ship Entrepre- 
nante, armed en flute, having only 
22 long twelve-pounders, and 4 
long sixes mounted. Out of her 
crew of 203 men, she had 5 killed 
and 24 wounded. Of her crew 
of 200 men, the Vengeance lost 
6 killed and 27 wonnded. 

1780. French, 40-gun privateer, 
Monsieur, captured off Scilly by 
Alexander and Courageux of 74 
guns. 

1793. The 16-gun brig Scourge, 
Capt. George Brisac, but mount¬ 
ing only six 8-pounders, with a 
crew of 70 men, off Scilly, after 
an action of three hours, captured 
the French privateer Sans Culotte, 
of 12 guns, 8 long 8-pounders 
and 4 carronades, 12-pounders, 
with a complement of 81 men, of 
whom nine were killed and 20 
wounded. The Scourge had only 
one man killed and one wounded. 

1795. Action off Toulon.— 
A British fleet of 13 sail of the 
line, including two of 64 guns, 
under Vice-Adm. Hotham, after 
three days’ pursuit near Toulon, 
partially engaged the French fleet 
under Rear-Adm. Martin, con¬ 
sisting of one ship of 120, 3 of 
80, and 11 of 74 guns. The ac¬ 
tion commenced at lOh. 45m. 
a. m., and lasted until 2h. 30m. 
p. m. The fleets kept sight of each 
other during the night, and the 
contest was renewed on the fol¬ 
lowing day. 

1795. Lively and Tourte- 
relle. — At 7h. a. m., the 18- 


pounder 3 2-gun frigate Lively, 
mounting 34 guns, Capt. George 
Burlton, when about 13 leagues 
to the north of Ushant, chased 
the French 28-gun frigate Tour- 
terelle, mounting 30-guns, Capt. 
Guillaume S. A. Montalan. The 
engagement lasted from lOh. 
30m. A. m. until lh. 30m. p. M., 
when the French ship, having 
had three topmasts shot away, 
and being much disabled in her 
hull, hauled down her colours. 
Of 250, the Lively had only two 
men wounded. Tourterelle, out 
of a crew of 230 men, had 16 
killed and 25 wounded. 

1797. The 14-gun cutter Vi¬ 
per, Lieut. John Pengelly, near 
Alboran, at 1 p. m. brought to 
action the Spanish 10-gun brig 
Virgin Maria, and, after a sharp 
contest until 3h. 10m. p. m., com¬ 
pelled her to surrender, having one 
man killed and 7 wounded; but 
the Viper did not sustain any 
loss. 

1801. The British army, which 
landed in Aboukir bay on the 8th 
of March, moved forward on the 
12th, and on the 13th a battle was 
fought, in which the seamen and 
marines took a very distinguished 
part. Mr. Wright, midshipman, 
and 5 seamen were killed, and 
nineteen seamen wounded. Of 
the battalion of marines under 
Lieut.-Colonel Smith. 22 officers 
and men were killed, and 34 
wounded. —JHetfal. 

1804. French privateer-schooner, 
Mosambique, mounting 10 guns, 
lying under the batteries just 
within the Pearl Rock, Martinique 
boarded and captured by the 
armed sloop Fort Diamond, 
Lieut. Thomas Forrest. 

1806. Capture of Marengo 
and Belle Poule. —French, 74- 
gun ship Marengo, Rear-Adm. 
Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle 
Poule, on their return from the 


F f 4 






440 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


March 14. 


East Indies, were fallen in with 
in lat. 26° 16' N., long. 29° 55' 
W., by squadron under Vice- 
Adra. Sir J. R. Warren. The 
Marengo was brought to action 
at 5h. 40m. A. m. by the London, 
98, Capt. Sir H. B. Neale, and 
she continued gallantly to defend 
herself until the approach of the 
Foudroyant, 80, at lOh. 25m.; 
when she hauled down her colours, 
having sustained a loss of 63 men 
killed and 79 wounded. The Belle 
Poule was closely engaged by the 
Amazon, 38, Captain William 
Parker, and compelled to surren¬ 
der, after sustaining a loss of 6 
killed and 24 wounded. British 
loss, London, 10 killed, 22 wound¬ 
ed ; Amazon, 4 killed and 5 
wounded. 

1811. Battle off Lissa. — A 
British squadron under command 
of Capt. William Hoste, in the 
Amphion, 32, with Active, 38, 
Capt. J. A. Gordon; Cerberus, 
32, Capt. H. Whitby; and Volage, 
22, Capt. P. Hornby, when off the 
island of Lissa, in the Adriatic, 
formed in line ahead on the star¬ 
board tack, sustained the attack 
of a Franco-Venetian squadron in 
two columns: Favorite, 40, Flore, 
40, Bellona, 32, and Mercure, 
18, forming the starboard; Danae, 
40, Corona, 40, Carolina, 32, a 
schooner, a xebec, and 2 gun-boats, 
the lee column. The action lasted 
from 9h. a. m. until 2h. 30m. p. m., 
by which time the British were in 
possession of the Corona and the 
Bellona. The Flore, after hauling 
down her colours, effected her 
escape; whilst the Favorite, in 
endeavouring to pass to leeward 
of the British line, struck on the 
rocks, and was burnt by her crew. 
Total British loss 45 men killed 
and 145 wounded. The Corona 
became a British 38-gun frigate, 
under the name of Daedalus, and 
the Bellona the Dover troop-ship. 


March 14. 

1779. Capture of Frelon. 
—The 10-gun cutter Rattlesnake, 
Lieut. Wm. Knell, being off the 
Isle of Wight, at daybreak chased 
two French cutters, and having 
brought the largest to action, her 
consort tacked to support her. 
This unequal contest was main¬ 
tained until 4h. r. m., when the 
largest cutter hauled down her 
colours. The other then endea¬ 
voured to make off, but she was 
immediately pursued by the 
Rattlesnake, who laid her on 
board, and Lieut. Knell, at the 
head of his men, gallantly carried 
her. In the meantime his former 
prize made sail and escaped. The 
captured vessel was the Frelon 
de Dunkirk of 12-guns, and a 
crew of 82 men. Her captain and 
12 men were killed, and 30 
wounded. On board the Rattle¬ 
snake, Lieut. Knell and 19 men 
were wounded. 

1795. Action off Genoa. — 
The French fleet under Rear- 
Adm.Martin, as enumerated in the 
preceding page, kept on the lar¬ 
board tack during the night, with 
the wind at south-west, followed 
by the British. At daybreak on 
the 14tli, Genoa bearing NE., 
distant seven leagues, the Ca Ira, 
to leeward of her fleet, in tow of 
the Censeur, 74. At about 5h. 
30m. a. m., a breeze sprang up 
from NW., which brought the 
British fleet to windward. At 
6h. 30m., the Captain and Bed¬ 
ford, by signal, stood for and en¬ 
gaged the Ca Ira and Censeur, 
while the remainder of the British 
fleet moved on, in close order of 
battle, towards the body of the 
enemy. The Captain being some 
distance ahead of the Bedford, 
was so much cut up by the united 
fire of the two French ships, that 
she was towed clear of her oppo- 









ESarch 15. 


NAVY. 


441 


nents. The Bedford, also, was so 
much disabled as to be towed out 
of the line. The Captain had 3 
men killed and 9 wounded. The 
Bedford, 7 killed and 18 wound¬ 
ed. At 8h. a. m., the French wore 
in succession, with the intention 
of passing between their disabled 
ships and the British ; but this 
design was prevented by the 
latter edging away; consequently 
the French were induced to pass 
to windward of the British. The 
Illustrious and Courageux, hav¬ 
ing been sharply engaged with 
the Duqucsne, 74, Yictoire, 80, 
and Tonnant, 80, both ships 
were much shattered with loss of 
main and rnizen masts. Their op¬ 
ponents passing ahead, and not 
being closely followed by the re¬ 
mainder of their line, the two dis¬ 
abled ships were no longer assail¬ 
ed. The Illustrious had 20 men 
killed and 70 wounded. The 
Courageux, 15 men killed and 
33 wounded. The French fleet 
tacked, and stood away to the west¬ 
ward under all sail, leaving the 
Ca Ira and Censeur to their fate. 
These ships did not surrender 
without making the most gallant 
resistance, and their united loss 
was about 400 men in killed and 
wounded. The total loss of the 
British fleet amounted to 74 killed 
and 284 wounded.— JFlctfal. 

IVZarcli 15. 

1762. Capture of Ventura. 
—The 24-gun ship Fowey, Capt. 
Joseph Mead, being off Cape Ti- 
buron on 14th March, at 6h.30m. 
brought to action the Spanish 12- 
pounder 26-gun frigate Ventura. 
The Fowey, at 8h. a. m., had sus¬ 
tained so much damage to her 
sails and rigging, that she hauled 
off to repair. On the follow¬ 
ing morning, she again closed 
with her opponent, and the 


action continued until 8h. 30m. 
a. m., when the Yentura having, 
out of 300 men, forty killed 
and as many wounded, hauled 
down her colours. The Fowey, 
out of 130 men, had 10 killed and 
24 wounded. 

IVEareli 16. 

1782. Capture of Santa Ca¬ 
talina. — The 32-gun frigate 
Success, Capt. Charles Maurice 
Pole, and armed store-ship Ver¬ 
non, of 22 long 6-pounders, Mr. 
John Falconner Commander, off 
Cape Spartel, on their voyage to 
Gibraltar, observed a large ship 
standing towards them on the 
larboard tack, which, on the haze 
clearing aw'ay, was discovered to 
be a large frigate with a poop, 
who at 5h. p. m. hoisted Spanish 
colours. At 6h. the Success wore 
and steered for the enemy’s ship, 
with the intention of crossing her 
bows and engaging to leeward; 
but, on arriving within musket- 
shot, she suddenly hauled up, and, 
passing to windward, poured a 
destructive broadside into the 
larboard bow of her adversary. 
Then wearing round, she took 
up a position on the lee quarter 
of the enemy, and being gallantly 
seconded by the Vernon, the 
Spanish frigate, losing her mizen- 
mast, at 8h. 20m. hauled down 
her colours. She proved to be 
the 34-gun frigate Santa Catalina, 
having a crew of 300 men, 25 of 
whom were killed and eight 
wounded. The Success had one 
killed and four wounded. 

1837. Action of Hernani.— 
A battalion of marines command¬ 
ed by Lieut.-Col. Owen, serving 
on the North coast of Spain, 
under the direction ofCommodore 
Lord John Hay, took up a posi¬ 
tion within 800 yards of the 
Venta of Oriamcndi, which was 









442 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. March 17. 


strongly occupied by the Carlist 
force. The latter having opened 
a battery upon the column, the 
guns of the marine artillery were 
brought to play with much effect; 
and about 5h. p. m. the Venta 
surrendered. On the 16th, at 
7 a.m., the battalion advanced to 
the plateau of Oriamendi, over¬ 
looking the town of Hernani, and 
was there posted with the 5th 
Spanish division under Jaura- 
guay. At llh. 30m., four batta¬ 
lions of the enemy made their 
appearance, and having driven 
back two Spanish regiments, in 
some disorder, Col. Owen ad¬ 
vanced his battalion, and, occupy¬ 
ing a breastwork with five com¬ 
panies, maintained his position so 
effectually, that, after several at¬ 
tempts to dislodge him, the enemy 
retired towards Hernani. The 
Queen’s troops having evinced a 
disposition to give way, the ma¬ 
rines moved towards the road to 
San Sebastian, and halted in co¬ 
lumn about 800 yards in rear of 
the Oriamendi. The Spanish 
troops, intermixed with those of 
the legion, were now retiring in 
disorder, so hard pressed by the 
enemy that the marines deploy¬ 
ed into line, and their deter¬ 
mined front put a stop to any 
further advance of the Carlists ; 
and at this time some hundreds 
of the flying army refused all en¬ 
treaties to re-form. At 5h. p.m., 
the firing generally ceased ; and 
Lieut.-Col. Owen having seen the 
artillery safe into San Sebastian, 
retired towards Hernani. The 
loss of the battalion amounted 
to one man killed, Lieut. Watson 
and 34 rank and file wounded. 
Count Senhilles, an old officer of 
Napoleon, who was present with 
the battalion, expressing his ad¬ 
miration, said that its movements 
had more the appearance of a 
review than a battle. 


March 17. 

1794. Bien- Venue cap¬ 
tured. —During the attack upon 
Martinique by the fleet under 
Vice-Adm. Sir John Jervis, a bat¬ 
tery which had been erected on 
Pointe Carriere, forming the east 
side cf the Carenage, together 
with some gun-boats commanded 
by Lieut. Richard Bowen of the 
Boyne, at daybreak on 17th Fe¬ 
bruary opened a fire upon fort 
St. Louis; as did, at the same 
time, upon fort Bourbon, the gun 
and mortar batteries recently 
erected on the heights of Sour- 
riere. Perceiving a favourable 
moment, Lieut. Bowen, with the 
rowing boats only, pushed into 
the Carenage to attack the Bien- 
Venue 28-gun frigate, lyingchain- 
moored within 50 yards of the 
shore, for the laudable purpose of 
rescuing a number of English 
prisoners, supposed to be on 
board of her. About noon a fire 
was opened upon the British 
boats by the troops which covered 
the walls of fort Louis, as well as 
from the great guns and musketry 
of the frigate. In face of all this, 
Lieut. Bowen and his gallant fol¬ 
lowers dashed alongside, and 
boarded the Bien-Venue with 
little opposition, the greater part of 
the crew having fled to the shore, 
as the British approached. The 
French captain, with a lieutenant 
and 20 men were found on board, 
but no prisoners. The frigate’s 
sails being unbent, and the wind 
blowing right in, Lieut. Bowen 
was constrained to depart with 
his 22 captives. Considerable 
risk attended the return of the 
boats; but at length this intrepid, 
young officer got clear out, not, 
however, without loss,—three men 
being killed and five wounded. 
This successful enterprise led to an 







NAVY. 


March 13. 


443 


immediate attack upon the town 
of Fort Royal. —JHctfal. 

1804. On 17th March the 16- 
gun brig Penguin, Capt. George 
Morris, drove on shore, on the 
bar of Senegal, the French priva¬ 
teer-schooner Renommee, of 12 
guns and 87 men, which on the 
24th was totally destroyed by 
Lieut. Charles Williams and a 
boat’s crew. 

March IS. 

1796. Capture of Etourdie, 
— The 38 - gun frigate Dia¬ 
mond, Capt. Sir Sidney Wm. 
Smith, 14-gun brig Liberty, 
Lieut. George M‘Ivinley, and 
Aristocrat lugger, Lieut. Abra¬ 
ham Gossett, at noon stood in 
and attacked the two batteries 
which defended the narrow en¬ 
trance to the port of Herqui, near 
Cape Frehel. Lieut Horace Pine, 
first of the Diamond, and Lieut. 
Edmond Carter of the marines, 
landed at the head of a party, 
and stormed the batteries. The 
ships then moved forward, and 
destroyed the corvette Etourdie 
of 16 guns, four bi'igs, two sloops, 
and an armed lugger. The loss 
of the British amounted to two 
men killed; Lieuts. Pine and 
Carter (the latter mortally) and 
five seamen wounded. —jHctrat. 

1799. At daylight on 18 th of 
March, when about nine leagues 
from the Isle of Bas, the Tele¬ 
graph brig, Lieut. James Andrew 
Worth, mounting 14 earronades, 
18-pounders, and two long-sixes, 
with a complement of 60 men 
and boys, brought to action the 
French privateer-brig Hirondelle, 
of 16 guns (long eight- and six- 
pounders) and 72 men. The 
contest was maintained with great 
spirit until 11 a.m., when the pri¬ 
vateer surrendered, having five 
men killed and 14 wounded. The 
loss on board the Telegraph was 


no greater than five men wounded 
Lieut. Worth was rewarded by 
being promoted to the rank of 
commander.— iHctraL 

1799. The boats of Tigre, 74, 
off Cape Carmel, near Acre, at¬ 
tacked a corvette and nine sail. 
The corvette escaped, but the 
following were captured: —Mari¬ 
anne, 4 guns, La Negresse, 6, La 
Foudre, 8, La Dangereuse, 6, La 
Marie Rose, 4, La Dame de Grace, 
4, Les Deux Freres, 4, and La 
Torride, 2. 

March 19. 

1757. Capture of Mignonne. 
— The British 50-gun ship Isis 
and 32-gun frigate AEolus, Capts. 
Edward Wheeler and John 
Elliott, cruising near the Isle 
d’Yeu, on 19th March chased a 
fleet of merchantmen, under con¬ 
voy of four frigates, three of which 
hauled up towards the British 
ships. The Isis stood for the lee- 
wardmost; but the ship which the 
Isis steered for—the Savage, 32— 
bore up under all sail, and escaped. 
The Blonde, 32, having closed 
with the AEolus, engaged her 
until the British ship became dis¬ 
abled in her rigging, which the 
Blonde taking advantage of, made 
sail away. The AEolus lost no 
time in repairing her damages, 
and soon brought the third ship, 
the Mignonne, 20, to action, and 
compelled her to surrender, hav¬ 
ing sustained a loss of 30 men 
killed and wounded. 

March 20. 

1780. Action with French 
Squadron. — The 64-gun ship, 
Lion, Capt. Hon.Wm. Cornwallis, 
with Bristol, 50, and Janus, 44, 
being off Monte Christi, fell in 
with a French squadron of five 
sail of the line and a convoy, 
under M. De la Mothe Piquet, 






444 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. TiEarcfc 21 . 


consisting of Annibal and Dia- 
deme, of 74, Reflechi 64, Am- 
phion and Amfitrite, of 32 guns. 
On perceiving the inferiority of 
the British ships, the enemy bore 
down in chase; upon which Com¬ 
modore Wallis made sail in line 
ahead. At 5h. p.m. the Annibal 
opened her fire upon the Janus, 
and yawing occasionally, kept up 
a running fight during the night. 
The morning of the 21st was 
calm, and the Janus being some 
distance astern of her consorts, 
the Commodore, by ordering the 
boats of the Lion and Bristol 
ahead to tow, succeeded in get¬ 
ting into action. A distant can¬ 
nonade was kept up for two hours, 
during which the Annibal’s mizen- 
topmast and fore-topgallant-mast 
were shot away. A light air 
springing up, the French hauled 
off to repair damages, and at 
sunset, again stood towards the 
British, but did not renew the 
action. At daylight on the 23rd, 
the Ruby, 64, with Niger and 
Pomona frigates, hove in sight; 
upon which M. De la Mothe 
Piquet made all sail away. The 
loss of the British in this engage¬ 
ment was only 12 men killed and 
wounded. 

1796. Commodore Sir. J. B. 
Warren, in the Pomone, 38, with 
the Anson, 44, Capt. P. C. Dur¬ 
ham, Artois, 38, Capt. Sir E. 
Nagle, and Galatea, 38, Capt. R. 
G. Keats, off the Penmarcks, fell 
in with four French frigates, a 
20-gun ship, and the armed store- 
ship Etoile, having under their 
protection about 60 sail of convoy. 
After an animated chase and a 
running fight, in which the Ga¬ 
latea alone sustained any loss, 
the Etoile was cut off, the re¬ 
mainder of the enemy taking 
shelter among the Pcnmarck 
rocks. The Galatea had 2 killed 
and 7 wounded. 


1805. The 18-gun corvette 
Renard, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan. 
being about two degrees to the 
NE. of the island of Cuba, 
chased and brought to action the 
French privateer General Ernouf 
(late British “Lily”). After a 
close engagement of 35 minutes, 
the privateer took fire, and in a 
few minutes' blew up. Out of a 
crew of 160 men, only 55 could 
be rescued, which were picked up 
bv the boats of the Renard. 

Marc h. 21. 

1793. Lieut. John Western, of 
the 32-gun frigate Syren, in com¬ 
mand of a gun-boat, co-operating 
with the forces under H. R. H. 
the Duke of York at the Noord, 
on the Moor Dyke, killed from 
the enemy’s intrenchments, was 
the first British officer that lost 
his life in this war. He was buried 
in the church at Dordrecht, to 
which place his remains were fol¬ 
lowed by the Duke of York, who 
ordered a suitable monument to 
be erected to his memory. — 

Mtm. 

1800. Peterel and Ljgu- 
rienne.— The 16-gun sloop, Pe¬ 
terel, Capt. Francis W. Austen, 
cruising off Marseilles, being de¬ 
tached inshore by the 32-gun 
frigate, Mermaid, Capt. Robert 
Dudley Oliver, discovered on the 
morning of the 21st a convoy of 
50 sail, under convoy of three 
armed vessels, when two of the 
merchant vessels were captured 
by her boats. The Petei'el then 
made sail after the ships of war; 
and one of them, a ship mounting 
14 guns, and a 6-gun xebec, per¬ 
ceiving the Mermaid bearing up 
towards them, ran on shore. The 
third, the Ligurienne 16-gun brig, 
was brought to action by the Pe¬ 
terel, and, after a running fight of 
one hour and 30 minutes, in the 






IVIarch. 22. NAVY. 445 


course of which the Peterel was 
exposed to the fke of a four-gun 
battery, the Ligurienne struck 
her colours, having had her com¬ 
mander and one seaman killed, 
and two men wounded. The ship, 
which was the Cerf of 14 guns, 
was totally wrecked.— 

1806. Colpoys at Avillas.— 
The hired armed 16-gun brig, Col¬ 
poys, with a crew of only 21 men 
and hoys, Lieut. Thomas Ussher, 
chased three Spanish lugers into 
the harbour of Avillas, coast of 
Spain, which took shelter under 
a battery of six guns. Just as 
the Colpoys got within range of 
the battery, it fell calm. Lieut. 
Ussher immediately pushed off 
with two boats, and, having out- 
pulled the other, he dashed along¬ 
side, and successively carried the 
three luggers, two of which 
mounted two guns each, — the 
crews, with the exception of 13 
men, quitting the vessels on his 
approach. The gallant exploit 
was accomplished with so small 
a loss as two men wounded on 
the part of the British. 

XVZarcli 22. 

1794. Surrender of Fort 
Bourbon. — It being determined 
to make an assault upon the town 
of Fort Royal by the forces under 
Vice-Adm. Sir John Jervis, the 
Asia, 64, and Zebra sloop, the 
latter commanded by Capt. Ro¬ 
bert Faulknor, w r ere ordered to 
cover the boats conveying the 
troops, while part of the army 
attacked the town in the rear. 
This plan of attack was put in 
execution on the 20th of March, 
and succeeded at every point, ex¬ 
cept that the Asia, from the in¬ 
capacity of the pilot, was unable 
to reach her station. Observing 
the Asia baffled in her attempt, 
Capt. Faulknor dashed singly on, 


and running the Zebra, in defiance 
of showers of grape, close to the 
wall of the fort, “ leaped over¬ 
board” (says Sir John Jervis in 
his despatch), “ at the head of his 
ship’s company, assailed and car¬ 
ried this important post, before 
the boats could reach the shore.” 
This, however, was not strictly 
the case. The boats commanded 
by Capts. Nugent and Riou, con¬ 
taining about 1200 men, pushed 
across the Carenage before the 
Zebra got in, stormed Fort Royal, 
and hoisted thereon the British 
colours. The unparalleled exploit 
of Capt. Faulknor produced an 
immediate effect upon Gen. Ro- 
chambeau at fort Bourbon, and 
he requested that commissioners 
might be sent to discuss the terms 
of surrender. These were pre¬ 
sently arranged, and on the 22nd 
the British colours were hoisted 
on fort Bourbon, the name of 
which was changed to fort George, 
and that of fort Louis to fort 
Edward. The loss of the navy 
during the siege amounted to 14 
killed and 28 wounded. —JJfUftal. 

1797. The boats of the 32-gun 
frigate Hermione, under Lieut. 
David Rich, attacked a brig and 
several smaller vessels at anchor 
between the islands of Zaccheo 
and Porto Rico. The frigate, an¬ 
choring within half a mile of a 
small battery, quickly silenced its 
fire; but the boats were still met ( 
by a formidable resistance from 
the crews of three French priva¬ 
teers. These, with their prizes, 
were all taken and destroyed, 
and, on the following day, the 
guns of the battery dismounted 
and spiked. No loss was sustained 
by the British. 

1808. The Danish 74-gun ship 
Prindts Christian Frederick, Capt. 
Jansen, was driven on shore near 
Greenall, on the coast of Jutland, 
by the 64-gun ships Stately and 







446 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


Itfarcli 25. 


Nassau, Captains George Parker 
and Robert Campbell. As soon 
as the prisoners could be removed, 
she was set on fire and destroyed. 
The loss of the Stately amounted 
to four men killed and 28 wound¬ 
ed. Nassau, two men killed and 
16 wounded. Prindts Christian 
had 55 men killed and 88 
wounded. 

1808. The 36-gun frigate Aigle, 
Capt. George Wolfe, in the night 
gave chase to two French fri¬ 
gates, and, assisted by the 74-gun 
ship Impetueux, Capt, J. Law- 
ford, drove on shore the 36-gun 
frigate Seine, on Pointe des 
Chats, near L’Orient. Capt. Wolfe 
and 22 men were wounded in 
this gallant encounter 

march 23. 

1704. Spanish 40-gun ships 
Porta Cceli and Santa Theresa, 
with a ship of 24 guns, captured 
off Cape Spartel by squadron 
under Rear-Admiral Dilkes. 

1804. The 18-gun sloop Osprey, 
Captain George Younghusband, 
cruising on the Windward-island 
station, brought to action the 
French 36-gun privateer Egyp- 
tienne, and continued the contest 
with great gallantry for one 
hour and twenty minutes, when 
the Egyptienne sheered off, and, 
before dark, was out of sight. 
The Osprey had one man killed 
and sixteen wounded. The ene¬ 
my, out of 248 men, had 8 killed 
and 19 wounded. See 25th 
March. 

march 24. 

1740. Attack op Chagre.— 
On the 22nd March, Vice-Adm. 
Vernon, with a squadron, arrived 
on the river Chagre ; and Captain 
Herbert, in the Norwich, 50, with 
the bomb-ketches, began to batter 


the castle of St. Lorenzo. The 
remainder of the ships soon 
joined in the cannonade until the 
morning of the 24th, when the 
Spaniards hung out a white flag, 
and the place was surrendered by 
capitulation. After embarking 
merchandise to the value of 
70,000/., besides treasure, the for¬ 
tifications were demolished, and 
the admiral put to sea with his 
squadron on the 30th. 

1811. Destruction op Ama- 
zone. —The French 40-gun fri¬ 
gate Amazone, being chased by 
the 74-gun ship Berwick, Capt. 
J. Macnamara, while making a 
second attempt to get from Havre 
to Cherbourg, anchored in a 
small bay, where she struck and 
lost her rudder. A small squa¬ 
dron having soon assembled, at 4h. 
p. m. stood in and cannonaded the 
frigate and batteries. On the 
following day, the attack was 
about to be renewed, when the 
Amazone was set on fire by her 
crew and destroyed. Berwick 
had one man killed; Amelia, 38, 
Captain Hon. F. P. Irby, one 
killed and one wounded. 

march 25. 

1689. The 36-gun frigate Non¬ 
such, Capt. R. Coyle, off Guern¬ 
sey, engaged two French ships, 
one mounting 30 and the other 
22 guns. Captain Coyle and the 
master being killed, and no lieu¬ 
tenant on board, Robert Sim- 
cock, the boatswain, took the 
command, and continued the ac¬ 
tion with such determination that 
both French ships were captured. 
Mr. Simcock, for his gallant con¬ 
duct, was promoted to the rank 
of captain, and appointed to com¬ 
mand the Nonsuch. 

1804. Hippomenes and Egyp¬ 
tienne. — In the forenoon, the 
14-gun brig Hippomenes (ten 








NAVY. 


ZVXarch 26. 


long 12- and two long 8-pounders, 
and two 24-pounder can'onades), 
Capt. Conway Shipley, on the 
Windward-island station, fell in 
with the French frigate-built pri¬ 
vateer Egyptienne, of 36 guns, 
which had sustained an action 
with the 18-gun sloop Osprey on 
the 23rd. After a chase of 54 
hours and a running tight of 
three hours and 2’0 minutes, the 
Egyptienne hauled down her co¬ 
lours as soon as the Hippomenes 
got fairly alongside, Mr. John 
Lloyd, master’s mate, was the 
only person wounded. 

rvlareli 26. 

1806. Capture of Phaeton 
AND VOLTIGEUR. — At llh. A.M., 
the 36-gun frigate Pique, Capt. 
Charles B. H. Ross, while crossing 
from St. Domingo to Curayoa, 
chased the two French 16-gun 
brigs Phaeton and Voltigeur. At 
2h. p.m. the Pique brought the 
brigs to close action; and after 
the firing had continued 20 
minutes, the Phaeton having had 
her gaff shot away, fell on board 
the frigate. In an instant, Lieuts. 
William Ward and Philip PI. 
Baker, Mr. John Thompson (the 
master), and Lieut. Henry Craig 
of the marines, with 25 men, 
jumped on the brig’s deck, and the 
Pique sheering off, made sail 
after the Voltigeur. No sooner 
had the boarding party stepped 
upon the decks of the Phaeton, 
than a great portion of the crew 
rushed from under the fore and 
half mainsail, and opened a de¬ 
structive fire, killing Mr. Thomp¬ 
son and eight seamen, and wound¬ 
ing Lieuts. Ward, Baker, and 
Craig, and 11 seamen and ma¬ 
rines. On observing the struggle, 
the Pique threw all aback, and 
sent a boat with a reinforcement, 
which, uniting with the survivors, 


447 


soon compelled the enemy to call 
for quarter. The Pique again 
made sail and succeeded in cap¬ 
turing the Voltigeur. The prizes 
were named Mignonne and Mu¬ 
sette in the British navy. —;£H ctfill. 

1814. Sultane, French 44-gun 
frigate, taken by Hannibal, 74, 
Capt. Sir Michael Seymour, near 
the Isle de Bas. 

XVIarcli 27. 

1759. Due de Chartres cap¬ 
tured.— The 60-gun ship Wind¬ 
sor, Capt. Samuel Faulkner, while 
cruising off the Rock of Lisbon, 
chased four sail to leeward. The 
strangers, three of which were 
ships of the line, having formed 
in line ahead, Captain Faulkner 
gallantly brought the rearmost 
ship to action. The three head¬ 
most then made sail away from 
their consort, who, after a short 
defence, and the loss of 28 killed 
and 18 wounded, hauled down 
her colours. The prize proved to 
be the Due de Chartres, 60-gun 
ship en flute; and her consorts, a 
74- and a 54-gun ship, without 
their lower deck-guns, and a 26- 
gun ship, mounting 18 guns. The 
Windsor had one man killed and 
6 wounded. 

1811. Defeat of Danes at 
Anholt. —The island of Anholt, 
in the Cattegat, garrisoned by 
380 marines, under Capt. Robert 
Torrens, commanded by Captain 
Wilkes Maurice, R.N., the go¬ 
vernor of the island, was attacked 
at 4h. a.m. by upwards of 1000 
Danish troops disembarked from 
a flotilla of 12 transports and 12 
gun-boats. As the day opened, 
the Danes took post on the 
northern side of the island, under 
shelter of the sand-hills, and 
shortly afterwards made an as¬ 
sault on the British force. The 
incessant fire from the batteries 







448 CALENDAR 


and from the Anholt schooner, 
anchored close to the shore, drove 
the enemy from their shelter of 
the sand-hills; and who, finding 
it impossible to advance or re¬ 
treat, hung out a flag of truce, 
offering to submit upon certain 
terms; but nothing less than un¬ 
conditional surrender was ac¬ 
cepted. Upon this the troops on 
the south side, finding no means 
of retreat, also laid down their 
arms. The flotilla was pursued 
by the Tartar frigate and Shel¬ 
drake hrig, and the principal part 
captured or destroyed. The 
Danes sustained a loss of 35 
killed and 23 wounded, and 520 
prisoners ; whilst the British had 
only 2 men killed, Capt. Torrens 
and 30 wounded.— jHctral. 

1814. Hebrus and Etoile.— 
On the 26th, at 9h. a.m., the 
French 44-gun frigates Sultane 
and Etoile, being about 12 leagues 
from the isle of Bas, fell in with 
the 36-gun frigate Hebrus 
(mounting 42 guns), Capt. Ed¬ 
mund Palmer, and 16-gun brig 
Sparrow, Capt. F. E. Loch. At 
9h. 40m., as the fog cleared up, 
the 74-gun ship Hannibal, Capt. 
Sir Michael Seymour, came down 
under a press of sail, and pursued 
the Sultane, while the Hebrus 
followed the Etoile. About mid¬ 
night the Etoile reached the race 
of Alderney, and, at lh. 45m., as 
she rounded Pointe Jobourg, 
opened her fire. This was quickly 
returned by the Hebrus, as she 
passed under the stern of the 
Etoile, so closely that her jib- 
boom was over the French fri¬ 
gate’s taffrail, while the land was 
within musket-shot of the star¬ 
board beam. It falling calm, the 
two ships remained nearly station¬ 
ary during the remainder of the 
action, which lasted until 4h. 
p.m.; when the Etoile, having 
lost her mizen-masb ceased firing, 


OF VICTORY. ZVKarcIi 28 . 


and hailed to say she had struck. 
Out of a crew of 284 men and 
boys, the Hebrus had one mid¬ 
shipman (P. A. Crawley) and 12 
men killed, and 25 wounded. The 
Etoile had 40 men killed and 73 
wounded, out of a complement of 
325 men.— iHctral. 

ZVlarcli 28. 

1759. Capture of Melampe. 
—The 32-gun frigate Southamp¬ 
ton and 36-gun frigate Melampe, 
Captains James Gilchrist and 
William Hotham, cruising in the 
North Sea, chased two French 
40-gun frigates. The Melampe 
taking the lead, was engaged 
single-handed for more than 40 
minutes with the two strangers, 
until she was so much cut up in 
her sails and rigging that she 
dropped astern. The Southamp¬ 
ton arriving up, brought the 
Danae to close action, which was 
warmly maintained until the 
Melampe, after repairing her 
damages, was about to renew her 
fire, when the Danae surrendered. 
Out of a crew of 330 men, she 
had her captain, and first lieu¬ 
tenant, and 30 men killed, and 
40 wounded. The Melampe sus¬ 
tained a loss of eight men killed 
and 20 wounded; and the South¬ 
ampton one killed and eight 
wounded, — among the latter, her 
gallant captain. The Danae was 
commissioned under the same 
name. 

1806. French 18-gun corvette, 
Nearque, captured, after a long 
chase off" the Glenans, by the 
Niobe, 38, Capt. J. W. Loring, in 
presence of a squadron of very 
superior force, when she was 
carried by boarding, the party 
having been led by Lieut. Bar¬ 
rington Reynolds. 

1814. American 32-gun frigate 
Essex, mounting 46 guns, cap- 










NAVY. 


March 30. 


tured near Valparaiso, by 36-gun 
frigate Phoebe, mounting 24 guns, 
Capt. James Hillyar, and Cherub, 
26, Capt. T. T. Tucker, after a 
short defence, in which she had 
24 men killed and 45 wounded. 
Phoebe, 4 killed, 7 wounded. 
Cherub, 1 killed, Capt. Tucker 
(severely) and 2 men wounded.— 
J&etral. 

March 29. 

1795. Jean Bart, 18, captured 
by Cerberus, 32, Capt. Drew, in 
the Channel. 

1797. General, 18, captured 
by Kingfisher, 18, Capt. Bligh, off 
Oporto. 

1797. Amitie, 14, captured by 
Plymouth lugger, 10, Lieut. El¬ 
liott, near Alderney. 

March 30. 

Reduction of Cartiiagena. 
— Continuing the operations be¬ 
fore Carthagena, as detailed on 
9th March, on the 19th the storm¬ 
ing party, under Capts. E. Bos- 
cawen, James Laws, and Thomas 
Cotes, carried the batteries on 
the Barradera side, spiked the 
guns, and destroyed the maga¬ 
zines, &c. Early on the morning 
of the 23rd, Commodore Lestock, 
in the Boyne, 80, Princess Ame¬ 
lia, 80, Prince Frederick, 70, 
Hampton Court, 70, Suffolk, 70, 
and Tilbury, 60, took their sta¬ 
tions abreast of the ships inside the 
boom. The cannonade continued 
during the day; but the ships had 
suffered so much that they were 
withdrawn towards evening. On 
the 25th the troops stormed and 
carried fort St. Louis, and Capt. 
Charles Knowles landed and car¬ 
ried fort St. Josef. Leaving 
Capt. Cotes in possession, he 
then, with Capt. Watson, got in¬ 
side the boom and captured the 
Gallicia, 70. The boom was next 


449 


destroyed; and thus were the 
principal obstacles to the advance 
of the fleet removed; but sick¬ 
ness among the troops, and the 
want of accord in the command¬ 
ers, caused the failure of this 
expedition. On the 30th March, 
the fleet having entered the har¬ 
bour, the Spaniards, at their ap¬ 
proach, abandoned the fort, and 
sunk their remaining ships; but 
here the success terminated. 

1779. The 12-gun cutter, Kite, 
Lieut. Henry Trollope, cruising 
off Portland, had sustained con¬ 
siderable damage from the fire of 
a French frigate, when a pri¬ 
vateer brig of 18 guns bore down 
upon her, and brought her to 
action. Lieut. Trollope attacked 
his new opponent, and in a short 
time shot away her mainmast, 
and killed a great many of her 
crew. The Kite was, however, 
so much disabled in the two 
actions she had sustained, that 
she was unable to follow up her 
success. 

1813. Batteries at Morgion 
destroyed. — The boats of the 
38-gun frigates Undaunted and 
Volontaire, and 18-gun brig Red¬ 
wing, under the orders of Lieut. 
Isaac Shaw, assisted by Lieuts. 
of Marines William Burton and 
Harry Hunt, proceeded to the 
attack of 14 vessels lying in the 
harbour of Morgion, situated be¬ 
tween Marseilles and Toulon. 
On the 31st, early in the morn¬ 
ing, the British landed at Sourion, 
and, marching over the hills, at 
daylight carried the two bat¬ 
teries, after a slight resistance by 
40 soldiers stationed in them. 
Five 36-pounders in one, and 
two 24-pounders in the other, 
were thrown into the sea, a mor¬ 
tar spiked, and all the ammuni¬ 
tion destroyed. The boats under 
Lieut. Dey Richard Seyer, al¬ 
though opposed b.y two field- 


* G G 










450 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. 


March 31 




pieces, brought out eleven vessels 
and destroyed three others. This 
was accomplished with so slight 
a loss as one man killed and four 
wounded. 

XVlarch 31. 

1800. Capture of Guillaume 
Tell.— French 84-gun ship Guil¬ 
laume Tell, bearing the ilag of 
Rear-Admiral Deeres, in endea¬ 
vouring, on 30th March, to escape 
from Malta, where she had taken 
refuge in her flight from the 
battle of the Nile, was brought to 
action at about half an hour after 
midnight, by Penelope, 36, Capt. 
H. Blackwood, who continued 
gallantly to harass the enemy, 
until 5h. 30m. a.m., when the 
Lion, 64, Capt. M. Dixon, ranging 
up to leeward, discharged her 
broadside ; then luffing to across 
the enemy’s bows, fell on board, 
and carried away the Guillaume 
Tell’s jib-boom. In this position, 
aided occasionally by the Penelope, 
she continued for upwards of 15 
minutes, when the two ships 
swang clear; and the Lion, much 
cut up in sails and rigging, drop¬ 
ped astern. At about 6h. a. m. , the 
Foudroyant, 80, Capt. Sir Edward 
Berry, under a press of sail, came 
up on the starboard side of the 
Guillaume Tell, hailing the 
French ship to surrender, and at 
the same time poured in her 
powerful broadside. The fire 
was returned with so much effect, 
that the Foudroyant’s fore-top¬ 
mast, main-topsail-yard, jib-boom 
and spritsail-yard were shot 
away, and her courses cut into 
shreds. Thus crippled, she drop¬ 
ped astern, leaving the Lion upon 
her opponent’s larboard beam and 
the Penelope on her quarter. At 
6h. 30m., the Guillaume Tell’s 
main and mizen masts fell ovei 
the side; and the Foudroyant, 


having cleared her own wreck, 
resumed her position on the 
enemy’s starboard quarter. At 
8h., the French ship’s foremast 
falling over the side, she became 
an unmanageable hulk, rolling 
her lower-deck ports under water; 
and at 8h. 20m., finding further 
resistance unavailing, this nobly 
fought ship struck her colours, 
having sustained a loss of up¬ 
wards of 200 killed and wounded 
in her heroic defence. The Foud¬ 
royant had 8 killed, her captain 
and 63 wounded ; Lion, 8 killed, 
38 wounded; Penelope, 1 killed, 
3 wounded — JHetfat. 

1804. Capture ofAtalante. 

On the 28th, the 18-gun brig 
Scorpion, Capt. George Nicholas 
Ilardinge, discovered two Dutch 
corvettes at anchor in the Vlie 
passage into the Texel. On the 
31 st the 14-gun ship-sloop Beaver, 
Capt. Charles Pelly, joined com¬ 
pany; and, it having been re¬ 
solved to make an attack upon 
the outermost brig, at 9h. 30m. 
p.m. three boats from the Scor¬ 
pion and two from the Beaver, 
under Capt, Pelly, the whole led 
by Capt. Ilardinge, pushed off to 
the attack. At about 10b. 30m. 
the boats arrived alongside the 
Atalante, of 16 long 12-pounders 
and 76 men, which, although 
fully prepared for the assault, 
was carried after a short but se¬ 
vere conflict. Capt, Hardinge 
was the first man upon the ene¬ 
my’s deck, promptly supported 
by his gallant followers. The 
Dutch did not surrender until 
the captain and three men were 
killed, and three officers and 
eight seamen wounded. Of the 
60 men and officers employed in 
this dashing enterprise, one lieu¬ 
tenant (B. S. Bluett), the master 
(W. Williams), one midshipman 
(E. Jones), and two seamen were 
wounded.—iTtrtfal. 


! 


i 















April X. 


NAVY. 


451 


1804. Lieut. James Boxer, in 
command of a division of boats, 
cut out from the Texel the Dutch 
guard-vessel Schrik, mounting 
six guns and 94 men. 

April 1. 

1761. Isis and Oriflamme.— 
The 50-gun ship Isis, Captain 
Edward Wheeler, being on a 
cruise off Cape Tres Forcas, Me¬ 
diterranean, chased the French 
50-gun ship Oriflamme, but 
mounting only 14 18-pounders 
and 26 long 12-pounders. At 
6h. f.m. the enemy was brought 
to action, and a running fight 
kept up until lOh. 30m.. In the 
early part of the engagement, 
Captain Wheeler was killed, and 
the command devolved on Lieut. 
Cunningham, who, in order to 
prevent the Oriflamme getting in 
under the Spanish shore, ran her 
on board and compelled her to 
haul down her colours, she hav¬ 
ing sustained a loss of 50 men 
killed and wounded. The loss 
of the Isis amounted to three 
killed and nine wounded. 

1809. Mercury at Rovigno. 
— In the evening, the boats of 
the 28-gun frigate Mercury, Capt. 
the Hon. H. Duncan, were des¬ 
patched under the orders of Lieut. 
Watkin Owen Pell, to cut out 
from the port of Rovigno, on the 
coast of Istria, two gun-boats 
moored close to two heavy bat¬ 
teries. After dark, the boats 
pulled into the harbour, the en¬ 
trance to which was not more 
than 100 yards wide, and, under 
a heavy fire of great guns and 
musketry, boarded and carried 
the gun-boat Leda, of one 24- 
pounder and six large swivels. 
The prize was towed out under 
the additional fire of five guns, 
mounted upon an island, which 
it was intended to have stormed. 


The British had one seaman 
killed, and Lieut. Pell, who had 
previously lost a leg in the ser¬ 
vice, wounded severely in two 
places, and three seamen wound¬ 
ed slightly. 

April 2. 

1801. Battle of Copenhagen. 
—On 13th March, a fleet of 18 
sail of the line, with frigates, 
bomb-vessels, &c., under Adm. 
Sir Hyde Parker, passed the bat¬ 
teries of Elsineur without sus¬ 
taining any loss, and anchored 
about 15 miles from Copenhagen. 
After reconnoitring the enemy’s 
defences, a council of war was 
held on board the London, at 
which it was urged to delay the 
attack; but Lord Nelson pre¬ 
vailed, and offered to carrv the 
business through with 10 sail of 
the line and all the smaller vessels. 
This proposal was accepted by 
Sir Hyde Parker, who added the 
two 50-gun ships to the force 
demanded, which now consisted 
as follows:—Elephant, 74, Vice- 
Admiral (B.) Lord Nelson, K. B.; 
Defiance, 74, Rear-Admiral (W.) 
Thomas Graves; Edgar, 74, Mon¬ 
arch, 74, Bellona, 74, Ganges, 74, 
Russel, 74, Agamemnon, 64, Ar¬ 
dent, 64, Polyphemus, 64, Glatton, 
50, Isis, 50. Frigates: — Ama¬ 
zon, 38, Desiree, 36, Blanche, 36, 
Alcmene, 32, Jamaica, 24, Ar¬ 
row, 24, Dart, 24, with 7 bombs, 2 
fire-ships, and several smaller ves¬ 
sels. In front of the city, with 
the King’s Channel intervening, 
about three quarters of a mile 
wide, the Danes had moored fif¬ 
teen floating batteries mounting 
altogether 628 guns, with 4819 
men. At the northern extremity 
of the line, which extended a 
mile and a half, were the Tre- 
kroner batteries, on pile-formed 
islands, one mounting 30 long 


G G 2 













452 CALENDAR 


24-pounders, and the other 38 
long 36-pounders, with furnaces 
for heating shot. Both these 
batteries were flanked by two 74- 
gun ships, a 46-gun frigate, and 
several smaller ships of Avar not 
included in the foregoing state¬ 
ment; and on the island of Amag, 
to the southward of the line, were 
several gun and mortar batteries. 
The day of the 2nd of April 
opened with a favourable or 
south-easterly wind. At 9h. 
30m. the signal Avas made to 
Aveigh. The Edgar led. The Aga¬ 
memnon, after making tAVO or 
three attempts to round the shoal, 
was compelled to bring up again 
in nearly the same spot she had 
quitted. The Polyphemus, there¬ 
fore, became the second ship; 
then the Isis, but the Bellona, 
unfortunately, grounded abreast 
of, and about 450 yards distant 
from, the rear of the Danish line; 
and the Russel, closely folloAving 
her, also grounded, with her jib- 
boom almost over the Bellona’s 
taffrail. The Elephant Avas the 
next ship, and Lord Nelson, on 
seeing the situation of the Russel, 
in opposition to the direction of the 
pilots, ordered the helm to be put 
to starboard, and passed to the 
westward and on the larboard side 
of the Bellona, as did all the ships 
astern of the Elephant. At about 
lOh. a. m. the cannonade com¬ 
menced ; but the ships principally 
engaged for the first half-hour Avere 
the Polyphemus, Isis, Edgar, 
Monarch and Ardent. At about 
llh. 30m. the Glatton, Elephant, 
Ganges, and Defiance, as well as 
many of the smaller vessels, had 
reached their several stations; 
and the Desiree, by taking a 
raking position ahead of the Pro- 
vosteen, drew part of her atten¬ 
tion from the Isis, Avhich ship, 
hoAvever, suffered most severely. 
The absence of the Bellona, Rus¬ 


OF VICTORY. April 2. 


sel, and Agamemnon, occasioned 
several of the British ships to 
contend with more than one op¬ 
ponent. The Amazon suffered 
severely; for Capt. Riou, Avith his 
little squadron, had gallantly 
taken a position right against 
the Trekroner batteries. The 
battle had continued three hours, 
and few, if any, of the Danish 
ships had ceased firing. On the 
other hand, the signal of distress 
Avas flying on board the Bellona 
and Russel, and the Agamemnon 
had made the signal of inability. 
The Veteran, Defiance, and Ra- 
millies, had been detached to re¬ 
inforce Lord Nelson ; but their 
progress Avas so sIoav that Sir 
Hyde Parker Avas induced to or¬ 
der the signal to be made to dis¬ 
continue the action. The firing 
of the Danes began to slacken at 
lh. 30m. p.m., and at 2h. p.m. it 
had ceased in all the ships astern 
of the 74-gun ship Zealand ; but 
none of the \ r essels Avould alloAv 
the British to take possession, 
and as the boats approached for 
that purpose they Avere fired at 
by the Danish crews, which Avere 
continually reinforced from the 
shore. This extraordinary mode 
of warfare so irritated Lord Nel¬ 
son that he was half induced to 
order in the fire-ships to burn 
the surrendered vessels. As a 
preliminary measure, however, 
his lordship Avrote the celebrated 
letter to the Prince of Denmark, 
wherein he says:—“Vice-Ad¬ 
miral Lord Nelson has been com¬ 
manded to spare Denmark when 
she no longer resists. The line 
of defence Avhich covered her 
shores has struck to the British 
flag ; but if the firing is continued 
on the part of Denmark, he must 
set on fire all the prizes that he 
has taken, Avithout having the 
poAver of saving the men who 
have so nobly defended them. 






NAVY. 


April 3. 


The brave Danes are the bro¬ 
thers, and should never be the 
enemies, of the English.” This 
letter was despatched by Captain 
Sir Frederick Thesiger, who de¬ 
livered it to the Crown Prince at 
the Sally-port. In the meantime 
the cannonade was continued by 
the Defiance, Monarch, and 
Ganges, which in a short time 
silenced the fire of the resisting 
ships, whose case was rendered 
hopeless by the near approach of 
the Defiance, Ramillies, and Ve¬ 
teran, from the division of Sir 
Hyde Parker. The great Crown 
battery having been reinforced 
with 1500 men, nevertheless still 
continued its fire. It was now 
deemed advisable to withdraw 
the ships while the wind con¬ 
tinued fair. Preparations were 
making for carrying this into 
effect, when the Danish Adjut.- 
Gen. Lindholm appeared, bearing 
a flag of truce, upon which, the 
action which had continued 
without interruption for five 
hours, totally ceased. While ne¬ 
gotiations were pending, the 
British ships were moved from 
their stations in the line, in do¬ 
ing which several grounded, and 
the Elephant and Defiance re¬ 
mained fast for several hours, at 
about a mile from the Trekroner 
battery. The loss sustained by 
the British amounted to 255 
killed and 688 wounded. The 
Danish loss, according to the 
lowest estimate, amounted to be¬ 
tween 1600 and 1800 in killed 
and wounded.—iHcttal. 

April 3. 

1762. — The 28-gun frigate 
Hussar, Capt. Robert Carket, at¬ 
tacked four French privateers, 
anchored under fort Tiburon, and 
after obliging the crews to aban¬ 
don their vessels, succeeded in 


453 


capturing and bringing out one 
of 16 and another of 12 guns, and 
destroying the other two. The 
Plussar had only one man killed 
and 12 wounded; whilst the ene¬ 
my sustained a loss of 17 killed 
and 35 wounded. 

1801. The 36-gun frigate Trent, 
laying at anchor off the isles of 
Brehat, despatched her boats, 
under the orders of Lieut. George 
Chamberlayne, to attack a French 
cutter and lugger, with a ship 
steering towards Plampoul. On 
seeing this, several boats put off 
from the shore and took the ship 
in tow. The lugger, as well as 
the boats, were driven on shore 
under the batteries, and the ship 
boarded by Lieuts. Chamberlayne 
and Tait, but the crew had de¬ 
serted her. Two seamen were 
killed, and Lieut. Tait, of the 
marines, lost his leg. 

1813. Capture of American 
Gun-vessels. — The San Do¬ 
mingo, 74, bearing the flag of 
Rear-Admiral Sir John Warren, 
with Marlborough, 74, Maidstone, 
and Statira frigates, Fantome and 
Mohawk sloops, had arrived 
abreast of Rappanhock, in their 
way up the Chesapeake on 3rd 
April, when five large armed 
schooners were chased into the 
river. It now falling calm, the 
boats of the squadron, containing 
105 officers and men, under the 
orders of Lieut. James Poiking- 
horne, were immediately de¬ 
tached in pursuit. After rowing 
15 miles, the four schooners were 
discovered drawn up in line 
ahead, consisting of the Arab, 
7 guns and 45 men; Lynx, 6 guns 
and 40 men ; Racer, 6 guns and 
36 men; and Dolphin, 12 guns 
and 98 men, fully prepared to 
resist an attack. Nothing daunted 
by this formidable array, Lieut. 
Polkinghorne dashed boldly for¬ 
ward. The Arab was boarded 


G G 3 












r 

454 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 5. 


and carried by the two boats 
from the Marlborough; the Lynx 
hauled down her colours as the 
San Domingo’s pinnace arrived 
alongside; and the Racer was 
carried by Lieut. Polkinghorne, 
after a sharp resistance. The 
guns of the Racer were then 
turned upon the Dolphin, which 
was gallantly boarded and carried 
by the Statira’s cutter and Maid¬ 
stone’s launch. The loss sustained 
by the British amounted to two 
men killed, Lieut. Polkinghorne 
and 10 wounded. The loss of 
the Americans was 6 men killed, 
10 wounded.—JHctfilL 

April 4. 

1759. Achilles and Flo¬ 
rentine. — The 60-gun ship 
Achilles, Capt. the Hon. Samuel 
Barrington, cruising to the west¬ 
ward of Cape Finisterre, captured 
the French privateer Comte de 
Florentine, of 60 guns and 483 
men, commanded by the Sieur 
de Montenay, after an action of 
two hours. The Florentine was 
totally dismasted, and had her 
captain and 116 men killed and 
wounded. The Achilles had only 
two men killed and 22 wounded. 

1760. The Flamborough, 24, 
and Bideford, 20, Capts. Archi¬ 
bald Kennedy and Launcelot 
Skynner, sustained a gallant ac¬ 
tion with the French 36-gun 
frigate Malicieuse and 32-gun 
frigate Opale. At 7h. p. m. 
the enemy bore down to the at¬ 
tack. Captain Skynner, of the 
Bideford, was killed soon after 
the action commenced, and Lieut. 
Knollis, who had bravely sup¬ 
plied his place, fell mortally 
wounded. The master, Thomas 
Stacey, then took the command, 
and continued nobly to fight the 
ship until 9h. p. m., when the 
enemy made sail ahead. The 


British ships, after repairing their 
damages, renewed the action at 
about lOh. p. m., which had con¬ 
tinued an hour, when the French 
ships made sail and escaped. 
The Flamborough had 5 killed 
and ten wounded; Capt. Skynner 
and eight men were killed on 
board the Bideford, Lieut. Knollis 
(mortally) and 24 men wounded. 

1808. Defeat of Spanish 
Flotilla. — The 38-gun frigate 
Alceste, Capt. Murray Maxell, 
28-gun frigate Mercury, James 
A. Gordon, and 18-gun brig 
Grasshopper, Thomas Searle, 
lying at anchor about three miles 
from St. Sebastian’s lighthouse, 
near Cadiz, at 3h. p.m. made sail 
in pursuit of a large convoy, 
under the protection of 20 gun¬ 
boats and a train of flying artil¬ 
lery. The boats of the frigates, 
under the orders of Lieut. A. 
Stewart, were now despatched 
to attack the convoy, and, not¬ 
withstanding the heavy fire kept 
up by the batteries as well as 
from the gun-boats, succeeded in 
capturing seven tartans, destroy¬ 
ing two gun-boats, and driving 
several others on shore. This 
occurred in sight of 11 sail of 
the line in the harbour of Cadiz, 
and was accomplished with the 
comparatively trifling loss of one 
man mortally, and two slightly 
wounded. — iHctral. 

April 5. 

1387. Flemish Fleet de¬ 
feated. — The Earl of Arundel 
sailed in quest of a large fleet of 
Flemish, French, and Spanish 
ships, under the command of Sir 
John de Bucq, laden with wine, 
on its passage from Rochelle to 
Sluys. On Sunday, 5th April, the 
Flemish fleet, consisting of one 
hundred sail, was furiously at¬ 
tacked, and, after a hardly fought 







NAVY. 


April 6. 


battle, completely defeated; 
eighty ships were captured, and 
some that escaped, being pursued, 
were taken on the 7th, and 
brought into the fleet. The battle 
lasted during three tides, and 
many ships were sunk by pointed 
iron bolts, which were thrown 
from the tops of their opponents 
and fell through their bottoms. 
The prizes were sent to Orwell 
and other ports ; and when the 
citizens of Middleburgh offered 
to purchase the wine, Arundel 
told them that it was fairer that 
those who had borne the expense 
of the expedition should enjoy 
it, namely, the Commons of 
England. “But,” he generously 
added, “as ye are friends, and 
come from a distance, we will 
give you twenty tons, that ye 
may not return altogether empty 
handed.” 

1805. The 22-gun ship Bac¬ 
chante, Capt. Charles Dashwood, 
was cruising off the island of 
Cuba, when information was re¬ 
ceived that three French priva¬ 
teers were lying in the small 
harbour of Mariel, defended by 
a round tower, 40 feet high, 
mounting three long 24-pounders. 
In the evening, two boats were 
despatched, containing 35 men, 
commanded by Lieuts. Thomas 
Oliver and John Campbell. 
Leaving Midshipman de Courcy 
and three men in the boat, Lieut. 
Oliver, with 13 men, rushed to 
the foot of the tower, which he 
carried, although garrisoned by 
a Spanish captain and 30 soldiers, 
of whom two were killed and 
three wounded. The privateers 
having sailed on the previous 
day, the British took possession 
of two laden schooners, which 
they brought away in spite of a 
heavy fire of musketry from the 
troops and militia. 


455 


April 6. 

1797. Boats of Magicienne, 32, 
and Regulus, 44, under the orders 
of Lieut. John Maples, captured 
and destx-oyed 13 sail of square 
rigged vessels, and demolished 
two batteries in the harbour of 
Cape Roxo, St. Domingo, without 
sustaining any loss. 

1800. Capture of Anglese. 
—The 74-gun ships Leviathan, 
bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral 
J. T. Duckworth, and Swiftsure, 
with the 36-gun frigate Emerald, 
cruising off Cadiz, fell in with a 
Spanish convoy of 13 sail, under 
three frigates. At 3h. a.m. on 
the 6th, the Emerald captured a 
ship of ten guns; but at daybreak 
the remainder of the convoy were 
out of sight, with the exception 
of a brig which lay becalmed. 
The boats of the Leviathan and 
Emerald, under the orders of 
Lieut. Mark Gregory, being sent 
in pursuit, after a contest of 40 
minutes, the Anglese, of 14-guns 
and 46 men, was carried without 
any loss. 

1806. Capture of Tapageuse. 
—On 5th April, the 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Pallas, Capt. Lord Cochrane, 
soon after dark despatched her 
boats under the command of 
Lieut. John Hansell, to attack 
two French brig-corvettes lying 
in the river Gironde, 20 miles 
above the shoals, and within two 
heavy batteries. At 3h. a.m. on 
the 6th, the British boarded, and, 
in spite of a determined resist¬ 
ance, carried the Tapageuse, of 
14 long 8-pounders and 95 men, 
fully prepared for the attack, with 
the loss of 3 men wounded. On 
the same morning, while the 
Pallas was waiting the return of 
her boats, two ships and a brig 
were observed coming down to¬ 
wards her. The Pallas was soon 


G G 4 









( 

456 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 7. 


under way, and, notwithstanding 
her reduced complement, drove 
on shore the two French 20- 
gun ship-corvettes Garonne and 
Gloire, and the 16-gun brig 
Malicieuse. The masts of all 
these vessels shortly afterwards 
went by the board, and their hulls 
were involved in a sheet of spray, 
1809. Amethyst and Niemen. 
—The 36-gun frigate Amethyst, 
mounting 42 guns, Capt. Michael 
Seymour, cruising olf Bordeaux, 
in company with the 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Emerald, discovered and 
chased the French 40-gun frigate 
Niemen, Capt. Dupotel. Captain 
Seymour, concluding that the 
stranger would resume her course 
to the westward, at 9h. p.m. bore 
up south-west, under easy sail ; 
and at 9h. 40m. the object of his 
pursuit was discovered on the 
weather-beam. At llh. 30m., the 
Amethyst opened her tire, and at 
lb. 15m. a.m. on the 6th closed 
upon the Niemen’s larboard quar¬ 
ter. After an exchange of broad¬ 
sides, the latter wore and hauled 
up north-west, pursued by the 
Amethyst, who at lh. 45m. ranged 
close alongside of her opponent to 
windward. After an exchange of 
broadsides, the Amethyst bore up 
across the bows of her opponent, 
and then hauled up on the same 
tack under the French frigate’s 
starboard and lee bow. At 
2h. 45m., the Niemen bore away 
south-west; but at 3h. a.m. the 
Amethyst ranged up on her lar¬ 
board and weather beam. At 
3h. 15m., her mizen-mast and 
main-topmast were shot away, 
and the ship having caught lire 
in the main-top, offered a very 
ineffectual return to the animated 
fire maintained by the British fri¬ 
gate. At 3h. 25m., the enemy’s 
fire having discontinued, the Ame¬ 
thyst was in the act of bringing 
to, on her opponent’s lee quarter, 


when her mainmast came down, 
carrying with it the mizen-mast. 
Nearly at the same time the 
mainmast of the Niemen went 
by the board; both ships then 
paid round off before the wind. 
Just at this moment the 38-gun 
frigate Arethusa, Capt. Robert 
Mends, joined from the eastward, 
and the Niemen soon afterwards 
surrendered. The Amethyst hav¬ 
ing two lieutenants and 37 men 
absent, her crew consisted of 222 
men and boys. Of that number 
eight were killed; both lieutenants 
of marines, the boatswain, and 34 
men wounded. The Niemen, out 
of 319, had 47 men killed and 73 
wounded. Capt. Seymour was 
made a baronet, and Lieut. Wil¬ 
liam Hill promoted to the rank of 
commander. — iHrtral. 

April 7. 

1799. Sortie from Acre.— 
Although the guns recently cap¬ 
tured from the French squadron, 
and which had been admirably 
mounted under the direction of 
Col. Phelipeaux and Capt. Wil- 
mot, of the Alliance, appeared to 
slacken the efforts of the enemy, 
yet much danger was appre¬ 
hended from the mine. A sortie 
was therefore determined upon, 
and the seamen and marines of 
the squadron were to force their 
way into the mine, while the 
Turkish troops attacked the ene¬ 
my’s trenches on the right and 
left. Just before daybreak, the 
columns moved to the attack, but 
the impetuosity and noise of the 
Turks rendered abortive the at¬ 
tempt to surprise the besiegers ; 
yet in other respects the Mahome¬ 
tans performed their part to ad¬ 
miration. Lieut. J. W. Wright, 
whilst leading the seamen pio¬ 
neers, received two balls in his 
arm; nevertheless he proceeded 










April 8. 


NAVY. 


457 


to the bottom of the mine, and 
pulling down the supporters, de¬ 
stroyed all that could be effected. 
The marines under Major Dou¬ 
glas, were highly distinguished in 
this enterprise, — ably supporting 
the navy in the desperate service, 
and in bringing off the wounded 
under a tremendous fire from the 
enemy. Major T. Oldfield and 
two private marines were killed; 
Lieut. Wright, lieutenant of ma¬ 
rines George Beatty, 2 midship¬ 
men and 19 men wounded. The 
return of the detachment to the 
garrison was ably covered by the 
fire of the Theseus, 74. The 
Turks, as proof of their prowess, 
brought in sixty Frenchmen’s 
heads, and a number of muskets 
and intrenching tools. 

1800. Capture of Carmen 

AND FlORENTINA. — At 2 A.M. Oil 
the 7th April, the squadron under 
Rear-Admiral Duckworth, men¬ 
tioned in the preceding column, 
discovered seven sail, three of 
which were ascertained to be 
frigates. At dawn of day the 
Emerald and Leviathan bore 
down upon the strangers, who 
proved to be the Spanish 34-gun 
frigates Carmen and Florentina. 
The Leviathan engaged the near¬ 
est, and the Emerald, passing on 
in pursuit, closed with the lee- 
wardmost. The two became so 
disabled in their sails and rigging, 
that, after firing a few straggling 
shot, both frigates hauled down 
their colours. The Emerald 
pushed on in chase of the third 
frigate, but, appearing to lose 
ground in the pursuit, was re¬ 
called, to secure as many as pos¬ 
sible of the convoy; four of which 
were secured before dark. The 
74 then stood after the fugitive 
frigate; but the latter had by this 
time so increased her distance, 
that the Leviathan relinguished 
the chase, and proceeded with the 


prizes to Gibraltar. As a proof 
that the Carmen and Florentina, 
had not surrendered without 
making an honourable resistance, 
the first, out of a crew of 340, 
had 11 men killed and 16 wound¬ 
ed. The second, out of 314, had 
12 killed and 12 wounded. Each 
of the prizes had on board 500 
quintals of quicksilver for the use 
of the mines at Lima. 

April 8. 

1814. On 7th April, six boats 
containing 136 men, were des¬ 
patched from the Ilogue, 74, 
Endymion and Maidstone fri¬ 
gates, and 14-gun brig Boxer, 
under the orders of Capt. Richard 
Coote, to attempt the capture or 
destruction of some American 
vessels near Pettipague point, 
about 15 miles up Connecticut 
river. On the 8th, the boats 
reached the point, and, after a 
slight skirmish with some militia, 
destroyed all the vessels, 27 in 
number, afloat, or on the stocks 
within three miles of the place, 
besides several boats and a consi¬ 
derable quantity of naval stores. 
Three of the vessels were large 
privateers, completely equipped 
and ready for sea; and the ag¬ 
gregate burthen of the 27 was 
upwards of 5000 tons. After 
dark, the boats dropped down the 
river without rowing, and the 
British returned to their ships 
with no greater loss than two 
men killed and two wounded. 
— tfdcSaL 

April 9. 

1709. A squadron of seven sail, 
under Lord Dursley, in the Ox¬ 
ford, 60, on his return into the 
Channel, after seeing the Lisbon 
trade to a certain latitude, fell in 
with M. Duguay-Trouin, in the 
Achilles, 60, with the Glorieux; 









r—--- 

458 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 11. 


which ships on the previous day, 
captured the Bristol, 50. His 
lordship having given chase, re¬ 
took the Bristol, which, by a shot 
in herbreadroom, sunk soon after¬ 
wards; but all her crew except 
twenty were saved. The Glorieux, 
of 50-guns, was captured, but the 
Achille escaped by superior sail¬ 
ing. The British had seventy men 
killed and wounded in the action. 

1799. French Squadron de¬ 
feated. —The 38-gun frigates 
San Fiorenzo and Amelia, Capts. 
Sir Harry Neale and the Hon. 
Charles Herbert, in the morning 
discovered three frigates and a 
cutter anchored in the great road 
of Belleisle, with their topsail- 
yards hoisted ready for making 
sail. At 9h. a.m. a sudden and 
heavy squall carried away the 
Amelia’s main-topmast and fore 
and mizen topgallant masts. The 
French 40-gun frigates Cornelie 
and Vengeance, and 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Semillante, with the cutter, 
immediately weighed, and, having 
formed in line, stood towards the 
British frigates, who bore up to 
meet their antagonists. At 10b. 
10m. the French squadron tacked, 
and exchanged broadsides with 
the San Fiorenzo and Amelia. 
The engagement was kept up 
until lh. 5m. p.m., but so distantly, 
that the British frequently bore 
up to close the enemy, who finally 
stood away towards the entrance 
of the river Loire. Both British 
ships suffered much in their rig¬ 
ging and sails. The San Fiorenzo 
had one man killed and seven 
wounded. The loss of the Amelia 
amounted to two killed and 17 
wounded. The enemy’s loss ex¬ 
ceeded 100 in killed and wounded. 

April lO. 

1795. Astrea and Gloire.— 
A squadron of five sail of the 


line and three frigates, under 
Rear-Admiral Colpoys, cruising 
in the Channel, chased three fri¬ 
gates, which separated, steering 
different courses. The Astrea, 
mounting 32 guns, Capt. Lord 
Henry Paulet, having outsailed 
the squadron, at 6h. p.m. arrived 
up with the French 3 6-gun fri¬ 
gate Gloire, mounting 42 guns, 
and commenced a running fight, 
w'hich continued until lOh. 30m. 
p.m., when she brought her to 
close action, and, after a spirited 
engagement of 58 minutes, com¬ 
pelled her to haul down her 
colours. The Astrea, out of a 
complement of 212 men and 
boys, had only eight men wound¬ 
ed. The Gloire, out of a crew 
of 275 men, had 40 killed and 
wounded. The consorts of the 
Gloire were the 36-gun frigates 
Gentille and Fraternite. The 
former was captured on the 11th 
by the Hannibal, 74, and, as well 
as the Gloire, w r ere added to the 
British navy under the same 
name. —JHctfaL 

April 11. 

1809. Attack on Fleet in 
Aix Roads. — Capt. Lord Coch¬ 
rane, appointed to conduct an 
attack on the French fleet in Aix 
roads, defended by heavy bat¬ 
teries on either side of the en¬ 
trance, on the 3rd April that 
officer, in the Imperieuse, 38, 
joined the fleet, of eleven sail of 
the line, six frigates, several 
sloops, bombs, &c., under Ad¬ 
miral Lord Gambier, in Basque 
roads. Everything was in readi¬ 
ness by the 10th. The enemy’s 
fleet, consisting of ten ships of 
the line, one of 50 guns, and four 
frigates, were moored in two 
lines, with three of the frigates in 
advance, their broadsides bearing 
upon the entrance. At the dis- 







April 11. NAVY. 459 


tance of about 100 yards in front 
of the line of frigates, a boom, 
half a mile in length, composed 
of the largest cables, floated by 
buoys, extended across the chan¬ 
nel leading to the anchorage in 
Aix roads. At this period a Bri¬ 
tish fleet of eleven sail of the line, 
under Lord Gambier, were at 
anchor in Basque roads, about 
seven miles distant from the 
French fleet. On the 11th the 
Imperieuse anchored near the 
Boyart shoal, and the Aigle, Uni¬ 
corn, and Pallas, at a short dis¬ 
tance to the north-west of her; 
whilst the Indefatigable, Eme¬ 
rald, with others, made a diver¬ 
sion, and some with lights hoisted 
were stationed to direct the fire- 
vessels in their course to the at¬ 
tack. At about 8h. 30m. p.m., 
the night very dark, the wind 
blowing strong from the north¬ 
west, the Mediator and fire-vessels 
cut their cables and made sail; 
and the latter, conducted by Lord 
Cochrane in person, when within 
three quarters of a mile of the 
French line, were ignited. Some 
of the fire-ships were admirably 
conducted, especially the Medi¬ 
ator, which ship broke the boom, 
and thus opened a clear passage 
for her followers. The flashes of 
the guns, and the flights of shells 
and rockets from the fire-vessels, 
conspired to form a scene awfully 
grand beyond description. Such 
was the terror inspired by the 
approach of so many flaming 
bodies, that every French ship, 
except the Foudroyant, cut or 
slipped their cables, and at mid¬ 
night 13 ships were aground, 
all of them were on the heel, and 
most of them appeared to be in 
a desperate situation. When the 
Imperieuse, at daylight, stood to¬ 
wards the fleet, Lord Cochrane, 
at 5h. 48m.,* telegraphed to the 
Admiral : “ Half the fleet can 


destroy the enemy ; seven on 
shore.” At 6h. 40m., “11 on 
shore.” At 7h. 40rn., “Only two 
afloat.” At 9h. 30m., “Enemy 
preparing to heave off.” As soon 
as the tide served, the Imperieuse 
reanchored close to the Boyart 
shoal. At lOh. 45m. the fleet 
got under way, and at 11 h. 30m. 
reanchored at the distance of 
three miles from the Isle d’Aix, 
and about six miles from the 
grounded ships. The Valiant, 
Bellona, and Revenge, 74s, with 
the frigates and sloops, were then 
ordered close to the Boyart shoal. 
Observing this movement, the 
Foudroyant, 80, and Cassard, 74, 
cut their cables and made sail 
for the Charente, but both ships 
grounded near the castle of Fou- 
ras. As the flood -tide made, Lord 
Cochrane observing that the 
French ships were getting afloat, 
the Imperieuse weighed and 
dropped down with the tide, and 
as she steered towards the 
grounded ships on the Palles, 
made signal to the Admiral: 
“ The enemy is getting under 
sail;” and at lh. 45m., “The ship 
is in distress, and requires imme¬ 
diate assistance.” At 2h. p.m., 
the frigate having anchored, 
brought her guns to bear on the 
quarter of the Calcutta, 50, and 
occasionally on the Aquilon, 74, 
and Varsovie, 80. At 2h. p.m. 
the Indefatigable moved in to the 
assistance of the Imperieuse, and 
at 2h. 30m. the Valiant, 74, and 
Revenge, 74. The Aigle, Eme¬ 
rald, Unicorn, and Pallas, took 
their stations ahead of the Inde¬ 
fatigable, the Valiant close astern 
of the Indefatigable, and the Re¬ 
venge about 700 yards to the 
north-east of the Imperieuse. The 
Varsovie, 80, and Aquilon, 74, at 
5h. 30m. showed a Union-Jack 
in the mizen chains in token of 
submission. About this time the 












460 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 12. 


Theseus, 74, anchored between 
the Revenge and Valiant. At 
6h. P.M., the Tonnerre, 74, lying 
just out of range, was set on fire 
by her crew; and at 8h. 40m. the 
Calcutta blew up with a tremen¬ 
dous explosion. It is remarkable, 
that, although the batteries on 
either side kept up a constant 
fire of shot and shells, the Re¬ 
venge and Indefatigable were the 
only ships of the 14 that suffered, 
and their loss was but trifling. 
At 8h. p.m. all the frigates, ex¬ 
cept the Imperieuse, with the 
brigs, anchored with the Revenge 
in the Maumusson passage, out 
of gun-shot. On the 13th, the 
Aquilon and Varsovie were set 
on fire by the British and de¬ 
stroyed; and at 5h. a.m. the Va¬ 
liant, Theseus, Revenge, Inde¬ 
fatigable, Aigle, Unicorn, and 
Emerald, rejoined the admiral. 
On the 14th, the remaining 
French ships got afloat, and as¬ 
cended the Charente, and the 
Imperieuse returned to the fleet 
in Basque roads. On the 15th, 
the frigate Indienne having 
grounded, was set on fire and 
destroyed. — jftteUaL 

April 12. 

1782. Battle of Trincoma- 
lee. — The French squadron, 
under Commodore Suffrein, con¬ 
sisting of four ships of 74 guns, 
six of 64 guns, and two of 50 
guns, with three frigates and a 
corvette, 9 miles north of Trin- 
comalee, at daylight bore down 
tO f attack the British squadron 
under Sir Edward Hughes, thus 
formed in line: — Exeter, 64 
guns, Hero, 74, Isis, 50, Bur- 
ford, 64, Monarca, 68, Superb, 
74, Vice-Admiral (b.) Sir Ed¬ 
ward Hughes, K.B.; Monmouth, 
64, Worcester, 64, Eagle, 64, 
Sultan, 74, Magnanime, 64. At 


about lh. 30m. the van became 
engaged; and shortly afterwards, 
the Superb was closely attacked 
by the 74-gun ships Heros and 
Orient. The brunt of the fight 
was borne by the British centre, 
particularly by the Monmouth, 
which was closely assailed by three 
ships. At 3h. p.m., having also 
lost her main and mizen masts, 
she dropped out of the line; upon 
which the Superb and Sultan 
bore away and rescued her from 
the overwhelming force to which 
she was exposed. Sir Edward 
Hughes, at 3h. 40m., made signal 
for the squadron to come to the 
wind on the larboard tack. The 
action continued until 6h. p.m., 
when the British admiral made 
the signal to anchor, and at 6h. 
40m. the French hauled their 
wind to the eastward in much 
confusion. Total British loss, 
137 killed, 430 wounded. The 
French own to a loss of 139 killed 
and 264 wounded. 

1782. Battle off Martinique. 
—The fleet, under Admiral (w.) 
Sir G. B. Rodney, being off Mar¬ 
tinique, on the morning of 9th 
April discovered the French fleet 
under Comte de Grasse. The force 
of the respective fleets stood thus: 

French. 

1 ship of 10 guns. 

6 „ 80 

20 „ 74 

4 „ 64 

2 „ 50 

Total, 33 ships, 2560 guns. 

English. 

5 ships of 90 guns. 

20 „ 74 

1 „ 70 

10 „ 64 

Total, 36 ships, 2640 guns. 

The van of the British, under 
Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 
were enabled at 7h. 30m. a.m. 
to chase, while the centre and 
rear divisions lay becalmed. The 





April 13. 


NAVY. 


461 


French, observing the isolated 
position of the British van ships, 
bore up at 9h. 30m. a.m., to cut 
them off. The British then hove 
to, thus enabling their centre and 
rear to close; and in this manner 
the eight van ships sustained the 
attack of 15 ships of the enemy, 
from lOh. until llh. a.m., when 
the sea-breeze having reached 
the British centre, the French 
admiral tacked and stood in¬ 
shore to rejoin his rear. The 
pursuit of the enemy continued 
during the 10th and 11th. On 
the 12th, the British being on 
the starboard tack, the two fleets 
gradually neared each other, and 
at 8h. a.m. the ships composing 
the van division were engaged 
with the enemy, whilst the centre 
and rear were nearly becalmed- 
Although the French line was 
broken by the wind drawing to 
the southward, its effect did not 
extend to the British; and Sir 
George Bodney, perceiving the 
opening in the enemy’s line, kept 
a close luff*, and at a little before 
llh. a.m. passed through the 
aperture, followed by the six rear 
ships of the centre division. The 
rear, under Sir Samuel Hood, con¬ 
tinued its course, and became 
opposed to the French van, sepa¬ 
rated from their centre by the 
manoeuvre of the British com- 
mander-in-chief. Between these, 
a close and spirited action was 
maintained. It was past noon 
before the smoke cleared away, 
by which time the ships of the 
enemy had bore up, and were 
seen to leeward, retreating in dis¬ 
order. A general chase imme¬ 
diately commenced, and the fol¬ 
lowing ships were overtaken and 
captured: — Glorieux, 74, Cesar, 
74, Hector, 74, Ardent, 64; and 
the Ville de Paris, 120, bearing 
the flag of Comte de Grasse, after 
contending 15 minutes Avith Ca¬ 


nada, 74, and Barfleur, 90, hauled 
down her colours just as the sun 
was sinking below the horizon. 
The total loss of the British 
amounted to 251 men killed and 
809 wounded. 

1810. Esperance late British 
Laurel, 22, laden with a valuable 
cargo from the Isle of France, 
captured off the Isle of Rhe, by 
Unicorn, 32, Capt. A. R. Kerr. 

April 13. 

1796. Re VOLUTION AIRE AND 
Unite.— A squadron under Capt. 
Sir Edward Pellew, in the In¬ 
defatigable, 44, with Argo, 44, 
Revolutionaire, 38, Amazon, 36, 
and Concorde, 36, were cruising 
oft’ Ushant, when a frigate was 
seen to windward. The Revo¬ 
lutionaire, Capt. Francis Cole, 
mounting 46-guns, being the 
nearest to the stranger, was di¬ 
rected to tack and cut her off 
from the land. As it grew dark, 
the French frigate disappeared; 
but at 9h. p. m. she was again 
seen by the Revolutionaire in the 
act of bearing up. All sail was 
made in chase, and at llh. 30m., 
when the frigates were going 10 
knots an hour, the Revolutionaire, 
being within hail, opened her fire, 
and after the second broadside, 
the crew of the 36-gun frigate 
Unite, mounting 38 guns, Capt. 
C. A. L. D. Linois, called out that 
they had surrendered. Out of 255 
men, she had 9 killed and 11 
wounded. On the other hand, 
the Revolutionaire of 287, had 
not a man hurt. 

1800. The 16-gun brig, Ca¬ 
lypso, being off Cape Tiburon, 
despatched a cutter under charge 
of Mr. William Buckley, the mas¬ 
ter, to attack the French priva¬ 
teer, Diligente, of six guns, and 
thirty-nine men, which was gal¬ 
lantly carried, and brought out 















462 CALENDAR 


with no greater loss than one 
man wounded. The privateer had 
7 men wounded. 

April 14. 

1793. A squadron under Rear- 
Adm. Gell captured the French 
privateer Gen. Dumourier, of 22 
guns, together with San Iago, 
Spanish galleon. The latter was 
from Lima, with a cargo valued 
at 200,000/. The seizure of the 
Spanish ship occasioned great 
sensation at Madrid, and was 
one of the principal causes of the 
war that ensued between Spain 
and Great Britain. 

1809. Capture op D’Haut- 
poult. —A French squadron, con¬ 
sisting of the 74-gun ships Coura- 
geux, Polonais, and D’Hautpoult, 
having quitted the rocky islands 
i known as the Saintes, were disco¬ 
vered at lOh. p. m. by the 7 4 -gun 
ship Pompee, Capt. William Fahie, 
belonging to a squadron of 5 sail 
of the line under Rear-Adm. Sir 
Alexander Cochrane. At lOh. 
15m. pm., the 18-gun brig Re¬ 
cruit, Capt. Charles Napier, gal¬ 
lantly brought the rearmost ship 
to action, and the Pompee joined 
occasionally in the running fight. 
At 8h. p. m., the French ships se¬ 
parated, and the D’Hautpoult 
altering her course to WNW., 
was followed by the Pompee. At 
daylight on the 16th, the D’Haut¬ 
poult was about three miles a- 
head. In course of the forenoon, 
the 38-gun frigate, Latona, and 
32-gun frigate Castor, Capts. H. 
Pigot and W. Roberts, joined in 
the chase. The latter very gal¬ 
lantly engaged the 74 at about 
3h. a. m. on the 17th, when the 
Pompee took part in the contest, 
which lasted until 5h. 20m. a. m. 
The French ship, now a complete 
wreck, lowered her topsails, and, 
rounding to, hauied down her 


OF VICTORY. April 16. 


colours. The Pompee was much 
disabled, having 9 killed, her cap¬ 
tain and 29 wounded. The Cas¬ 
tor had one seaman killed and 
6 wounded ; Recruit, one man 
wounded. Out of a crew of 680, 
the D’Hautpoult had 80 men 
killed and wounded. -iHctfaL 

April 15. 

1759. Capture of Valeur.— 
The Favorite, 14, and 80 men, 
Captain Timothy Edwards, off 
Cadiz, after an obstinate engage¬ 
ment. which lasted two hours and 
a half, captured the French 24- 
gun ship Valeur, having a crew of 
110 men, thirteen of whom were 
killed and nine wounded. The 
Valeur was commissioned, and 
the gallantry of Capt. Edwards re¬ 
warded by his being posted into her. 

1805. While the 14-gun brig 
Papillon, Capt. William Woolley, 
was lying at Savannah le Mar, in¬ 
telligence was received of a felucca 
privateer cruising off the coast. 
Having placed Lieut. Peter J. 
Prieur, with John Christie the 
purser, and twenty-five men, in a 
shallop disguised as a dogger, 
sent her in quest of the privateer, 
which at 8 p.m. was discovered 
under the land. In a short time 
the felucca got alongside the shal¬ 
lop, and having made herself fast, 
the crew jumped up from below; 
and, after a discharge of musketry, 
boarded and carried the privateer, 
sustaining no greater loss than 
two men wounded; whilst the 
Spaniards had seven men killed, 
and eight badly wounded. 

April 16. 

1781. Attack of French 
Squadron repulsed -A squa¬ 

dron, consisting of Romney, 50, 
Commodore George Johnstone, 
Hero, 74, Monmouth, 64, Jupiter 















April 17. NAVY. 463 


and Iris of 50 guns, and 5 frigates, 
together with a large convoy, 
lying in Porto Pray a bay, St. 
Jago, was attacked by a French 
squadron of five sail of the line 
and several frigates under Com¬ 
modore Suffrein. The British 
ships were in an unprepared state; 
for Commodore Johnstone, con¬ 
sidering the neutrality of the port 
a security, had taken no measures 
to resist an attack. At 9h. 30m. 
the French squadron appeared in 
the offing; and at lOh. 45m., hav¬ 
ing rounded the east point of land 
with a fine breeze, formed in line 
of battle, stood towards the British 
squadron. Commodore Suffrein 
in the Heros, 74, dropped anchor 
abreast of the Monmouth, intend¬ 
ing to bring up with a spring on 
the cable, and engage that ship; 
but having too much way, the cable 
parted, and she drove alongside 
the Hero. Suffrein was followed 
by other ships, and in a short 
time the firing became general. 
So well was the contest main¬ 
tained by the outermost British 
ships, that their opponents were 
beaten oft’ with considerable loss. 
All except the Annibal, 74, suc¬ 
ceeded in getting out of the bay 
without difficulty; but that ship 
being totally dismasted, escaped* 
with a small sail on the stump of 
her foremast, and was taken in 
tow by a frigate. After some 
deliberation, Commodore John¬ 
stone determined upon going in 
pursuit of the enemy; but being 
accompanied by part of the con¬ 
voy, he did not gain much in the 
chase, and at sunset returned to 
Porto Praya. The East India 
ships suffered more by the enemy’s 
fire than the ships of war; and 
the total British loss amounted to 
36 killed and 147 wounded. The 
French captured one of the East 
Indiamen, but she was retaken by 
the squadron on the following day. 


1810. Sta. Maura -On the 

16th April, the fortress and island 
of Santa Maura, with a garrison 
of 715 men, surrendered to 
a British squadron, consisting of 
Magnificent, 74, Captain George 
Eyre, Montague, 74, Belle Poule 
and Leonidas frigates, and Imo- 
gene, 16-gun brig, co-operating 
with a body of troops under 
Brigadier-Gen. Oswald. The 
army lost 16 killed and 86 
wounded. The navy, 8 killed; 
Capt. Eyre and 40 wounded. 
Total, 24 killed, 127 wounded. 

April 17. 

1780. Rodney and De Gui- 
chen. — The French fleet under 
Comte de Guichen, consisting of 
two 80-gun ships, 11 of 74 guns, 
and 10 of 64 guns, was fallen in 
with on the 16th, off Martinique, 
by the British fleet of 20 sail of the 
line and 5 frigates, under Adm. 
Sir G. B. Rodney, composed of 
two of 90 guns, 11 of 74 guns, one 
of 70 guns, 5 of 64 guns, and one 
of 60 guns. The signal was made 
for a general chase. At daybreak 
on the 17th, the British fleet, in line 
ahead on the starboard tack, the 
wind southerly, was to windward 
of the enemy, who formed on the 
same tack. The signal was then 
made to bear up in line abreast, 
and engage the enemy. The 
French admiral defeated this 
manoeuvre by wearing round on 
the larboard tack. The British 
thereupon hauled to the wind on 
the starboard tack, and stood on 
until nearly parallel with the hos¬ 
tile fleet. At 1 lh. a.m. signal to 
bear up in line abreast and close 
with the enemy; but several ships 
of the van, instead of following 
the example of their leader, kept 
their luff', in order to bring to ac¬ 
tion the van ships of the French 
line. Sir George Rodney, in the 







464 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. April 19. 


Sandwich, when engaged with the 
ship astern of the Comte de Gui- 
chen, was nobly supported by 
Rear-Adm. Rowley, with the rear 
division ; and had it not been for 
the error pursued by the van 
ships, the judicious mode of at¬ 
tack would probably have se¬ 
cured a victory. The total loss 
sustained by the British amount¬ 
ed to 120 killed, and 362 wound¬ 
ed ; that of the French, 158 
killed, and 820 wounded. 

1798. The Recovery schooner, 
of ten long 3-pounders and 46 
men, Lieut. William Ross, in the 
West Indies, captured the French 
privateer-schooner Revanche, of 
ten long 4-pounders and 54 men, 
having three men killed and nine 
wounded. The Recovery had not 
a man hurt. 

1806. Capture of Bergere. 
— The 36-gun frigate, Sirius, 
Captain William Browse, near 
Naples, at 4h. 15m. r. m. disco¬ 
vered the French corvette Ber¬ 
gere, 18 guns, Commodore Du- 
clos ; brigs Abeille, 20 guns and 
160 men, Legere and Janus, of 
20 guns each, bombard Victoire, 
of 12 long 18-pounders, and two 
heavy mortars, a cutter, and 
three gun-ketches, in all 97 guns. 
Soon after sunset, the Sirius 
closed with the flotilla, which was 
hove to at the mouth of the Tiber, 
and when within pistol-shot, open¬ 
ed her fire, and continuing closely 
engaged for two hours, when the 
Bergere surrendered. Several of 
the other vessels were silenced ; 
but the Sirius was so much cut 
up in her sails and rigging, as to 
be unable to pursue them. Her 
loss amounted to 9 killed and 20 
wounded. — iHcttaL 

1813. Invincible, French priva¬ 
teer, 16 guns and 86 men, cap¬ 
tured in the Bay, by Mutine, 16, 
Capt. N. De Courcy, after a long 
running fight and close action of 


fifty minutes. The Mutine is 
represented to have had two men 
wounded. 

April IS. 

1740. Capture of Princeza. 
— The Spanish 74-gun ship 
Princeza, mounting 64 guns, 
Capt. Don Pablo de Gera, was 
captured off Cape Finisterre, after 
a determined resistance, by the 
Lenox, 70, Capt. Colville Mayne, 
and Orford, 70, Capt. Thomas 
Durell. Out of a crew of 650, 
the Princeza lost 35 killed and 
100 wounded. The united British 
loss amounted to 17 killed and 
40 wounded ; among the latter 
was Capt. Durell, who lost one of 
his hands. The Princeza, being a 
fine new ship, was added to the 
British navy under the same name. 

1814. At the surrender of 
Genoa, the British gained posses¬ 
sion of the French 74-gun ship 
Brilliant, ready for launching, and 
another ship of the same class in 
frame. 

April 19. 

1581. Attack of Cadiz. — A 
fleet, consisting of forty ships, 
under command of Sir Francis 
Drake, was sent by Queen Eliza¬ 
beth to counteract the naval pre¬ 
parations of Philip II. of Spain. 
On the admiral’s arrival off Cadiz 
on the 19th April, he compelled 
six galleys to take shelter under 
their forts, and burnt one hundred 
large ships laden with ammuni¬ 
tion. After performing this ser¬ 
vice, Drake sailed for the Azores, 
where he took a valuable Por¬ 
tuguese East Indiaman. The 
journal, charts, &c., found on 
board this ship, suggested the 
first idea of establishing the East 
India Company. 

1782. Rear-Adm. Sir Samuel 
Hood, in the Barfleur, having 

















NAVY. 


April 20. 


been detached by Sir George 
Rodney, with Valiant and Mag¬ 
nificent, 74s, to look after the 
disabled ships that had escaped 
from the battle of 12th April, 
discovered in the Mona passage, 
on the 19 th, five sail, which were 
immediately chased. As the ene¬ 
my approached the passage, the 
wind died away, and they lay some 
time becalmed, whilst the British 
kept the breeze, which enabled the 
Valiant at 3 p.m. to close with 
the Caton, 64, who surrendered 
without further resistance. Capt. 
Goodall, leaving the Caton to be 
picked up by the ships astern, 
proceeded on, and attacked the 
Jason, 64, who, after a stout re¬ 
sistance of twenty minutes, also 
hauled down her colours. The 
Aimable, 32, and Ceres, 16, were 
also captured. The only remain¬ 
ing ship, the Astree frigate, ef¬ 
fected her escape. 

1807. The Richmond gun-brig, 
Lieut. S. H. Heming, working 
along shore near Cape Mondego, 
coast of Portugal, discovered a 
lugger with Spanish colours fly¬ 
ing, in a bay six leagues to the 
northward of Peniche. In the 
evening she was attacked by the 
boats under Sub-Lieut. George 
Bush, who boarded and carried 
her in the face of a heavy fire, 
which wounded three men. The 
lugger, which mounted four 4- 
pounders, with a crew of thirty- 
six men, was brought out. — 

April 20. 

1657. Galleons destroyed 
at Santa Cruz. — A British 
squadron, under Adm. Blake, 
made an attack upon six galleons, 
richly laden, lying moored off the 
town of Santa Cruz, in the island 
of Teneriffe, protected by the 
forts which flanked the anchorage. 


465 


The galleons were boarded and 
set on fire, except two which 
were sunk. This service was 
speedily accomplished; and the 
wind having fortunately shifted 
from the northward to south-west, 
the fleet got out of range of the 
batteries, with the loss of 48 men 
killed and 120 wounded. 

1781. The 28-gun frigate Re¬ 
source, Capt. Bartholomew Sami. 
Rowley, cruising off Cape Blaise, 
W. I., captured the late British 
24-gun ship Unicorn, after a de¬ 
fence of one hour and 30 minutes, 
with the loss of eight men killed 
and 30 wounded. The Resource, 
from having a body of troops on 
board, suffered a heavy loss, 
having 15 men killed and 30 
wounded. 

1796. Unite, 28, captui’ed in 
Mediterranean by Inconstant, 36, 
Capt. Maitland. 

1797. The 32-gun frigate Her- 
mione, Capt. Hugh Pigot, having 
under his orders Quebec and 
Mermaid frigates, brig Drake, 
and Penelope cutter, proceeded 
to the attack of privateers, in the 
harbour of Jean Rabel. On the 
20th April, the boats of the ships 
were despatched; and by 4h. a. m. 
on the 21st, nine vessels (one 
ship, three brigs, three schooners 
and two sloops) were seen 
standing out with the land-breeze 
towards the squadron. So well 
had the service been performed 
that not a mail in the boats was 
hurt. 

April 21. 

1782. Foudroyant and Pe- 
gase. — The 84-gun ship Foud¬ 
royant, Capt. John Jervis, having 
chased from the fleet of Vice- 
Adm. Barrington, off Ushant, the 
enemy soon separated, and at 
about 30 minutes after midnight 
the Foudroyant brought to close 
action the French 74-gun ship 


H H 








466 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 22. 


Pegase, Capt. the Chevalier de 
Sillaus. The contest continued 
until lh. 15m. a.m. on the 21st, 
when the Foudroyant having run 
her opponent on board, com¬ 
pelled her to surrender, having, 
out of a crew of 700 men, 100 
killed and wounded *, whilst the 
British loss was no more than four 
men wounded. 

1796. Indefatigable and 
Virginie. — The 44-gun frigate 
Indefatigable, Capt. Sir Edward 
Pellcw, off the Lizard, in com¬ 
pany with the 36-gun frigates 
Amazon and Concorde, discover¬ 
ed the French 40-gun frigate 
Virginie, Capt. Jacques Bergeret, 
which, after a chase of 15 hours 
and a run of 138 miles, was 
brought to action at a little past 
midnight. The ships continued 
to engage under a press of sail 
during 1 hour and 45 minutes, by 
which time the French frigate 
had lost her mizen-mast and main- 
topmast ; nor was the Indefati¬ 
gable much less disabled, having 
lost her gaff and mizen-topmast. 
The Concorde and Amazon ar¬ 
riving up, the Virginie sur¬ 
rendered, having, out of a crew 
of 339, 14 men killed and 27 
wounded; while no loss was sus¬ 
tained by the Indefatigable.— 
JHctraL 

1798. Mars and Hercdle.— 
The 74- gun ship Mars, Captain 
Alexander Hood, having chased 
from the inshore squadron off 
Brest, discovered the French 74- 
gun ship Hercule, Capt. Louis 
l’Heritier, which, at 8h. 30m. p.m., 
unable to work up against the 
strong current, anchored and 
furled sails, the Bee du Raz bear¬ 
ing from her N.b.E. distant two 
or three miles. At 8h. 45m. the 
Mars hauled up her courses, 
and about 9h. 15m. became ex¬ 
posed to the starboard broadside 
of the Hercule, on which she 


fired her’s in return, and passing 
on a short distance ahead, let go 
her anchor. As the Mai's dropped 
astern, the anchor on her lar¬ 
board bow caught the starboard 
anchor of the Hercule; and, thus 
close alongside, the two ships 
continued to engage until lOh. 
30m. p. m., during which time the 
Hercule had made two unsuc¬ 
cessful attempts to board. Being 
very much shattered, and having 
sustained a loss of above 250 men, 
killed and wounded, she hailed to 
say she had surrendered. The 
Mars had her captain of marines 
(James White), one midshipman 
(James Blythe), and 19 men 
killed, and eight missing; two 
lieutenants (George Argles and 
George Arnold Ford), one mid¬ 
shipman (Thomas Southey), and 
30 men wounded. 

April 22. 

1813. The 18-gun brig Weasel, 
Capt. John Black, chased a con¬ 
voy under the protection of ten 
heavy gun-boats, into the bay of 
Boscalina, in the Adriatic, which 
at 5li. 30m. a. m. anchored in line, 
about a mile from the shore, and 
opened their fire. At 6h. a.m. 
the Weasel anchored within pistol- 
shot of them, and a sharp action 
commenced, which continued un¬ 
til 6h. 20m., when the gun-boats 
cut their cables, ran closer in, 
and then renewed their fire. The 
Weasel stood in after them, and 
recommenced the action; but was 
now exposed to cannon and mus¬ 
ketry on the heights. The en¬ 
gagement continued until lOh. 
a.m., when three of the gun-boats 
struck their colours ; two were 
driven on shore, and one was 
sunk. The remaining four were 
reinforced by four from the east¬ 
ward, who anchored outside the 
brig ; but they shortly afterwards 










NAVY. 


April 23. 


ran in and joined the others, when 
the whole placed themselves 
behind a point of land, whence 
they kept up a destructive tire, 
with little intermission, until 6h. 
30m. p.m. The Weasel was much 
cut up, her masts shot through in 
several places, and had received 
five shots between wind and water. 
After dark, Capt. Black sent his 
boats and destroyed the gun-boats 
that had struck, likewise eight of 
of the convoy. On the 23rd, the 
Weasel, having warped herself 
about a mile from the land, was 
again attacked by the gun-boats ; 
she nevertheless continued warp¬ 
ing during the whole day and 
night. On the 24th, a battery 
was opened on a point of the bay 
close to which the brig was 
obliged to pass, and at 1 h. p. m. the 
gun-boats, pulling out in line, re¬ 
commenced their fire; but at 5h. 
p. m., having got within range of 
the Weasel’s carronades, they 
were soon induced to sheer off, 
and they effected their escape. 
The Weasel had 5 men killed 
and 23 wounded.— iHetrat. 

1854. Bombardment op Odes¬ 
sa. — The batteries of Odessa 
having, on the 14th April, fired 
upon the Furious steam frigate, 
likewise, a boat of that ship, both 
bearing a flag of truce; and as no 
reparation for this uncivilised act 
of aggression could be obtained 
from the Russian Governor-Gen. 
D’Osten Sacken, Vice-Admirals 
Dundas and Hammelin deter¬ 
mined to attack the fortifica¬ 
tions. In addition to the fortress 
of Odessa, great exertions were 
making in strengthening the moles 
and erecting formidable sea de¬ 
fences; and between 20,000 and 
30,000 men had been collected 
for the protection of this military 
depot, as well as for the security 
of vessels taking shelter under 
the guns of the place. No 


467 


answer having been received up 
to 7 a. m. on the morning of the 
22nd, the combined steam divi¬ 
sion under Capt. Drummond, 
consisting of 

English. 

Guns. 

Sampson 6 Capt. Jones. 

Tiger - 16 „ Gifford. 

Retribution 28 „ Drummond. 

Terrible - 21 „ M'Cleverty. 

Furious - 16 „ Loring. 

French. 

Guns. 

Vauban - 20 

Descartes - 20 

Mogador - 8 

Caton - 4 

accompanied by six rocket-boats 
under Commander Dickson, took 
up positions at the distance of 
about 1200 yards, from the shore. 
Being fired upon from fort Impe¬ 
rial, at lOh. 30m. the squadron 
opened a vigorous cannonade, 
which continued until 3 p. m., by 
which time the fort, the batteries 
on the mole, together with the 
ships in the harbour, were de¬ 
stroyed. This service was accom¬ 
plished with the trifling loss, on 
the part of the English, of one 
man killed and ten wounded ; 
and of the French, two men 
killed and two wounded. 

April 23. 

1782. French 64-gun ship en 
flute, Actionnaire, having on board 
250 seamen and 550 soldiers, on 
passage to the East Indies, cap¬ 
tured by Queen, 98, Capt. Mait¬ 
land. 

1794. Capture of a French 
Squadron. — Commodore Sir J. 
B. Warren, in the Flora, 38, with 
Arethusa, 38, Melampus,36, Con¬ 
corde, 36, and Nymphe, 36, being 
seven leagues SW. of Guernsey, 
brought to action the French 
40-gun frigates Fomone, En- 


H H 2 







468 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


April 25. 


gageante, and Resolue, and 20- 
gun corvette Babet, at 6h. 30m. 
a. m. The ships became warmly 
engaged until 7h. 30m., when the 
Engageante and Resolue set all 
the sail they could crowd, leaving 
the Pomone and Babet to their 
fate. At 8h. 30m. a. m., the latter 
having lost her fore-topmast, sur¬ 
rendered. The Pomone, after 
sustaining the united fire of the 
Arethusa and Melampus, in a 
short time lost her main and 
mizen masts, and being reduced 
to a defenceless state, at 9h. 30m. 
hauled down her colours. The 
Concorde and Melampus pursued 
the fugitive ships, and brought 
the Engageante to action at a 
little past noon, when the Resolue 
gallantly bore down to support 
her consort; and, taking so good 
a position on the bow of the 
Concorde as to disable her in 
sails and rigging obliged her 
to drop astern. She was, how¬ 
ever, soon enabled again to close 
the Engageante, and compel her, 
after a gallant defence, to haul 
down her colours. The Resolue 
escaped into Morlaix. The Flora 
had one man killed and three 
wounded; Arethusa, three killed 
and five wounded; Melampus, 
five killed, 5 wounded; Pomone, 
nearly 100 killed and wounded; 
and the Engageante and Babet 
suffered in proportion. The Po¬ 
mone, a 24-pounder frigate, of 
1239 tons, was added to the Bri¬ 
tish navy under the same name. 

1808. The 18-gun brig Grass¬ 
hopper, Capt. Thomas Searle, 
and 14-gun brig Rapid, Lieut. 
H. Baugh, on the coast of Por¬ 
tugal, after a sharp action, drove 
on shore two gun-boats, and cap¬ 
tured two others, together with 
two vessels under their convoy, 
valued at 30,000/. each. Grass¬ 
hopper, one killed, Capt. Searle 
and 3 men wounded; Rapid, 3 


wounded. The gun-boats had 40 
killed and wounded. — iHcthlL 

April 241. 

1810. 10-gun cutter Surly, 
Lieut. R. Welch, and Firm gun- 
brig, Lieut. John Little, having 
chased ashore the French pri¬ 
vateer Alcide' at the entrance of 
the river Piron, despatched their 
boats, under Sub-Lieut. Joseph 
Hodgkin, to bring her out. This 
service was gallantly performed, 
with the loss to the British of 
one man killed and one wounded. 

—iHr&al. 

1813. At daylight a felucca 
was observed by the 38-gun 
frigate Apollo, Captain B. W. 
Taylor, to run into St. Cataldo, 
in the Adriatic, and disembark 
troops. The boats were imme¬ 
diately despatched with the de¬ 
tachment of marines under Lieut. 
John Tothill, who attacked the 
enemy in a strong position, from 
which they were driven at the 
point of the bayonet, and 26 men 
made prisoners. In the mean¬ 
time the boats brought out the 
felucca; and the whole service 
was performed without incurring 
any loss. 

April 25. 

1796. A squadron, consisting 
of the Agamemnon, 64, Commo¬ 
dore Nelson, Diadem, 64, Me¬ 
leager, 32, and ship-sloop Peterel, 
Capt. John Temple, discovered 
four vessels anchored off the 
town of Finale, at the bottom of 
Vado bay, moored under some 
batteries, which opened upon the 
Peterel as she led the boats to 
the attack,—the ships keeping up 
an animated fire, effectually co¬ 
vering them in their advance. 
The vessels were gallantly boarded 
and brought off, notwithstanding 







NAVY. 


April 26 . 


the heavy fire opened upon them 
from the shore, close to which 
they were lying. Lieut. Noble 
and two seamen were wounded. 

1810. The 38-gun frigate 
Spartan, Capt. J. Brenton, in 
company with the 32-gun frigate 
Success and 18-gun brig Espoir, 
cruising off Monte Circello, dis¬ 
covered several vessels at anchor 
under the Castle of Terecino. 
The boats were despatched under 
Lieut. Augustus Baumgardt, and 
at about 30 minutes past noon 
they pulled for the shore, covered 
by the ships. Capt. Mitford, 
with great energy and judgment, 
then ran in with the Espoir, and 
having sounded under the bat¬ 
teries, the frigates and the brig 
shortly afterwards came to an 
anchor, and opened their fire 
upon the forts. In the mean¬ 
while Lieut. Baumgardt, with the 
boats, pulled into the road, and 
in the face of a heavy fire, gal¬ 
lantly boarded a ship mounting 
six guns. He also took possession 
of three barques, and the four 
prizes were brought off with no 
greater loss than one man killed 
and two wounded. 

April 26 . 

1797. Capture of Santa 
Elena and Ninfa.— At 6h. a.m., 
the 74-gun ship Irresistible, Capt. 
George Martin, and 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Emerald, Capt. Y. C. Berke¬ 
ley, cruising off Cadiz, fell in 
with the Spanish 34-gun frigates 
Santa Elena and Ninfa, bound 
to that port from the Havannah. 
Finding themselves pursued, the 
frigates ran for and anchored in 
Conil bay, near Cape Trafalgar, 
where they were followed by the 
British ships, at 2h. 30m. p.m., 
and a smart action ensued, which 
terminated in the capture of the 
two frigates, at 4 p.m. The Santa 


469 


Elena, after she had struck, cut 
her cable and drifted on shore; 
but was subsequently got off, in 
such a damaged state that she 
could not be kept afloat. The 
loss sustained by the two frigates 
amounted to 18 men killed and 
30 wounded. The Irresistible 
had one man killed and one 
wounded. 

1809. Defeat of French 
Flotilla. —In the morning, the 
12-gun brig Thrasher, 18-pound¬ 
ers, with a crew of 60 men, Lieut. 
Jos. Dornford, approaching the 
coast near Boulogne, observed 
forty sail of gun-vessels coming 
out of harbour, including six brigs 
and two schooners. Not daunted 
by this formidable force, Lieut. 
Dornford gallantly brought them 
to action ; and after engaging 
them from 7h. a.m. until 2h. p.m., 
the Thrasher withdrew from un¬ 
der the batteries, but not until 
she had sank three and driven 
six on shore. 

1810. Sylvia and Echo.— 
The 10-gun cutter Sylvia, Lieut. 
Augustus Y. Drury, cruising off 
Middleburgh, on the coast of 
Java, observed three armed brigs, 
accompanied by two lug-sail ves¬ 
sels, standing in for Batavia. 
The Sylvia chased and brought 
the sternmost brig to action, 
which, after a contest of twenty 
minutes, was captured. The 
prize was the Dutch national brig 
Echo, of eight 6-pounders and 
forty-six men. The Sylvia, out 
of her small crew of forty-four 
men, had four killed and three 
wounded ; the Dutch brig, three 
killed and seven wounded. The 
other brigs, fortunately for the 
Sylvia, did not offer to support 
their consort, but made sail away, 
leaving two lugger-rigged trans¬ 
ports, each mounting two long 
9-pounders, and defended by 60 
men, laden with artillery stores, 


H H 3 






470 CALENDAR 


to become prizes to the Sylvia.— 

Mttsul. 

April 27. 

1796. Capture ofEcureuil. 
— The 32-gun frigate Niger, 
Capt. Edward J. Foote, having 
chased an armed lugger, which 
anchored for shelter among the 
Penmarcks rocks, at 9h. p. m. 
despatched the barge and cutters 
to attempt her capture. The tide 
having ebbed considerably, it was 
with much difficulty that the 
boats got alongside the lugger, 
which was captured after an ob¬ 
stinate resistance. She proved 
to be the Ecureuil, of 18 4- 
pounders and 105 men, who, 
with the exception of 28 made 
prisoners, escaped to the shore. 
The loss on the part of the Bri¬ 
tish was comparati vely trifling,— 
Lieut. Long, Mr. Patton, and 
five men wounded. The prize 
was set on fire and destroyed. 

April 28. 

1782. As the 14-gun brig Pe¬ 
lican, Capt. Edward Pellew, stood 
towards the isle of Bas, two pri¬ 
vateers— a brig and a schooner, 
each of ecpial force to the British 
sloop, sprang their broadsides to¬ 
wards the entrance. Neverthe¬ 
less the Pelican entered the roads, 
and drove both the privateers, as 
well as a third, on shore, under 
shelter of some heavy batteries, 
by whose fire two of the crew of 
the Pelican were wounded. 

1813. Attack op French- 
town. — The boats of the Marl¬ 
borough, Dragon, Maidstone, Sta- 
tira, Dolphin, Fantome, Mohawk, 
and Racer, under Commander- 
John Laurence, and personally 
directed by Rear-Admiral George 
Cockburn, effected a landing at 
Frenchtown in the Chesapeake. 


OF VICTORY. April 29. 


The expedition was accompanied 
by Fantome, Mohawk, and three 
tenders, conveying one hundred 
and fifty marines; and the place, 
though defended by a six-gun 
battery and a large body of mili¬ 
tia, fell an easy prey to the Bri¬ 
tish. — iHciraL 

April 29. 

1781. Action off Marti¬ 
nique. — An action took place 
off Fort Royal bay, Martinique, 
between the fleet of eighteen sail 
of the line, under Rear-Admiral 
Sir Samuel Hood, and the French 
of twenty-four ships of the line 
and two of 50 guns, under the 
Comte de Grasse. Although the 
enemy was in every respect 
greatly superior, and also pos¬ 
sessed the advantage of the wind, 
yet the French admiral declined 
bringing on a decisive engage¬ 
ment. In the partial and distant 
cannonading which took place, 
the principal loss was sustained 
by the Centaur, Russel, Shrews¬ 
bury, and Gibraltar, and other 
ships of the rear division. The 
total loss sustained by the British 
fleet was 36 killed and 161 
wounded; that of the French, 
119 killed and 150 wounded. 

1812. The boats of the Levia¬ 
than, 74, and Undaunted frigate, 
under the orders of Lieut. Alex¬ 
ander Dobbs, were detached to 
attack a privateer and several 
merchant vessels in the port of 
Agaye. The privateer was boarded 
and carried without loss. She 
proved to be a brig of 14 guns 
and 80 men; but she was lying 
aground, and could not be got 
afloat, notwithstanding every ex¬ 
ertion to warp her off, during 
which operation two men were 
killed and four wounded by the 
fire of the enemy from the 
shore. 







- 

April 30. NAVY. 471 


1812. Boats of Undaunted, 
Volontaire, and Blossom, under 
the orders of Lieut. Edgar, of the 
Undaunted, and covered by the 
fire of the Blossom, attacked a 
French convoy of 26 vessels, at 
anchor near the mouth of the 
Rhone. Seven were brought 
out, and 12 burnt, including a 
national schooner of four guns 
and 74 men; and two were strand¬ 
ed on the beach. No loss was 
sustained by the British. 

April 30. 

1810. The 36-gun frigate Ne- 
reide, Capt. Nesbit J.Willoughby, 
cruising off the Isle of France, 
observing a large merchant ship 
at the anchorage of Jacotcl, 
lying within pistol-shot of two 
batteries commanding the en¬ 
trance of the harbour, determined 
to cut her out. With this object, 
the boats, commanded by the cap¬ 
tain in person, manned with fifty 
seamen and the same number of 
marines, quitted the ship at mid¬ 
night. Having with difficulty en¬ 
tered the intricate passage to the 
anchorage, and reached the only 
accessible landing-place (although 
the surf was half filling the boats), 
the alarm was given by the French 
national 4-gun schooner Esta- 
fette, lying at anchor close under 
the batteries. These, with two 
field-pieces, immediately directed 
their fire towards the spot, and 
the party on landing became also 
exposed to a smart fire of mus¬ 
ketry. Nevertheless, in less than 
ten minutes, the nearest battery, 
mounting two long 12-pounders, 
was carried; and having spiked 
the guns, the party pushed on 
for a guardhouse in the rear, 
which, although protected by two 
field-pieces, was soon carried. 
Soon after daylight, the victorious 
party proceeded to attack the 


strongest battery, by crossing the 
river Galet. The pass was de¬ 
fended by a strong body of in¬ 
fantry, with two 12-pounders; 
and the river was so rapid and 
deep, that the tallest of the party 
could scarcely wade across. But 
every difficulty was overcome, 
and the gallant fellows giving 
three cheers, charged up the hill; 
and the guns, as well as the 
battery, were quickly in their 
possession. After destroying the 
batteries, the British re-em¬ 
barked, bringing away the French 
schooner and two field-pieces. 

1815. Capture of Melpo¬ 
mene.— On 30th April the 74-gun 
ship Rivoli, Capt. E. S. Dickson, 
off the island of Ischia, captured 
the Fi'ench 40-gun frigate Mel¬ 
pomene, Capt. Joseph Collet, af¬ 
ter a gallant defence of 15 minutes. 
The frigate was much cut up, 
and she had six men killed and 
28 wounded. Rivoli, 5 men 
wounded. 

May 1. 

1689. Action off Bantry Bay. 
— A fleet under Adm. Herbert 
(afterwards Earl of Torrington), 
consisting of 19 sail of the line, 
discovered the French fleet under 
Adm.Renaud, at anchor in Bantry 
bay. On perceiving the English, 
the enemy’s fleet, consisting of 
28 ships of war, of from 60 to 70 
guns, and fire-ships, got under 
way, and, bearing down in a 
close line, commenced the action. 
Adm. Herbert endeavoured to gain 
the weather-gage by tacking, but, 
finding that the enemy retained 
that advantage, he stood off shore, 
to allow his ships to form into 
line of battle. The French, al¬ 
though greatly superior in force, 
did not pursue the English, who 
continued off the port on the fol¬ 
lowing day. The loss of the 


H H 4 










472 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 2. 


English on this occasion amount¬ 
ed to Capt. Aylmer, of the Port¬ 
land, and 94 seamen killed, and 
250 wounded. 

1811. Destruction of Gi¬ 
raffe and Nourrice. — The 
French store-ships Giraffe and 
Nourrice, each mounting 24 guns, 
with a complement of 160 men, 
m company with a large armed 
transport, lay at anchor in the 
bay of Sagone, isle of Corsica, 
under the protection of a battery 
of four guns and a martello 
tower. The 38-gun frigate Po- 
mone, Capt. Robert Barrie, 36- 
gun frigate Unite, Capt. Henry 
Chamberlayne, and 18-gun brig 
Scout, Capt. Renton Sharpe, ar¬ 
rived off the coast on the 30th 
April, with the intention of at¬ 
tacking these ships. The French 
commodore made preparations for 
resistance by mooring his ships 
close to the battery, and landed the 
quarter-deck guns of the Nourrice. 
Early on the morning of 1st May 
preparations were made for at¬ 
tacking the enemy, as soon as the 
sea-breeze might spring up. But 
as it continued calm during the 
day, at 5h. p. m. the ships were 
towed by their respective crews, 
in the face of a heavy raking fire, 
into a position within range of 
grape, and about 6h. p. m. they 
open their broadsides. The can¬ 
nonade lasted without intermis¬ 
sion until 7li. 30m. p. m., when the 
Giraffe, and then the Nourrice, 
were observed to be on fire, and 
shortly afterwards the flames ex¬ 
tended to the transport. The 
British ships were quickly taken 
in tow and moved out of danger 
from the explosions of the enemy’s 
ships, which took place at 8h. 
54m. p. m., and the burning tim¬ 
bers hilling in, the battery and 
the tower both were entirely de¬ 
molished. The Pomone had two 
men killed and 19 wounded ; the 


Unite, two wounded; and the 
Scout, 3 wounded 

May 2. 

1781. The Canada, 74, Capt. 
Sir George Collier, after a chase 
of seventy leagues and a running 
fight of 20 minutes, captured the 
Spanish 34-gun frigate the Santa 
Leocadia, with a crew of 280 men, 
16 of whom were killed and 25 
wounded. Commander Don Fran¬ 
cisco Wynthusien, who lost his 
left arm in the action, had his flag 
onboard the San Josef, 112, and 
died of the wounds he received 
in the battle of 14th February, 
1797. 

1808. The 36-gun frigate 
Unite, Capt. Campbell, in the 
Gulf of Venice, captured the 
Italian 16-gun brig Ronco. 

1809. Spartan and Mercury 
at Cesenatico. — The Spartan 
and Mercury frigates, having 
chased two vessels into the port 
of Cesenatico, where several other 
vessels were lying under the pro¬ 
tection of two batteries and a 
castle, the frigates anchored 
within grape range and soon 
silenced the battery. The boats, 
under the orders of Lieut. George 
W. Willes, then landed, took 
possession of the battery, and 
turned the guns upon the town. 
Twelve vessels were captured, 
the castle and magazine blown 
up, the battery destroyed, and the 
guns spiked. The British then 
returned to their ships without a 
casualty. 

1813. The Repulse, 74, Capt. 
II. Mowbray, despatched the boats 
under Lieut. Isaac Shaw, with 100 
marines under Capt. Ennis, along 
with the marines of Volontaire 
and Undaunted frigates, to de¬ 
stroy some newly erected works 
near Morgion, which is situated 
between Marseille and Toulon. 






May 3. 


NAVY. 


473 


Covered by the guns of the Red¬ 
wing, 18, Capt. Sir John G. Sin¬ 
clair, the marines soon after 
being landed, drove a body of 
French troops to the heights, and 
kept them in check, while six 
laden vessels were secured, and 
the batteries, gun-carriages, and 
a 13-inch mortar destroyed. In 
the performance of this service 
two men were killed ; Lieut. 
Shaw and 3 men wounded. — 
Mt'tsrt. 

May 3. 

1747. Anson and De la Jon- 
quiere. —Vice-Admiral Anson 
with 12 sail of the line, two 50-gun 
ships, and one of 40, fell in with 
a French fleet of 38 sail, under 
Commodore De la Jonquiere. Nine 
of the largest ships having form¬ 
ed in order of battle to protect 
the convoy, the whole bore away 
to the westward, The signal was 
then made for a general chase. 
At 4h. p.m., the Centurion, 60, 
Capt. Peter Denis, gallantly at¬ 
tacked the enemy’s rear, and the 
Namur, 74, Capt. the Hon. E. 
Boscawen, Defence, 60, Captain 
Thomas Grenville, and Windsor, 
Capt. Thomas Hanway, soon ar¬ 
riving up, a smart action ensued 
between them and five of the 
French ships. The Centurion 
having had her main-topmast 
and fore-topsail-yard shot away, 
dropped astern ; but Capt. Denis, 
having repaired her damages suf¬ 
ficiently, soon resumed the en¬ 
gagement. The Devonshire, 66, 
Capt. Temple West, bearing the 
flag of Rear-Adm. Peter Warren, 
and Bristol, 50, Capt. the Hon. W. 
Montagu, taking part in the en ¬ 
gagement, the commodore in the 
Serieuse, 66, was compelled to 
surrender. Without waiting to 
take possession of the prize, the 
Devonshire and Bristol pushed 


on and engaged the Invincible, 
74, which ship had suffered much 
from the fire of the Namur; but 
she did not surrender until the 
arrival up of Adm. Anson in the 
Prince George, 90. In a short 
time the whole of the armament 
surrendered, consisting of Invin¬ 
cible, 74, Serieuse, 66, Diamante, 
56, Jason, 52, Rubis, 52, and 
Gloire, 44, together with four 
armed East Indiamen. The 
British loss amounted to 520 in 
killed and wounded. Capt. Gren¬ 
ville, of the Defiance, was among 
the killed, and Capt. Boscawen 
badly wounded in the shoulder. 
Vice-Adm. Anson was created a 
peer of Great Britain, and Rear- 
Adm. Warren made a Knight of 
the Bath. 

1810. Spartan with Ceres 
and Consorts — The 38-gun 
frigate Spartan (mounting 46- 
guns, and 258 men), Capt. Jahleel 
Brenton, at 5h. a. m., was midway 
between Cape Misano and the 
island of Capri, when a French 
squadron was observed standing 
out of Naples on the larboard 
tack. It consisted of Ceres, 
mounting 42 guns, Fama, 28 
guns, brig Sparviere, 8 guns, cut¬ 
ter Achille, 10 guns, and seven 
gun-boats, each mounting one 
long 18-pounder. The united 
crews, with 400 Swiss troops, 
amounted to 1400 men. At 3h. 
a. m., the Ceres, when within pis¬ 
tol-shot of the Spartan’s larboard 
bow, opened a fire from her lar¬ 
board guns, which was returned 
by a well-directed treble-shotted 
broadside. Then passing on, the 
Spartan became engaged succes¬ 
sively with the Fama and Spar¬ 
viere ; but the cutter and gun¬ 
boats had tacked to the eastward. 
As the Spartan hove in stays, her 
larboard broadside was dischargde 
at the flotilla, and as she came 
round, fired her starboard guns at 






474 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 5. 


the brig and the ships ahead of 
her, who, instead of supporting 
the gun-boats, stood away to¬ 
wards the batteries of Baia, fol¬ 
lowed by the British frigate. But 
at a few minutes before 9h. a. m., 
the breeze died suddenly away, 
and left the Spartan with her 
hows exposed to the starboard 
broadside of the Ceres ; having 
also on her larboard bow the 
corvette and brig, and, sweeping 
lip astern of her, the cutter and 
gun-boats. The Spartan was thus 
exposed to a galling cross fire, 
and Capt. Brenton, whilst stand¬ 
ing on the capstan, received a 
severe wound in the hip, from a 
grape-shot, which obliged him to 
quit the deck; and the command 
devolved on Lieutenant George 
Wicken Willes. Shortly after¬ 
wards, a light breeze springing 
up, enabled the Spartan to bring 
her broadside to bear ; but the 
frigate and Fama stood on to¬ 
wards Baia, leaving the brig to 
her fate. The Spartan then wore, 
and while with her starboard 
guns she raked the frigate and 
corvette, and cut away the latter’s 
fore-topmast, a single broadside 
from her larboard guns com¬ 
pelled the brig, with the loss of 
her main-topmast, at 10b. a. m. 
to haul down her colours. The 
gun-boats gallantly run down, 
and, taking the Fama in tow, 
rescued her from the fate of the 
Sparviere. The loss of the 
Spartan amounted to 10 killed, 
Capt. Brenton and 19 wounded. 
The loss of the enemy, 30 killed 
and 100 wounded.— Mtl ral. 

BTay 4. 

1796. Capture op Volcan. 
—The 16-gun sloop Spencer, 
Capt. Andrew F. Evans, in lat. 
28° N., long. 69° W., captured the 
French 12-gun brig Volcan, after 


a spirited action of an hour and 
a quarter, in which the Spencer 
had one man killed and one 
wounded. 

1806. Capture op Giganta. 
—On the 3rd May, in the evening, 
Capt. Thomas Livingstone, of the 
Renommee, 36, despatched her 
boats and those of the Nautilus, 
18, under Lieut. William Parker, 
to attempt the capture of the 
Spanish schooner Giganta, of two 
long 24-pounders, three long 4- 
pounders, and four 2-pounder 
swivels, and 28 men, lying in the 
port of Viega. On the 4th, at 
1 a. m., the schooner was gallantly 
boarded and carried, although 
fully prepared, lying chain-moored 
within pistol-shot of the batteries, 
with boarding nettings triced up, 
and defended by a considerable 
body of musketry on the beach. 
Notwithstanding this formidable 
opposition, the prize was brought 
out with no greater loss on the 
part of the British than seven 
men wounded. 

1805. At 2h. p.m. the 38-gun 
frigate Seahorse, Capt. Courtenay 
Boyle, off Cape De Gatt, got sight 
from the masthead, of a Spanish 
convoy, hauling in for the an¬ 
chorage of San Pedro. Lieut. 
George Downie, in a six-oared 
cutter, and midshipman Thomas 
Napper, in a four-oared boat, 
being sent away in chase, gal¬ 
lantly boarded and carried an 
ordnance brig, laden with 1170 
quintals of powder. 

1809. Nouvelle Gironde, French 
14-gun privateer, captured by 
10-gun brig, Parthian, Captain 
Howard. 

May 5. 

1794. Orpheus and Duguay 
Trouin. — The 32-gun frigate 
Orpheus, Capt. Henry Newcome, 
off’ the Isle of France, being far 








NAVY. 


May 6. 


475 


ahead of the Centurion, 50, and 
Resistance, 44, captured the 
French 34-gun ship Duguay 
Trouin (late Princess Royal In- 
diaman), after a running fight of 
upwards of an honr, in which she 
had 21 men killed and 60 
wounded, out of a complement of 
403. The loss of the Orpheus, 
out of a crew of 194, amounted 
to one killed and nine wounded. 

1811. Attack of Parenza. 
—On 4th May, the 38-gun fri¬ 
gates Belle Poule and Alceste, 
Capts. James Brisbane and Mur¬ 
ray Maxwell, having chased a 
French 18-gun brig into the har¬ 
bour of Parenza, on the coast of 
Istria, the frigates stood in within 
a cable’s length of the rocks at 
the entrance of the harbour, and 
having opened a fire upon the 
brig and a battery which protect¬ 
ed her, after an hour’s cannonade 
compelled the brig to haul on 
shore, under the town, out of gun- 
shot. After the close of day the 
frigates anchored about five miles 
from the shore, and at llh. p.m. 
the boats, containing about 200 
men, under the orders of Lieut. 
John M‘Curdy, proceeded to 
take possession of an island at 
the mouth of the harbour, and 
within musket-shot of the town. 
By 5h. a.m. on the 5th, by inces¬ 
sant labour, a defence was thrown 
up, and a battery of two howit¬ 
zers and two 9-pounders mount¬ 
ed on a commanding position. 
The French opened a cross fire 
from four different points, and a 
mutual cannonade was kept up 
during five hours. The brig being 
cut to pieces and sunk, the Bri¬ 
tish re-embarked, after sustaining 
the loss of 4 killed and 4 wounded. 

—iHctral. 

1804. Reduction of Surinam. 
—Commodore Sir Samuel Hood, 
in the Centaur, 74, with the 
Serapis, 44, Pandour, 44, and 


Alligator, 28, en flute , Hippome- 
nes, 18, Drake, 16, and Unique 
schooner, convoying a fleet of 
transports, having on board 2000 
troops under Major-Gen. Charles 
Green, after a passage of 22 days 
from Barbadoes, arrived off the 
island of Surinam, on 25th April. 
Immediate measures were taken 
to effect a landing ; but it was 
not until the 5th of May, after 
storming the batteries of Fre- 
derici and Leyden, and prepa¬ 
rations for the assault of fort 
New Amsterdam, mounting up¬ 
wards of 80 pieces of cannon, 
that this important colony capitu¬ 
lated, with no greater loss to the 
British than eight killed and 
twenty-one men wounded. The 
Proserpine, 32, Pyladcs, 18, and 
George, 10, fell into our hands. 
The number of prisoners taken 
at Surinam, amounted to 2001, 
and the total number of pieces of 
cannon was 282. 

May 6. 

1709. Portland and Coven¬ 
try.— The 50-gun ship Portland, 
Capt. Stephen Hutchins, cruis¬ 
ing off Porto Bello, on 4th May 
brought to action the French 50- 
gun ships Mignon and Coventry, 
who kept up a running fight, that 
so disabled the British ship that 
she dropped astern. Having re¬ 
paired her damages the Portland 
continued in pursuit on the fol¬ 
lowing day; but it was not until 
7h. a.m. on the 6th that she 
closed with the Coventry. A 
sharp action was maintained 
until llh. a.m., when the latter lost 
her mainmast; but she obstinately 
continued to defend herself, until 
12h. 30m., when, having lost her 
captain, and a great, part of her 
crew being killed or wounded, she 
surrendered. The Portland, out 
of a crew of 220, had 9 killed and 






476 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 7. 


12 wounded. The Mignon es¬ 
caped. 

1801. Speedy and Gamo.— 
The 14-gun brig Speedy, long 4- 
pounders, Capt. Lord Cochrane, 
off Barcelona, chased a sail, which 
proved to be the Spanish xebec 
Gamo, mounting 22 long 12- 
pounders on the main-deck, eight 
long 8-pounders and two 24- 
pounder carronades on the quar¬ 
ter-deck and forecastle, with a 
crew of 319 men. At 9h. a.m., 
when close under the lee of her 
opponent, the Speedy tacked and 
opened her fire, which was in¬ 
stantly returned. After the action 
had continued 45 minutes, during 
which the Gamo had made two 
attempts to board the little brig, 
and the latter had suffered the 
loss of three seamen killed and 
five wounded, Lord Cochrane de¬ 
termined to board his powerful 
adversary. The Speedy then ran 
the xebec on board, and her crew, 
headed by her gallant command¬ 
er, made a simultaneous rush on 
the decks of the Spaniard. For 
about ten minutes the contest was 
desperate, especially in the waist, 
but the impetuosity of the assault 
was irresistible; the Spanish 
colours were hauled down, and 
the Gamo became a prize to the 
Speedy. Out of a crew of only 
54 men and boys, the Speedy’s 
loss in the boarding was only one 
man killed, her first lieutenant, 
Richard William Parker (se¬ 
verely), her boatswain, and one 
seaman wounded, making, with 
her former loss, three killed and 
eight wounded. The Gamo lost 
her commander, Don Francisco 
de Torris, and 14 men killed and 
11 wounded. Lord Cochrane’s 
heroism was rewarded by his pro¬ 
motion to post rank, and Lieut. 
Parker was made a commander.— 
iHctfal. 

1805. The 32-gun frigate Uni¬ 


corn, Capt. L. F. Hardyman, 
being becalmed off the island of 
San Domingo, discovered a cutter 
distant seven or eight miles. Four 
boats were immediately des¬ 
patched in pursuit, under the 
command of Lieut. Henry Smith 
Wilson. After a pull of seven 
hours, the boats boarded and car¬ 
ried the French cutter-privateer, 
Tape-a-board, of 4 long 6-pound¬ 
ers and 46 men. 

1814. Capture of Oswego. 
—The squadron on lake Ontario, 
under Sir James Yeo, consisting 
of Princess Charlotte, Montreal, 
Niagara, Charwell, Star, and 
Magnet, conveying 1100 troops, 
under Lieut.-Gen. Drummond, 
came to an anchor off Fort Os¬ 
wego. A division of 200 armed 
seamen, under Capt. W. H. Mul- 
caster, 400 marines, under Major 
James Malcolm, with 140 infantry, 
the whole commanded by Lieut.- 
Col. Fischer, pushed off in the 
boats of the squadron. Covered 
by the fire of the Star and Char- 
well, the landing was effected in 
perfect order, although exposed to 
the discharge of grape from the 
fort, and 500 regulars and militia 
stationed on the brow of the hill; 
and having speedily formed on 
the beach, the troops moved stea¬ 
dily forward under a galling fire; 
but no sooner had they reached 
the summit of the hill than the 
300 American regulars retired to 
the rear of the fort, and the 200 
militia took to their heels, seeking 
shelter in the woods. In less than 
ten minutes after the British 
gained the height, the fort was in 
their possession. The British loss 
amounted to 18 killed and 64 
wounded. 

May 7. 

1794. Capture of Atalante. 
—The French 40-gun frigate 
Atalante, Capt. C. A. L. D. Li- 






May 8. 


NAVY. 


477 


nois, was captured by the 74- 
gun ship Swiftsure, Capt. Charles 
Boyles, after a pursuit which 
lasted from 5h. p.m. on the 5th 
May until 3h. 25m. on the 7th, and 
gallant defence in a running fight 
of one hour, in which she sus¬ 
tained a loss of 10 killed and 32 
wounded. The Swiftsure Avas 
much cut up in sails and rigging, 
and had one man killed. 

1798. The 14-gun brig Vieto- 
rieuse, Capt. Edward S. Dickson, 

> when passing to leeward of Gua- 
daloupe, with a convoy, was at¬ 
tacked by two French privateers, 
—one a schooner of twelve guns 
and fifty men, the other a sloop of 
six guns and fifty men. The latter 
was compelled to surrender, hut 
the schooner escaped. 

1798. Gallant Defence of 
Marcouf.— These islands, situated 
off the river Issigny, on the coast of 
Normandy, close to each other, 
and about 200 yards in length 
and 120 in breadth, were mount¬ 
ed with several pieces of cannon, 
and garrisoned by invalids and 
a party of marines under Lieuts. 
Maughan, Ensor, and Lawrence, 
with a proportion of seamen, and 
the whole under the command of 
Lieut. Charles P. Price, of the 
navy. During the night of 7th 
April,an expedition, consisting of 
33 gun-boats, sailed from Havre 
to attack these islands, but were 
driven into Caen by the Diamond, 
and Hydra frigates. Here they 
were reinforced by 7 heavy gun- 
brigs and forty sail of gun-boats; 
and, after three weeks’ blockade, 
reached La Hogue. On 6th of May, 
the guard-boat of the island at 
midnight gave the alarm, and in 
a short time fifty-two sail, mount- 
ing upwards of 80 pieces of 
cannon, none of which were less 
than 18-pounders, having on 
board above 5000 men, were 
within reach of shot. At day¬ 


break on the 7th, the flotilla was 
seen drawn up in line opposite the 
south-west front of the western 
redoubt, and such a destructive 
fire opened upon them from seven¬ 
teen pieces of cannon, consisting 
of seven 4-pounders, two 6- 
pounders, and six 24-pounder 
long-guns and two 32-pounder 
carronades, that they were soon 
compelled to seek their safety in 
flight. Six or seven boats were 
sunk, and one flat was afterwards 
towed in, on board of which 
papers were found, stating that 
her crew consisted of 144 persons. 
The British loss amounted to no 
more than one man killed and 4 
wounded. According to the 
French account, their loss amount¬ 
ed to several hundred in killed 
and wounded.—iHclJaL 

1808. Redwing and Spanish 
Convoy. —The 18-gun brig Red¬ 
wing, Capt. Thomas Ussher, 
cruising off Cape Trafalgar, 
at daylight discovered a Spanish 
convoy coming down along shore 
under the protection of seven 
armed vessels, mounting toge¬ 
ther 22 heavy long guns. On 
arriving within gun-shot, the 
gun-boats furled their sails and 
swept boldly towards the brig, as 
if with the intention of boarding; 
but the well-directed fire of the 
Redwing soon put them to flight. 
In their panic, several got on the 
rocks, and a great portion of the 
crews perished in the surf, not¬ 
withstanding the noble exertions 
of the Redwing’s boats’ crews to 
save them. Four of the convoy 
were sunk and seven captured. 
The loss sustained by the Red¬ 
wing amounted to one killed, and 
three wounded. 

May 8. 

1655. Reduction of Jamaica. 
— The fleet under Vice-Admiral 


J 









478 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 9. 


Penn, which arrived in Carlisle 
bay, Barbadoes, on the 29th of 
January, proceeded thence to His¬ 
paniola, where, the commanders- 
in-chief disagreeing, added to 
many other disasters, this expe¬ 
dition failed. It was then resolved 
in a council of war to sail and re¬ 
duce Jamaica. The operations 
here proved more successful, and 
on the 8th of May that island fell 
into the hands of the English. 

1807. Gallant Exploit at 
Grand Canaria. — The 22-gun 
ship Comus, Capt. C. Shipley, 
despatched the boats, under the 
command of Lieut. George Ed¬ 
ward Watts, to attack a large 
armed felucca, lying under two 
batteries in Grand Canaria. Not¬ 
withstanding the heavy fire to 
which the British were exposed, 
Lieut. Watts, in his boat singly, 
gallantly boarded the felucca, and 
had nearly cleared the decks be¬ 
fore the other boats arrived up; 
she was then quickly carried. A 
heavy fire was continued from all 
the batteries until the captured 
vessel was beyond their reach. 
This gallant enterprise was per¬ 
formed with the comparatively 
trifling loss of one man killed, 
Lieut. Watts and four men 
wounded. 

1811. The 18-gun brig Scylla, 
Capt. Arthur Atcheson, being off 
the isle of Bas, brought to action, 
at 1 lh. 30m. a. m., the French 10- 
gun brig Canonniere. The action 
continued until 1 lh. 45m., when, 
finding it to be the intention to 
run the Canonniere on shore (al¬ 
though the Scylla was going at 
the rate of eight knots), Captain 
Atcheson laid the enemy on board, 
and in about three minutes carried 
her. The Scylla had 2 men killed 
and 2 wounded. The commander 
of the Canonniere and 5 men 
killed, and 11 wounded. 


May 9. 

1795. A British squadron, con¬ 
sisting of the 38-gun frigates 
Melampus, Capt. R. J. Strachan, 
Diamond, and Hebe, and 32 gun 
frigates Niger and Syren, were at 
anchor in Gourville bay, island 
of Jersey, when, at 3h. a. m., 
thirteen French vessels were dis¬ 
covered running along shore to 
the southward. The squadron in¬ 
stantly weighed, and made sail 
in chase with the wind off the 
land. The convoy having run 
close in shore under the protec¬ 
tion of two gun-vessels, the boats 
of the squadron proceeded under 
cover of the Melampus to attack 
them. Although exposed to a 
smart fire as they approached, 
the boats captured the whole con¬ 
voy, laden with ship timber and 
naval stores, together with the 
gun-vessels Eclair and Crache- 
Feu, each armed with three long 
18-pounders. In performing this 
service the Melampus had eight 
men wounded; Diamond, two 
wounded ; Hebe, 3 wounded ; 
Niger, two wounded; and Syren, 
two killed and two wounded: 
total, two killed and 17 wounded. 

1812. On the 9th of May, the 
7 4-gun ships America and Levia¬ 
than, Capts. Josias Rowley and 
Patrick Campbell, and 18-gun 
brig Eclair, Capt. John Bellamy, 
having chased a French convoy 
of 18 laden vessels, which took 
shelter under the batteries of 
Languilla, it was determined to 
attempt their capture. Accord¬ 
ingly, at daybreak on the 10th, 
the marines, amounting to about 
250 in number, were landed un¬ 
der the orders of Capts. Henry 
Rea, of the America, and John 
Owen, of the Leviathan. Captain 
Owen was detached with a divi¬ 
sion to carry a battery of five 24- 
pounders, which service he per- 







NAVY. 


IVIay 10. 


formed in a very spirited and 
judicious manner. In the mean¬ 
time, the main body of the ma¬ 
rines rapidly advanced under a 
heavy fire of grape, and carried 
the battery adjoining the town of 
Languilla, consisting of four heavy 
guns, and a mortar. This was 
speedily effected, although op¬ 
posed by a strong body of the 
enemy, posted in the wood and 
in the contiguous buildings, upon 
which the guns of the battery 
were immediately turned. The 
Eclair having swept in, and 
opened a fire which drove the 
enemy from the houses lining the 
beach, the boats of the squadron, 
commanded by Lieut. William 
Richardson, brought off 16 laden 
settees; and, under cover of the 
Eclair’s guns, the marines re- 
embarked in the most perfect 
order. The total loss incurred, 
amounted to 16 killed and 
drowned, and 20 wounded. 

IVIay 10. 

1667. Defeat of Erench and 
Dutch Squadrons. — Sir John 
Harman, beingoff St.Christopher’s 
with 12 frigates, fell in with the 
combined French and Dutch squa¬ 
drons, under M. de la Barre and 
Commodore Kruysen, amounting 
to 22 ships, having 1300 soldiers 
on board. Notwithstanding their 
inferiority, the English obtained 
a complete victory, burnt six of 
the enemy’s ships, and sunk se¬ 
veral others. The Dutch com¬ 
modore was so dissatisfied -with 
the conduct of the French on this 
occasion, that he quitted them at 
St. Kitts. Sir John Harman, 
taking advantage of this circum¬ 
stance, entered the harbour and 
destroyed every remaining ship. 

1671. Destruction of Alge¬ 
rine Fleet. — In the spring of 
the year the complaints of the 


479 


merchants of the depredations 
committed by the corsairs of Al¬ 
giers induced the government to 
send a squadron to the Mediter¬ 
ranean to chastise those barba¬ 
rians. Sir Edward Spragge was 
appointed to the command of 
this expedition, which consisted 
of five frigates and three fire¬ 
ships ; and being subsequently 
reinforced by some other ships, 
his whole force amounted to 
twelve vessels. Receiving intel¬ 
ligence that there were several 
Algerine men-of-war in Bugid 
bay, he resolved to attack them. 
In the meantime the Algerines 
unrigged their ships, and, for their 
better security, made a strong 
boom, buoyed with casks. On the 
10th of May, at noon, a favour¬ 
able breeze springing up, the ad¬ 
miral made the signal for the 
ships to form in line and bear up 
for the bay; but the wind failing 
them, they were not able to effect 
this until 2 r. m., when the ad¬ 
miral anchored close under the 
castle walls, which kept up an in¬ 
cessant fire for two hours. As 
soon as the ships came to anchor, 
the boats having broke the boom, 
the only fire-ship remaining with 
the squadron was towed among 
the corsairs, and burnt with such 
success that the whole of the Al¬ 
gerine fleet were destroyed. This 
exploit, which was accomplished 
with the loss of only seventeen 
men killed and forty-one wounded, 
added greatly to the renown of 
Sir Edward Spragge. 

IVIay II. 

1780. Reduction of Charles¬ 
town. — Vice-Adm. Arbuthnot, 
having his flag on board the Roe¬ 
buck, 44, on the 11th of February 
proceeded from New York, with 
a squadron to co-operate with 
Gen. Sir Henry Clinton in the 






480 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 12. 


reduction of Charlestown, South 
Carolina. The army having 
opened its batteries against the 
town, the vice-admiral on the 9th 
of April got under way with seven 
frigates, and passed Sulivan’s 
island amidst a heavy fire, and 
anchored under, James island. 
The loss sustained by the ships 
in passing the batteries, amounted 
to 27 killed and wounded. The 
enemy had a considerable naval 
force in the harbour; but on the 
approach of the British squadron 
they retired up to Charlestown, 
where most of the ships were 
sunk to obstruct the passage. On 
the 29th, a brigade of 500 seamen 
and marines were landed, under 
the command of Capts. Hudson, 
Orde, and Gambier, and took pos¬ 
session of Mount Pleasant. 

In the night of the 4th of May, 
a detachment of 200 seamen and 
marines, under Capts. Hudson, 
Gambier, and Knowles, were 
landed on Sulivan’s island, and 
having passed the fort unobserved, 
took possession of a redoubt on 
the east side. The ships of war 
being drawn up ready to support 
the attack, and every arrange¬ 
ment made to storm, the fort, on 
being summoned, surrendered ; 
and on the 11th Charlestown 
capitulated. The total loss dur¬ 
ing the siege did not exceed 23 
killed and 28 wounded. 

1808. Capture of Griffon. 
— The 20-gun ship Bacchante, 
Captain Samuel Hood Ingle- 
field, cruising off Cuba, brought 
to action the French 16-gun brig 
Griffon, and, after a running fight 
of thirty minutes, by which time 
she was within two hundred yards 
of the breakers off Cape Antonio, 
compelled her to haul down her 
colours. 

1809. Boats of Melpomene 
at Huilbo. —The 38-gun frigate 
Melpomene, Capt. Peter Parker, 


having chased a Danish man-of- 
war cutter, of six guns, on shore 
at Huilbo, a harbour in Jutland, 
came to anchor, and despatched 
her boats, under the orders of 
Lieuts. John Hanway Plumridge 
and George Rennie, to attempt 
her capture. Under cover of the 
frigate’s guns, in spite of a gall¬ 
ing fire from the enemy, the boats 
effected the destruction of the 
cutter; but in accomplishing this 
service, Lieut. Rennie, two sea¬ 
men, and three marines, were 
severely wounded. 

• 

May 12. 

1796. Phoenix and Argo.— 
The Phoenix, 36, Capt. Lawrence 
Halstead, in company with the 
50-gun ship Leopard, Pegasus, 
28, and Sylph brig, cruising in 
the North Sea, discovered the 
Dutch 36-gun frigate Argo and 
three brigs. Chase was imme¬ 
diately given, the brigs pursued 
by the Pegasus and Sylph, while 
the Phoenix, followed by the 
Leopard, who was far astern, di¬ 
rected her attention to the Argo. 
The latter was running with the 
wind abeam, when the Phoenix, 
at 8h. a. m., arrived upon her 
weather quarter, and in a few 
minutes commenced a close ac¬ 
tion, which was maintained with 
spirit for about 20 minutes, when 
the 'Argo, having lost six men 
killed and 28 wounded, out of 
a crew of 237, hauled down her 
colours. The Phoenix had one 
man killed and three wounded. 

1808. Destruction of Ba- 
leine. — The 32-gun frigate 
Amphion, Capt. Wm. Hoste, dis¬ 
covered in the bay of Rosas, 
under the protection of some 
heavy batteries, the French fri¬ 
gate-built store-ship Baleine, of 
800 tons, mounting 26 guns, 12- 
pounders, with a crew of 150 







NAVY. 


May 13 


men, which at lOh. 10m. a.m. 
opened her fire, as did also a 
battery on the left of Rosas, of 
sixteen long 24-pounders, fort 
Bouton, mounting several heavy 
guns, and a low battery of eight 
24-pounders on the right hand side 
of the bay. The Amphion re¬ 
turned their fire on different tacks 
as she worked in; and at llh. 
the Baleine ran ashore close un¬ 
der fort Bouton. At 1 Ih. 30rn. 
the Amphion anchored, with 
springs on her cable, inside the 
anchorage which the Baleine had 
quitted, and opened her fire upon 
the ship and batteries, which was 
returned by the enemy. At lh. 
30m. p. m. the Baleine was in 
flames, and her crew Avere ob¬ 
served making towards the shore. 
At 2h. 20m., the Amphion cut 
her cable, and made sail out of 
the bay, having gallantly effected 
the destruction of the Trench 
ship, with no greater loss than 
one man killed and five wounded. 

1810. The 18-pounder 36-gun 
frigate Tribune, Capt. George 
Reynolds, cruising off the Naze 
of Norway, Avas attacked by four 
Danish brigs, mounting from 18 
to 20 guns each, accompanied 
by several gun-boats. At 4h. 
p. m., at the distance of half a 
mile, the frigate discharged her 
broadside, and a smart engage¬ 
ment took place, Avhich lasted 
until 6h. 25m.; when the brig, 
bearing the commodore’s pendant, 
being very much shattered in 
her hull, ceased firing, and made 
all sail for the port of Man dal, 
followed by her consorts. They 
were pursued as speedily as pos¬ 
sible by the frigate; but, favoured 
by the lightness of the Avind, the 
brigs reached their port. The 
Tribune suffered severely from 
the fire of her numerous anta¬ 
gonists, and had nine men killed 
and. fifteen wounded. 


4S1 


May 13. 

1757. Destruction of Aqui- 
lon. —The 50-gun ship Antelope, 
Capt. Alexander Hood, cruising 
off the French coast, brought to 
action the French 50-gun ship 
Aquilon. After the exchange of 
a feAv broadsides, the enemy 
sheered off and stood in for the 
land, folloAved by her opponent 
under all sail. Finding it im¬ 
possible to escape, the Aquilon 
ran upon a ridge of rocks in 
Audierne bay, where she Avas 
totally wrecked. The Antelope 
had three men killed and 13 
Avounded. The loss of the Aqui¬ 
lon amounted to 55 killed and 
wounded. 

1779. Capture of Ships in 
Cancale Bay.— Sir James Wal¬ 
lace, in the Experiment, 50, Avith 
Pallas, 36, Unicorn, 20, and tAvo 
brigs, pursued into Cancale bay 
three French frigates, a cutter, 
and several small craft. Eager 
to place the Experiment close to 
a battery, and the pilots refusing 
to venture the ship so near in, 
Sir James took the risk upon 
himself, and boldly laid her on 
shore, abreast of the battery, 
which he soon silenced, and com¬ 
pelled the creivs of the French 
frigates to abandon their ships. 
The boats o’f the squadron 
brought out the Danae, 34, after 
destroying the Valeur, 26, Re¬ 
cluse, 24, and Dieppe cutter. 

1793. Iris and Citoyenne 
Franqaise.— The 32-gun frigate 
Iris, Captain George Lumsdaine, 
in lat. 43° 34' N., long. 13° 12' 
W., at 6h. p.m. brought to action 
the 32-gun frigate Citovenne 
Franqaise, which continued with- 
out intermission until 8 p. m. ; 
when, just as the Iris was about 
to make sail in pursuit of her 
opponent, her foremast, main- 
topmast and mizen-mast went 








1 


482 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 14. 


over the side. The Citoyenne 
Fran^aise then hauled to the 
wind, and escaped into Bordeaux, 
having had her captain (Dube- 
dat) and 15 men killed, and 37 
wounded. The Iris lost four 
men killed and 32 wounded. 

1798. Capture op the Mon¬ 
dovi. —The 36-gun frigate Flora, 
Capt. Robert G. Middleton, hav¬ 
ing chased the French 18-gun 
brig Mondovi into the port of 
Cerigo, in the evening despatched 
the boats under the orders of 
Lieut. William Russell to attempt 
the capture of the corvette. Not¬ 
withstanding the heavy fire of 
the forts, as well as from the 
Mondovi and several other ves¬ 
sels, the boats gallantly boarded, 
and, after a sharp struggle, car¬ 
ried the French brig, with no 
greater loss than one man killed 
and 8 wounded. The Mondovi 
had 5 killed or drowned, and 8 
wounded. 

May 14. 

1652. Submission to the En¬ 
glish Flag. — Captain Young, 
commanding an English man-of- 
war cruising in the Channel, fell 
in with a Dutch squadron at the 
back of the Isle of Wight, the 
commander of which refused to 
strike his flag. This being a mark 
of respect which ships of the En¬ 
glish navy had been accustomed 
to receive, Capt. Young opened 
his broadside upon the Dutch 
commodore’s ship, and compelled 
her to haul down her colours. 

1806. Pallas and Minerve. 
— The 32-gun frigate Pallas, 
Capt. Lord Cochrane, being within 
tw r o miles of the western battery 
on the island of Aix, and having 
shortened sail to the topsails, the 
French 40-gun frigate Minerve 
and three brigs were seen coming 
out of the roads under all sail 


As they arrived within range, the 
Pallas opened a well-directed fire 
upon them, receiving in return 
a fire from the enemy’s squadron, 
as "well as from the batteries. 
The Pallas, then hauling on board 
fore and main tacks, endeavoured 
to cross the bows of the Minerve, 
to get to windward of her, which 
manoeuvre she accomplished at 
lh. p.m., and then opened upon 
her principal opponent a close 
cannonade. To prevent the fri¬ 
gate’s retreat, Lord Cochrane 
gallantly determined on board¬ 
ing, and accordingly ran the 
Minerve on board. So violent 
Avas the collision that it brought 
down the fore-topmast of the 
Pallas, carried away the jib-boom 
spritsail-yard, bumpkin, cat-head, 
fore and main-topsail yards, 
chain-plates of the fore-rigging; 
and the bower anchor was torn 
from her bows. Before an op¬ 
portunity offered of gaining a 
footing on the deserted decks of 
the French frigate, the two ships 
separated. At this moment, two 
other frigates were seen coming 
out of the roads to the assistance 
of the Minerve. Under these 
circumstances the crippled Pallas 
bore up, and was shortly taken 
in tow by the Kingfisher brig. 
Out of a crew of 214, the Pallas 
had one man killed and 5 wound¬ 
ed ; whilst the Minerve, a ship of 
1100 tons, out of a crew of 330, 
had 7 men killed and 14 wounded. 

1812. The 32-gun frigate 
Thames, Capt. Charles Napier, 
with 18-gun brig Pilot, Captain 
Toup Nicolas, attacked the port 
of Sapri, defended by a strong 
battery and a tower, mounting two 
32-pounders. After cannonading 
the fort for two hours, within 
pistol-shot, the garrison surren¬ 
dered at discretion. Twenty- 
eight vessels were launched and 
the battery bloAvn up before suuset. 








May 15. NAVY. 483 


May 15. 

1809. The 32-gun frigate 
Tartar, Captain Joseph Baker, 
chased on shore near Felixburgh, 
on the coast of Courland, a 
Danish 4-gun sloop-privateer, the 
crew of which, 24 in number, 
landed with their muskets, and, 
joined by some country people, 
posted themselves behind the 
sand-hills near the beach. In 
spite of this opposition, the boats 
of the Tartar, under Lieutenant 
Thomas Sykes, landed, and, hav¬ 
ing turned the guns of the pri¬ 
vateer upon the sand-hills, the 
vessel was brought off. 

1809. Lieut. Robert I. Gordon, 
of the 32-gun frigate Mercury, 
landed with a party of seamen 
and marines in the harbour of 
Rotti, on the coast of Istria, and 
destroyed seven trabaccolos. 
Lieut. Gordon, who was severely 
wounded by an explosion of gun¬ 
powder, was the only loss sus¬ 
tained by the British. 

1813. Bacchante at Karlo- 
bago. —The 38-gun frigate Bac¬ 
chante, Captain William Hoste, 
having arrived off the harbour of 
Karlobago early in the morning, 
anchored within pistol-shot of a 
battery of eight guns at the en¬ 
trance of the port. After the 
firing had continued a consider¬ 
able time, the governor held out 
a flag of truce, and the place was 
surrendered at discretion. The 
marines, under Lieut. Charles 
Holmes, together with a party of 
seamen under Lieut. S. T. Hood, 
landed and took possession. The 
guns of the place were embarked, 
the public works destroyed, and 
the castle blown up. The Bac¬ 
chante then retired with the loss 
of four men wounded. 


May 16. 

1804. Defeat of French 
Flotilla. —A division of prames 
and gun-boats, under Rear-Adm. 
Ver Huel, from Flushing, bound 
to Ostend, mounting together 
upwards of 100 guns, long 18-, 
24-, and 36-pounders and mortars, 
carrying about 5000 men, was 
attacked by a squadron of fri¬ 
gates and sloops under Captain 
Sir Sidney Smith. The 18-gun 
brig Cruiser, Capt. John Han¬ 
cock, and 16-gun sloop Rattler, 
Capt. Francis Mason, particularly 
distinguished themselves, and 
were chiefly instrumental in driv¬ 
ing on shore the flag-prame Ville 
d’Anvers, together with four 
schooners. The British loss 
amounted to 10 killed and 21 
wounded. 


May 17. 

1667. Capt. Henry Dawes, in 
command of the Elizabeth frigate, 
engaged two Danish men-of-war, 
each mounting forty guns. Capt. 
Dawes was killed by a cannon¬ 
ball; and the lieutenant being des¬ 
perately wounded, the command 
devolved upon the master, who 
also soon shared the fate of the 
captain. The gunner succeeding 
to the command, gallantly con¬ 
tinued the action, and with the 
remaining crew carried the ship 
safely into port. 

1756. Action off Oleron. — 
Early in the morning the 50-gun 
ship Colchester, and Lyme, 26, 
Capts. Lucius O’Brien and Ed¬ 
ward Vernon, detached from the 
fleet of Adm. Boscawen, were off 
the Isle of Oleron, when they 
chased the French ships Aquilon, 
50, and 32-gun frigate Fidele. 
The pursuit lasted all day, and 


11 2 







484 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. BEa y 13. 


at 5h. p. m., the Colchester closed 
with the Aquilon, whilst the Lyme 
engaged the frigate. After an 
action of six hours’ duration, the 
French ships, taking advantage 
of the disabled state of their an¬ 
tagonists, made sail and escaped. 

1795. Capture op Raison and 
Prevoyante. — The 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Thetis, Captain Alexander 
Francis Cochrane, and 28-gun 
frigate Hussar, Capt. John Poer 
Beresford, when about 20 leagues 
to the northward of Cape Henry, 
chased and brought to action the 
French store-ships Normand, 
Trajan, Prevoyante, Ilernoux, 
and Raison, which were thus 
formed in line, awaiting the at¬ 
tack of the British. The Hussar, 
by signal, attacked the two lead¬ 
ing ships, whilst the Thetis en¬ 
gaged the Prevoyante, which 
was the largest of the squadron, 
mounting 24 long 8-pounders. By 
1 lh. a. m., the fire of the Hussar 
had compelled the commodore 
and his second ahead to quit 
the line and make sail to the 
south-east. The attention of both 
frigates being now directed to 
the three rear-ships, two of them, 
the Raison and Prevoyante, were 
soon compelled to haul down their 
colours. The Thetis suffered a 
loss of eight men killed and nine 
wounded ; and the Hussar three 
men wounded. — iHctfril. 


Rftay 13. 

1620. Van Tromp defeated. 
— In the early part of May, the 
Dutch had assembled a fleet of 
150 ships, under Martin Harpetz 
Tromp, commonly called Van 
Tromp. A small squadron un¬ 
der Capt. N. Bourne was lying 
in the Downs, when Tromp, with 
a fleet of forty ships, put in there, 
as he pretended, by stress of 


| weather. Bourne remarked, that 
| the truth of his reason would 
best appear by the shortness of 
his stay, and requested him to leave 
the anchorage; at the same time 
sending notice to Gen. Robert 
Blake, who was riding in Dover 
roads with fifteen ships. On the 
next day, the Dutch fleet beat 
down to Dover, and was entering 
the roads, when Blake opened fire 
upon their leading ship, in con¬ 
sequence of her not paying the 
accustomed homage of striking 
the flag. The Dutch fleet re¬ 
turned the fire by as many ships 
as could bring their guns to bear. 
The English squadron then got 
under way, and Blake, desirous of 
settling the dispute by single 
combat with Tromp, took the 
lead ; but his chivalry only drew 
upon him the united fire of the 
ships around him. Being joined 
by Bourne’s division, the Dutch 
made sail away, leaving two ships 
in possession of the English. 

1709. The Falmouth, 50, Capt. 
Walter Ryddel, when off Scilly, 
in charge of a convoy, fell in with 
four French men-of-war. The 
commodore, in a ship of 64 guns, 
attacked the Falmouth, and made 
an attempt to board her; but the 
latter defeated the manoeuvre, by 
laying the enemy athwart hawse, 
and the two ships, with their bow¬ 
sprits locked, continued to engage 
for upwards of an hour and a 
half. The French ship then 
hauled off and made sail away, 
and Capt. Ryddel rejoined his 
convoy. The loss of the Fal¬ 
mouth amounted to 13 killed. 
Captain Ryddel and 55 men 
wounded. 

1757. The 28-gun frigate Uni¬ 
corn, Capt. John Rawlins, off the 
coast of Ireland, brought to action 
the French privateer Invincible, 
of 24 guns and 286 men. In 
the early part of the engagement 








May 19. NAVY. 

485 

Captain Rawlins was mortally 

English. 

wounded, and the command de- 

6 ships of 100 guns. 

volved upon Lieut. Michael Cle- 

1 

96 „ 

ments, who continued the contest 

9 

90 „ 

with great skill, and compelled 

3 

80 „ 

the privateer to surrender. The 

1 

74 „ 

Unicorn, besides her captain, had 

23 

70 „ 

her boatswain and two men killed, 

7 

60 „ 

and five men wounded. After 

1 

54 „ 

seeing his prize into Kinsale, 

12 

50 „ 

Lieut. Clements went in pursuit 

63 sail of the line, carrying 4504 

of a privateer of 18 guns and 143 

guns and 27,725 

men. 

men, which he had the good for- 

Dutch. 

tune to fall in with and capture. 

9 first-rates. 

9 third rates. 

1809. Captuke of Anholt.— 

19 second do. 

8 fourth do. 

The 64-gun ship Standard, Capt. 

36 sail of the line, under Adm. 

A. P. Holies, 38-gun frigate Owen 

Allemonde, carrying 2494 guns 

Glcndower, Capt. William Selby, 

and 12,950 men. 

Total, 99 ships 

and three sloops of war, had been 

of the line, 6998 guns, and 40,675 

detached from the fleet of Sir 

men ; forming probably the most 

James Saumarez, in the early 

powerful fleet that was ever fitted 

part of May, to effect the reduc- 

out. On the morning of the 

tion of the island of Anholt, in 

19th, CapeBarfleur bearing SW. 

the Cattegat. On the 18th, a 

by S., the French fleet, under 

detachment of marines under 

Adm. de Tourville, was descried 

Capt. Edward Nicolls, supported 

to the westward, consisting of 

by a party of seamen under Capt. 

1 ship of 104 guns. 

Selby, effected a landing; and 

1 

100 „ 

after a gallant resistance, in which 

3 

96 „ 

one marine was killed and two 

5 

90 „ 

wounded, the Danish garrison, 

8 

84 „ 

consisting of 170 men, surrendered 

7 

76 „ 

at discretion. 

9 

w 55 

74 „ 


1 

70 „ 


5 „ 

7 

68 „ 

64 

May 3.9. 

* 55 

15 

60 „ 

1692 Battle of La Hogue. 

3 

58 „ 

—The combined fleet sailed from 

2 

54 „ 

Spithead on the 18 th of May. 

3 

50 „ 

Adm. Russel had his flag (union 

forming a total of 63 sail of the 

of the main) on board the Bri- 

line, with 7 smaller vessels, 26 

tannia, having for his vice and 
rear-admirals Sir Ralph Delaval 

armee en flute, and 14 others. At 

about 8h. a. m. the combined fleet 

and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. The 

formed a line ahead in the order 

blue squadron was commanded 

of sailing,—the Dutch in the van, 

by Adm. Sir John Ashby, in the 

Adm. Russel in 

the centre, and 

Victory, having for his vice- 
admiral the Hon. George Rookc, 

Sir John Ashby in the rear. The 

wind continued 

very light from 

and Richard Carter, Esq., his 

the south-west, and at lOh. 30m. 

rear-admiral. The combined fleet 

the enemy was observed to bear 

was thus composed: — 

up together to the attack. Not a 


11 3 







- - - ■ ..... —. . . • " 

486 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 20. 


shot was fired until the admiral, 
in the Soleil Royal, having ar¬ 
rived within musket-shot, rounded 
to, and at llh. 30m. opened her 
broadside upon the Britannia. 
The light air of wind having died 
away, the rear division was in¬ 
capable of closing ; consequently, 
the engagement was maintained 
by the red division for above an 
hour, by which time the Soleil 
Royal was so much disabled that 
she ceased firing, and was towed 
out of action. About noon, a 
dense fog came on, and the firing 
consequently ceased. The fog 
continued until the evening, and 
from its being calm, the ships 
drifted with the tide, and were 
frequently interspersed with the 
enemy. Hitherto the rear ships 
had not taken part in the engage¬ 
ment; but at 7h. p.m. they became 
partially engaged, until 9h. 30m. 
p.m. In this contest, Rear-Adm. 
Carter gloriously fell ; his last 
words were “ to fight his ship as 
long as she could swim.” The 
combined fleet stood to the NW. 
during the night, and on the 
morning of the 20th proceeded 
in chase of the enemy, as related 
in the Calendar of 21st May. 

1808. Virginie and Guelder¬ 
land.— At 4h. p.m., in lat. 46° 
N., long. 14° W., the 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Virginie, Captain Edward 
Brace, observed a sail right ahead. 
At 4h. 30m. the stranger, which 
was the Dutch 36-gun frigate 
Guelderland, Capt. Pool, bore up. 
It was not until 9h. 45m. p.m. 
that the Virginie arrived within 
hail, and opened her fire. After 
an action of one hour and thirty 
minutes, having her masts and 
bowsprit shot away, and sustained 
the loss of 25 men killed and 50 
wounded, the Guelderland sur¬ 
rendered. The Virginie had only 
one man killed and two men 
wounded. — fHctfal. 


May 20. 

1800. Capture of the Prima. 
—In the night, a division of boats 
from the squadron of Lord Keith, 
blockading Genoa, under the di¬ 
rection of Capt. Philip Beaver, of 
the 28-gun frigate Aurora, pro¬ 
ceeded to attempt the capture of 
the Prima galley, mounting two 
long brass 36-pounders, moored 
with chains to the inside of the 
eastern mole-head, fully prepared, 
with a crew of 257 men awaiting 
the attack. Although the alarm 
was given, the boats dashed 
alongside, and Mi’. John Cald¬ 
well, midshipman, in the Haer- 
lem’s boat, boarded her on the 
starboard side, whilst Captain 
Beaver, in the Minotaur’s cutter, 
with Lieut, of Marines Thomas 
Peebles, and Lieut. William Gib¬ 
son, in the Vestal’s launch, over 
her stern and quarter, gained a 
footing on the poop-deck. The 
other boats quickly rushed along¬ 
side, and, after a short struggle, 
the galley was in possession of 
the British. She was immediately 
taken in tow; and as the galley- 
slaves readily manned the oars, 
the Prima, in the teeth of a tre¬ 
mendous fire of shot and shell, 
was soon conveyed in safety 
alongside the Minotaur. The loss 
of the British -was no more than 
five men wounded; that of the 
enemy, one man killed and 15 
wounded. 

1808. Boats of Fawn. —The 
Fawn, 18, Acting-Commander 
James Harvey, off Porto Rico, 
despatched two boats, under the 
orders of Acting-Lieut. James 
Robertson, to attempt the cap¬ 
ture of a large privateer-schooner 
and three other vessels, anchored 
under two batteries. In spite of a 
heavy fire, Lieut. Robertson 
gained possession of the schoon¬ 
er, which the crew had run on 






NAVY. 


May 


shore, and succeeded in getting 
her under way ; but this had 
scarcely been effected, when her 
magazine exploded, and all on 
board except himself and two 
seamen were blown into the 
water. Notwithstanding this un¬ 
fortunate occurrence, Lieut. Ro¬ 
bertson rejoined the Fawn on 
the same day, with his four gal¬ 
lantly obtained prizes. 

1811. Capture of Renom¬ 
mee.— On 20th May, Capt. C. M. 
Schomberg, in the 38-gun frigate 
Astrea, with 36-gun frigates 
Phoebe and Galatea, Capts. James 
Hillyar and Woodley Losack, 
and the 18-gun brig Racehorse, 
Capt. James De Rippe, off Tama- 
tave, discovered the French 40- 
gun frigates Renommee, Commo¬ 
dore Roquebert, Clorinde, and 
Nereide. At noon they formed 
in line, the Commodore placing 
his ship in the centre and next 
to the Clorinde, and stood along 
the land. At 4h. p.m. the Astrea, 
when nearly a mile ahead of her 
consorts, and abreast of the Re¬ 
nommee, was fired at by that 
ship, and subsequently the Phoebe 
and Galatea were also engaged. 
After passing the Nereide, the 
Astrea endeavoured to tack; but, 
owing to the lightness of the 
wind, she missed stays and was 
unable to get round. The Re¬ 
nommee and Clorinde then placed 
themselves on the stern and 
quarter of the Phoebe and Gala- 
tea, whilst the Nereide was dis¬ 
tantly engaged with the Astrea. 
The Galatea was for some time ex¬ 
posed to a raking fire ; but, after 
having had two boats sunk by 
shot in endeavouring to get her 
round, she was at length enabled 
to open her broadside upon the 
Renommee; both her opponents, 
however, soon stood away to the 
assistance of the Nereide. This 
was at 8h. p.m.; so that the Ga¬ 


487 


latea had for three hours been 
exposed to the fire of the two 
frigates, and was so disabled as 
to be incapable of pursuing the 
enemy,—her fore and mizen top¬ 
masts gone, and her other masts 
badly wounded. The Astrea, 
Phoebe, and Racehorse, made sail 
in chase, and at 9h. 50m. p.m. 
came to close action with the 
Renommee, which, in a short 
time, was compelled to surrender. 
The Astrea and Phoebe conti¬ 
nued the pursuit of the Clorinde 
until 2h. a.m. on the 21st, but 
that ship and the Nereide ef¬ 
fected their escape. 

Total British loss:— 

Astrea - 2 killed, 16 wounded 

Galatea - 14 „ 48 „ 

Phoebe - 7 „ 27 „ 

The enemy’s loss in killed and 
wounded on board the Renom¬ 
mee and Nereide amounted to 
145 in the former, and 130 in 
the latter, including Commodore 
Roquebert among the slain. The 
Renommee became the Java in 
the British navy— 

May 21. 

1 692. Battle of La Hogue. 
After the conflict of the hostile 
fleets, as related in our Calendar 
of 19th May, the combined En¬ 
glish and Dutch fleet stood to 
the north-west during the night; 
and on the morning of the 20th 
38-sail of French ships were seen 
about nine miles to the westward. 
All sail was made in chase, and 
the pursuit continued until 4h. 
p.m., when the ebb-tide having 
ceased, both fleets anchored and 
furled sails. At lOh. 30m. they 
again weighed, and plied to the 
westward under all sail. On the 
21st, at 5h. a.m., the English an¬ 
chored near the Race of Alderney, 
in 50 fathoms, Cape La Hogue 
bearing about south. Twenty- 


I I 4 







488 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. may 22. 


three French ships also anchored, 
hut much nearer to the Race, and 
15 others about three leagues 
further to the westward. The 
flood-tide coming up strong, 20 
sail of the ships that had an¬ 
chored near Alderney were ob¬ 
served to be driving, and were 
soon to leeward of Cape La 
Hogue. Three of them (three- 
deckers) having succeeded in get¬ 
ting into Cherbourg, Vice-Adm. 
Delaval was directed to stand in¬ 
shore and destroy them. Finding 
that these ships were enclosed by 
rocks, the vice-admiral delayed 
the attack until the morning of 
the 22nd, when he again stood 
in with three fire-ships, which he 
conducted in person. Two of the 
three-deckers were destroyed, but 
the third fire-ship was sunk by 
the enemy’s shot. The third 
French ship being on shore, the 
St. Albans and Ruby opened a 
fire upon her until the crew had 
deserted, when she was on fire. 
The remainder of the ships en¬ 
tered the harbour of La Hogue, 
or succeeded in reaching St. Ma- 
loes. At 3 p.m., Admiral Russel 
made the signal for all boats, 
manned and armed, to proceed 
into the harbour, and destroy the 
enemy’s ships. Vice-Adm. the 
Hon. Geo. Rooke, having been 
entrusted with the expedition, 
shifted his flag to the Eagle, 70. 
It was soon discovered that the 
water was too shallow for the ap¬ 
proach of the smallest ships; the 
boats, nevertheless, moved on, 
and, although exposed to a severe 
fire from the forts and shipping, 
they succeeded in boarding six 
of the ships, and with very little 
loss. These were soon in flames, 
but the remainder being high up 
on the shore, and protected by a 
large body of troops, could not 
at that time be attempted. On 
the following morning the boats 


renewed the attack, and burnt 
the remaining ten ships, together 
with several transports and smaller 
vessels. The Soleil Royal, and 
the two others taken possession 
of off Cherbourg, are included in 
the following list of 16 sail of the 
line destroyed by the British: — 
Soleil Royal, 104, Ambitieux, 96, 
Admirable, 90, Philippe, 84, Con- 
querant, 84, Tonnant, 76, Terri¬ 
ble, 76, Magnifique, 76, Triom- 
phant, 76, Fier, 76, Amicable, 68, 
Serieux, 68, Glorieux, 64, Prince, 
60, Sans Pared, 60, Diamant, 60. 
This important service was per¬ 
formed with so small a loss as 
ten men killed, and the result of 
the victory completely dissipated 
the hopes and prospects of King 
James’s restoration to the throne 
of England. 

1762. The 28-gun frigate Ac¬ 
tive, Capt. Herbert Sawyer, and 
18-gun sloop Favourite, Capt. 
Philemon Pownal, cruising off 
Cadiz, captured the Spanish re¬ 
gister-ship Ilermione, with a 
cargo of specie amounting to 
519,705/. Is. 6c/., which was thus 
divided: — To the admiral and 
commodore, 64,963/. 3s. 9 d. Ac¬ 
tive's share:—To the captain, 
6 5,053/. 13s. 9c/.; 3 commissioned 
officers (at 13,004/. 14s. lc/. each), 
39,014/. 2s. 3d.: 8 warrant officers 
(at 4336/. 3s. 2d. each), 34,689/. 
5s. 4c/.; 20 petty officers (at 1806/. 
1 s. 8 d. each), 36 J30/. 17s. 8 d .; 158 
seamen (at 485/. 5s. 4fc/. each), 
76,132/. 13s.: the Favorite sharing 
proportionately. 

May 22. 

1812 . Destruction or French 
Squadron by Northumberland. 
— On the 19th May, the 74-gun 
ship Northumberland, Capt. the 
Hon Henry Hotham, and the 
Growler gun-brig, Lieut. John 
Weeks, being about 10 miles to 






NAVY. 


May 23. 


the southward of the Isle of Groix, 
with the wind very light from W. 
by N.,the 40-gun frigates Ariadne 
and Andromaque, with the Mame- 
louck brig, were discovered under 
all sail, steering for the port of 
L’Orient. The Northumberland 
made sail round the south-east 
end of Groix, and was enabled to 
fetch to windward of the harbour 
of L’Orient before the enemy 
could reach it. At 2h. 50m. p.m., 
the wind having freshened from 
WNW., the Ariadne, Andro¬ 
maque, and Mamclouek, thus cut 
off from their port, formed in 
close line ahead, bore up under 
a press of sail, with the intention, 
under cover of the numerous bat¬ 
teries, to pass between the British 
74 and the shore. The Northum¬ 
berland then stood close in to 
Pointe de Pierre-Laye, and took 
her station until the enemy ar¬ 
rived abreast of her. The shoali- 
ness of the water preventing Capt. 
Hotham laying the frigates on 
board, he directed the ship to be 
steered parallel to them; and when 
at the distance of about 400 yards, 
opened her broadside, receiving 
in return the fire of the two fri¬ 
gates and three batteries on the 
shore. In order to prevent the 
French frigates hauling outside the 
Graul rock, the Northumberland 
had not only to steer sufficiently 
near the rock to leave no room 
for her opponents to pass, but to 
prevent running upon it herself, 
and she thus skilfully passed 
within the distance of her own 
length of the danger. The enemy 
being thus compelled to steer in¬ 
side the rock, they all three took 
the ground at about 3h. 54m. p.m., 
on the ridge extending from the 
Graul to the shore. The North¬ 
umberland, leaving her oppo¬ 
nents to the effects of the falling 
tide, hauled off to repair damages. 
At 5h. p.m., the Growler gun- 


489 


brig, Lieut. John "Weeks, joined, 
and opened an occasional fire 
upon the grounded vessels. At 
5h. 30m., the Northumberland 
stood in, and anchoring, opened 
her fire upon the enemy’s ships. 
In return, she received a heavy 
fire from three batteries, and a 
few shot from the Andromaque, 
until 6h. p.m., when the frigate 
caught fire in the foretop, and 
the flames spread so rapidly that 
her main and mizen masts went 
by the board at 6h. 45m. At 8h. 
p.m., the Andromaque blew up, 
and a few minutes afterwards the 
Northumberland anchored be¬ 
yond the reach of the batteries. 
At lOh. p.m., the Ariadne was 
seen to be on fire, and at about 
2h. 35m. she exploded. The loss 
of the Northumberland amounted 
to five men killed; one lieutenant, 
(William Fletcher) and 27 men 
wounded. A mortified spectator 
of this gallant achievement, was a 
French 74-gun ship lying in the 
port of L’Orient, with sails bent, 
and topgallant-yards across, but 
which, from the state of the wind, 
could do no more than send her 
boats to assist in removing the 
crews of the wrecks. —iftcbal. 

May 23. 

1512. CONQUET AND BREST 
burnt. —War was declared with 
France, and a fleet fitted out, 
commanded by Sir Edward How¬ 
ard, lord high admiral. The 
expedition having sailed in May, 
and having conveyed a force to 
Spain, as far as Passages, Sir 
Thomas Howard (brother of the 
lord high admiral) landed at 
Conquet and Brest, burnt the 
towns and laid the country waste. 

1811. The 32-gun frigate Sir 
Francis Drake, Captain George 
Harris, when lying about 12 miles 
to the north-east of Ilembang 






490 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. iVTay 24. 


island of Java, discovered a 
flotilla of fourteen Dutch gun- 
vessels, which being closely pur¬ 
sued, five of the number were 
compelled at 7h. a. m. to anchor 
under the guns of the frigate. 
The others furled sails, and pulled 
to windward to gain the shore; 
but being chased by the ship’s 
boats under Lieut. James Bradley, 
the remaining nine, after making 
a stout resistance, were captured 
without the loss of a man on the 
part of the British. 

1841. Attack of Canton.— 
The warlike operations in China 
were resumed in the early part 
of May, and on the 21st the 
Blenheim, 74, took up a position 
within six miles of Canton in the 
Macao passage ; but it was not 
until the 23rd that the whole 
force had assembled, and at 2 
p.m. on that day the troops were 
placed on board various craft 
which had been procured for their 
conveyance. The principal point 
of debarkation was to take place 
to the north-west of the city, 
while another column was to 
take possession of the factories, 
drawing the attention of the 
enemy to that quarter, and at 
the same time to co-operate with 
the naval force, which was to 
attack the river defences, in order 
to silence numerous works re¬ 
cently erected by the Chinese 
along the whole southern face of 
the city. Capt. Belcher having 
by a judicious reconnoisance es¬ 
tablished the practicability of this 
arrangement, the force moved to 
the point of attack as follows :— 
Right column, to attack the fac¬ 
tories, Major Pratt, 26th regi¬ 
ment, 17 offieex's, 344 men. Left 
brigade: Lieut.-Col. Morris, 49th 
regiment, 40 officers, 606 men. 
Artillery xxnder Capt. Knowles, 
16 officei*s, 401 men. Naval bri¬ 
gade under Capt Bouchier, 27 


officers, 403 men. Right brigade 
(reserve, under Major-General 
Burrell) : royal marines under 
Capt. Ellis, 9 officers, 372 men; 
18th Royal Irish, Lieut.-Col. 
Adams, 25 officers, 494 men. At 
5h. a. m. the right column had 
taken possession of the factories; 
shortly afterwards the left brigade 
also landed ; and cai-ly on the 
following morning the remainder 
of the troops disembarked, as re¬ 
lated in the next column. 

IVXay 24. 

1808. Swan and Dutch 
Cutter. — At noon, the hired 
armed cutter Swan, mounting 
ten 12-pounder cari'onades, with 
a crew of forty men and boys, 
Lieut. Mark Robinson Lucas, 
being off the island of Bornholm, 
on her way to Sir Samuel Hood 
with despatches, obseiwed a cutter 
under the land stretching towards 
her. The Swan hove to, and 
hoisted a Dutch Jack for a pilot. 
At 2h. p. m., the stranger having 
approached within a short dis¬ 
tance, the Swan made sail in 
chase; and at 4h. p.m., having 
arrived within shot, the enemy 
opened her fire, as did the battery 
of Bornholm, upon the Swan. 
The stranger, in endeavouring to 
get a gun to bear over her taffrail, 
came up in the wind. This 
enabled the Swan to approach 
within musket-shot; and after an 
action of twenty minutes, her 
opponent blew up and sunk. The 
Danish cutter appeared to have 
been a vessel of about 120 tons 
and mounting ten guns. The 
Swan had not a man hurt and 
received no damage. 

1841. Reduction of Canton. 
—The troops having landed, as 
related in the preceding column, 
moved forward until within reach 
of the four strong forts on the 












NAVY. 


BEay 25. 


491 


heights of Canton and the northern 
face of the city walls, where they 
halted until the ai*rival of the 
rocket battery and artillery at 
8 a. m. A well-directed fire was 
then kept up on the two western 
forts with 5^-inch mortars, two 
twelve-pounder howitzers, and two 
seven-pounder guns. The troops 
now advanced to the attack en 
echelon of columns from the left; 
and simultaneous with this move¬ 
ment, the brigade of seamen was 
to carry the two western forts, 
covered by the artillery. During 
the advance, a large body of the 
enemy having assembled on the 
right, the marines under Captain 
Ellis were detached to support 
the brigade of seamen, and to 
cover the right and rear of the 
columns of attack. In little more 
than thirty minutes after the order 
was given to advance, the two 
forts were carried with compa¬ 
ratively small loss, and the British 
troops looked down upon Canton 
within one hundred paces of its 
walls. In co-operation with this 
attack, the brigade of seamen 
carried the two western forts, 
and the British flag proudly waved 
on their battlements. 

IVXay 25. 

1795. Thorn and Courrier 
National. — The 16-gun ship- 
sloop Thorn, Capt. Robert Waller 
Otway, being on the Windward 
Island station, after a spirited 
action of 35 minutes, during which 
the enemy was repulsed in two 
attempts to board, captured the 
French 18 - gun ship - corvette, 
Courrier National, whose loss 
(out of a crew of 119 men and 
boys) amounted to seven killed 
and 20 wounded. The Thorn, 
out of her crew of 80, had only 
five men wounded. 

1801. Mercury at Ancona.— 


At lOh. 30m. the boats of the 28- 
gun frigate Mercury, under the 
orders of Lieut. William Mather, 
pulled into the port of Ancona, 
and about midnight boarded the 
late British bomb-vessel Bulldog, 
which they carried without even 
being hailed by the sentinels on 
the mole, to which the ship was 
riding with three cables ahead. 
The boats had taken the prize in 
tow, when they became exposed 
to heavy fire of cannon and mus¬ 
ketry; she was, nevertheless, be¬ 
yond the reach of the batteries, 
when the wind died away; and a 
division of gun-boats fast ap¬ 
proaching, Lieut. Mather was 
compelled to abandon his prize. 
The loss of the British amounted 
to one man killed and four 
wounded. The enemy had 20 
killed and wounded. 

1814. Capture of Aigle.— 
On 25th May the boats of the 74- 
gun ship Elizabeth, Capt. Edward 

L. Gower, commanded by Lieut. 

M. Roberts, near Corfu, boarded 
and carried the French national 
xebec Aigle, of 6 guns and forty 
men. — flrUtfal. 

!May 26. 

1811. Capture of the Ne¬ 
reide. —After the action with the 
British squadron on the 20th 
May, the, French 40-gun frigate 
Nereide having effected her es¬ 
cape, proceeded to the island of 
Tainatave, where she was fol¬ 
lowed by Astrea and Phoebe fri¬ 
gates and Racehorse brig on the 
25th. Capt. Schomberg having 
summoned the island, on the 26th 
the fort of Tamatave and its de¬ 
pendencies surrendered, and the 
Nereide, and a vessel or two in 
the port, were taken possession of. 

1811. Capture of five Pri¬ 
vateers by Boats of Sabine. 
— The boats of the 16-gun brig 






492 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. IVEay 27. 


Sabine, under Capt. George Price, I 
were detached under the orders 
of Lieut. W. Usherwood to at¬ 
tempt the capture of five French 
privateers, at anchor under the 
fort of Sabiona, near Cadiz. Al¬ 
though these vessels, each mount¬ 
ing two 4-pounders, with a crew 
of 25 men, were moored under a 
battery, the attack was so ably 
planned and gallantly executed, 
that each boat captured one of 
the number, without sustaining 
any loss. Two of the privateers 
were secured by a hawser fast to 
the lower gudgeon on the stern- 
post, by which they were hauled 
on shore, but the other three were 
brought off. 

1811. Boats of Pilot. — In 
the morning Capt. Toup Nicolas, 
in the 18-gun brig Pilot, observ¬ 
ing four settees on the beach al¬ 
most immediately under the town 
of Strongoli, near the entrance of 
the gulf of Taranto, despatched 
the boats under the orders of 
Lieut. Alexander Campbell to 
attempt their capture ; the Pilot 
at the same time anchoring as 
near to the shore as the shoal- 
water would permit. In spite of 
the opposition offered by a large 
body of troops, the party effected 
a landing, and after dislodging 
the enemy from an advantageous 
position, three of the vessels were 
brought off, and the fourth de¬ 
stroyed. This service Avas per¬ 
formed with the trifling loss on 
the part of the British of one man 
wounded. 

IVEay 27. 

1793. Venus and Semillante. 
— At about 111 . a. M., Cape Finis- 
terre bearing SE., distant 125 
leagues, thel 2-pounder 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Venus, Capt. Jonathan Faulk- 
nor, discovered the French 40-gun 
frigate Semillante, Capt. Gaillard. 


About 4h. a. m., the latter bore 
doAvn to reconnoitre, and at 4h 
30m. she tacked, and stood to¬ 
wards the Venus, avIio carried 
sail to obtain the weather-gage. 
At 8h. a. m., the Venus opened 
her fire, and a warm cannonade 
ensued, the tivo ships gradually 
nearing each other until 1 Oh. 
a. m., when they were scarcely 
half a cable’s length asunder. 
The action continued until a 
strange ship was discoA r ered to 
leeward, which the Semillante re¬ 
cognising as her consort the 40- 
gun frigate Nymphe, she bore 
arvay to join her. The Venus, 
Avhose cross-jack yard and gaff 
Avere shot aAvay, and her rigging 
much disabled, then hauled to the 
Avind, as Avell as her crippled 
state would permit. Her loss 
amounted to tAvo men killed, her 
master and 19 Avounded. The 
Semillante had 12 officers and 
men killed, and 20 Avounded. 

1796. Capture of Revanche. 
— Early in the morning, the 14- 
gun brig-sloop, Suffisante, Capt. 
Nicholas Tomlinson, when off the 
Lizard, discovered to Avind ward 
the French brig Revanche, of 12 
long 4-pounders and 85 men. 
After a chase of eleven hours, the 
Suffisante brought the enemy’s 
brig to action just as she Avas 
entering the Passage du Four. 
A close engagement amidst the 
rocks betAveen the island of 
Ushant and the main, was main¬ 
tained about thirty minutes, at 
the end of which time the Re¬ 
vanche, having sustained the loss 
of tAvo men killed and seA^en 
Avounded, hauled doAvn her co¬ 
lours. The Suffisante had only 
one man wounded. 

1806. On the 25th May, the 
18-gun ship-sloop Renard, Capt. 
Jeremiah Coghlan, being about 
ten miles NNE. of the island of 
Mona, gave chase to the French 

-r 









NAVY. 


May 28. 


16-gun brig Diligente. The pur¬ 
suit continued until noon of the 
27th, when the Renard, being in 
lat. 20° 30' north, long. 60° west 
and having got near enough to 
open her lire, the French brig, 
without firing a shot, hauled 
down her colours. 

1841. Reduction of Canton. 
— On 26th May, arrangements 
were made by the troops which 
had invested Canton for an im¬ 
mediate assault of the city, and 
the right column, composed of 
the marines under Capt. Ellis, 
was to force their way through the 
north gate. On the 27th, when 
the troops were about to move 
forward to the assault, an officer 
arrived with a letter from Her 
Majesty’s Plenipotentiary, ad¬ 
dressed to Sir Hugh Gough and 
Sir Fleming Senhouse, to the fol¬ 
lowing effect: — “ The Imperial 
Commissioner and all the troops, 
other than those of the province, 
to quit the city within six days, 
and remove to a distance of sixty 
miles. Six millions of dollars to 
be paid in one week for the use 
of the crown of England, — one 
million before to-morrow at sun¬ 
set. The British troops to occupy 
their actual positions until the 
whole sum be paid, and then 
return, as well as the ships of war, 
without the Bocca Tigris.” 

May 28. 

1672. Battle of Solebay.— 
The English fleet, of nearly 100 
sail, under the Duke of York, 
having been joined by a French 
force of 40 sail, under Count 
d’Estrees, on the 19th of May, 
when off the Gunfleet, discovered 
the Dutch fleet, consisting of 75 
large ships and 40 frigates, com¬ 
manded by De Ruyter, Branck- 
ert, and Van Ghent. The com¬ 
bined fleet anchored in Solebay 


. 493 


until the 28th, when the Dutch 
appearing in the offing, they got 
under way. At 8h. a. m., an 
attack was made upon the force 
of Count d’Estrees by Branckert’s 
division, who at first were va¬ 
liantly resisted; but after a short 
time the French bore up and 
quitted the fight. The squadron 
under the Duke of York was next 
assailed by De Ruyter, and his 
ship, the St. Michael, being dis¬ 
abled, his flag was shifted to the 
Loyal London. The Earl of 
Sandwich, at the head of the blue 
squadron, with his flag in the 
Royal James of 100 guns,was first 
attacked by the Great Holland, 
80, Capt. Brackel, supported by 
Van Ghent and a squadron of 
fire-ships. After contending for 
some time, Van Ghent was kill¬ 
ed, three of the fire-ships sunk, 
and the Great Holland at length 
beaten off, with the loss of her 
captain and great part of her 
crew killed and wounded. For 
nearly five hours the Royal James 
was closely engaged, and having 
been set on fire, the Earl of Sand¬ 
wich, and almost all on board 
perished. The death of Van 
Ghent spread such dismay in his 
division, that they withdrew from 
the contest. This enabled the 
blue squadron to support the 
Duke of York, contending with 
the squadrons of Branckert and 
De Ruyter. Cornelius Evertzen 
was killed, and De Ru}der 
wounded ; and his ship so dis¬ 
abled, with the loss of 150 men 
killed, that he was obliged to quit 
the combat. The squadron, 
lately commanded by Van Ghent, 
having rallied, made sail to the 
support of the divisions of De 
Ruyter and Tromp, and the fury 
of the battle was renewed ; but 
the French, although almost scath- 
less, still kept aloof. At about 
nine, both fleets had suffered so 






CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 29. 


494 


severely that a separation took 
place as if by mutual consent. 
The English had four ships 
burnt or destroyed, and the 
Dutch lost three of their largest 
ships, one of which was captured, 
and the Great Holland reduced 
to a sinking state. Besides the 
Earl of Sandwich, there were 
slain 2500, and as many wounded. 
De Ruyter, in his official letter, 
describes the battle as the bravest 
tight he had ever witnessed. 

1673. Battle off the Scilon- 
velt. — The English fleet, com¬ 
manded by Prince Rupert, with 
Adms. Sir John Harman, and Sir 
Edward Spragge, and the French 
fleet, under Count d’Estrees, dis¬ 
covered the Dutch fleet near the 
sands of Schonvelt. amounting to 
70 ships of the line, commanded 
by De Ruyter, Van Tromp, and 
Branckert. The confederate 
squadrons, amounting to 84 men- 
of-war, besides fire-ships, bore 
down about noon; and as the 
French on former occasions had 
avoided a close contest, they 
were now so placed as to take an 
earnest part in the action, and 
for some time the Count d’Estrees 
was engaged with De Ruyter. 
The latter, however, having com¬ 
pelled his antagonist to sheer off, 
bore down to the assistance of 
Van Tromp, who, from the dis¬ 
abled state of his ship, had been 
thrice obliged to shift his flag. Sir 
Edward Spragge and the Earl of 
Ossory distinguished themselves, 
and the Royal Charles, bearing 
Prince Rupert’s flag, received so 
much damage that she could not 
fight her lower tier of guns. At 
the approach of night, the Dutch 
took refuge among the sands, off 
their own coast, both parties 
claiming the victory. 

1803. Capture of Franchise. 
— The French 40-gun frigate 
Franchise captured by the 74- 


gun ship Minotaur, Capt. J. C. 
M. Mansfield, who had chased 
from the channel fleet. 


May 29. 

1758. Capture or Raison- 
nable. —The 70-gun ship Dor¬ 
setshire, Capt. Peter Denis, in 
company with the Intrepid and 
Achilles, also of the line, chased 
the French 64-gun ship Raison- 
nable, commanded by the Cheva¬ 
lier de Rohun, and engaged her 
until the Achilles arrived up, 
when the enemy surrendered, with 
a loss of 61 killed, 100 wounded. 
The loss of the Dorsetshire 
amounted to 15 men killed and 
20 wounded. 

1794. Carysfort and Cas¬ 
tor. — The 28-gun frigate Carvs- 
fort, Capt. Francis Laforey, in lat. 
46° 38' N., long. 9° 40' W., fell 
in with the French 32-gun frigate 
Castor (late British),Capt. L’Huil- 
lier. After an action had lasted 
without intennission one hour and 
fifteen minutes, the Castor struck 
her colours, having sustained a 
loss of 16 men killed and nine 
Avounded. Out of her crew of 
180 men, the Carysfort had one 
man killed and four Avounded. — 
IHcbal. 

1794. Battle of 29th Mat. 
— On the 28th of May, the 
fleet commanded by Admiral 
Earl IIoAve, consisting of 26 ships 
of the line, Avas in lat. 47° 34' N., 
long. 13° 39' W., with the wind 
fresh at S. by W., Avhen the 
French fleet of 26 sail of the line 
and five frigates, under Villaret 
de Joyeuse, Avas discovered to 
windAvard. At 9h. a.m. they 
bore down, and Avhen Avithin nine 
miles hauled to the Avind and 
hove to. At lOh. 30m. the Bri¬ 
tish haA-ing come to the Avind on 
the same tack as the enemy, made 
sail to approach them. At lh. 









NAVY. 


IVXay 29. 


p. m., the French fleet tacked. 
Before 3h. p. m., the Russel 
opened her fire at the rearmost 
ships, and about 6h. the Belle- 
rophon engaged the 120-gun 
ship Revolutionnaire. and for 
more than an hour maintained 
the unequal contest, until dis¬ 
abled by her powerful opponent, 
which was also engaged with the 
Russel and Marlborough. The 
Revolutionnaire having lost her 
mizen-mast, and being otherwise 
much crippled, bore up out of 
the line. The Audacious, placing 
herself on the lee-quarter of the 
three-decker, continued the en¬ 
gagement until lOh. p. m., when 
the Revolutionnaire, with her 
main and main-topsail yards 
gone, bore away to leeward under 
her fore-topsail. She subsequently 
lost all her masts, and reached 
Rochfort in tow of the 74-gun 
ship Audacieux. The Audacious 
was so much crippled, that she 
bore away for Plymouth. At 
7h. 30m. a. m., the fleet being 
now on the larboard tack, the 
signal was made to pass through 
the enemy’s line. At 8h. a.m., 
the van ships of the enemy began 
wearing in succession to support 
their rear, and, running to lee¬ 
ward of their line, edged down 
towards the centre and van of 
the British. Having passed the 
rear ship of their line, then about 
three miles trom the British cen¬ 
tre, they hauled to the wind on 
the same tack as their opponents. 
At 9h. a. m., both fleets being on 
the larboard tack, the van of the 
French edged away, and at lOh. 
exchanged broadsides with the 
leading ships of the British line. 
At 12h. 30m.. the signal was 
made to tack in succession, with 
the view of passing through the 
enemy’s line. Upon which the 
Ccesar, making the signal of in¬ 
ability, wore and ran down past 


495 


the Majestic, the eighth ship in 
her own line, before she hauled 
up on the starboard tack. About 
lh. p.m., just as the Terrible, the 
third French ship from the rear, 
had carried away her fore-top¬ 
mast, the Queen wore, and round¬ 
ing to, under her second astern 
(the Russel), passed along their 
line, and having reached the 
centre, became warmly engaged ; 
then, making the signal of in¬ 
ability to cut through the enemy’s 
line, she continued her course 
until she had passed their rear 
ship, which was at 3h. 25in. p. ar. 
Lord Howe observing that the 
Queen was suffering severely', 
and that the French ships would 
reach so far ahead as to defeat 
his intended manoeuvre, resolved 
to set the example; and at 
lh. 30m. p. m., the Queen Char¬ 
lotte passed under the lee of the 
Orion (still on the starboard 
tack), and astern and to wind¬ 
ward of the Caesar. Stretching 
boldly on, she arrived abreast of 
the opening between the sixth 
and seventh ships of the enemy’s 
rear ; then pouring a broadside 
into the lee beam of the Eole, 
repeated it as she luffed close 
under her stern. The Bellero- 
phon and Leviathan quickly 
tacked after their gallant chief. 
The Bellerophon succeeded in 
passing ahead of the Terrible, 
but the Leviathan could only 
fetch under her stern and ahead 
of the Tyrannicide. As soon as 
the Queen Charlotte passed 
through the line, she tacked ; 
then, hoisting the signal for a 
general chase, and leaving the 
Tyrannicide and Indomptable,— 
the two stermnost and disabled 
French ships, to be brought to by 
her friends astern, pursued the dis¬ 
abled Terrible. The Orion and 
Barfleur closed with the Tyran¬ 
nicide and Indomptable, and a 









* 


496 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. May 30. 


spirited action was maintained 
until the French admiral gallantly 
wore out of the line, and, leading 
his fleet on the starboard tack, res¬ 
cued these two disabled ships. 
The Queen Charlotte thereupon 
wore round, and calling the ships 
near her to follow, ran down to 
cover the Queen and Royal 
George. This movement again 
brought the two vans within shot, 
and some firing was interchanged. 
The French admiral, having res¬ 
cued his two disabled ships, wore 
round, and rejoined his rear; and 
at about 5h. p. m. all firing ceased. 
The loss sustained by the British 
amounted to 67 killed and 128 
wounded. 

May 30. 

1695. On the 30th May a 
small vessel belonging to Poole, 
of which William Thompson was 
the master, was fishing off Pur- 
beck, when a sloop-privateer was 
observed standing towards her. 
The fishing vessel was armed 
with two swivels and a few mus¬ 
kets, and her crew consisted of the 
master, one man, and a boy. The 
privateer having closed, an en¬ 
gagement ensued between these 
two unequally matched vessels. 
In a short time both the captain 
and mate of the privateer and 
6 men were wounded, upon 
which the enemy endeavoured to 
escape ; but Thompson pursued 
his opponent, and compelled her 
to surrender, having lost two 
killed and 8 wounded, out of her 
crew of 16. The Admiralty, for 
this* exploit, awarded to Thomp¬ 
son a gold chain and medal, value 
50/. 

1757. The Due d’Aquitaine, 
French East Indiaman, mounting 
50 long 18-pounders and 463 
men, was captured by the 60-gun 
ships Eagle and Medway, Capts. 


Hugh Palliser and Charles Proby, 
after a very gallant defence. The 
Eagle had 10 men killed, and the 
Medway 10 wounded. 

1781. Capture of Castor. 
— The 36-gun frigate Flora and 
28-gun frigate Crescent, Capts. 
William Peere Williams and the 
Hon. Thomas Pakenham, cruising 
near Gibraltar, at 5h. p.m. 
brought to action the Dutch 36- 
gun frigates Castor and Brill. 
After an action with the Flora of 
two hours’ duration, the Castor 
having sustained a loss of 22 men 
killed and 41 wounded, sur¬ 
rendered. The Crescent, being of 
inferior force to her opponent, 
suffered considerably; her main¬ 
mast gone, and having lost nine 
men killed and 32 wounded, she 
was compelled to cease firing be¬ 
fore she could receive any assist¬ 
ance from the Flora. The Brill, 
however, did not wait to take pos¬ 
session, but made off for Cadiz. 

1798. Destruction of Con- 
fiante. — On the 30th May, at 
daybreak, the 38-gun frigate Hy¬ 
dra, Capt. Sir Francis Laforey, 
bomb-vessel Vesuvius, Capt. ’ R. 
L. Fitzgerald, and Trial cutter, 
Lieut. Henry Garrett, standing 
towards Havre, discovered three 
sail to windward, which proved 
to be the 36-gun frigate Con- 
fiante, 20-gun corvette Vesuve, 
and an armed cutter. The British 
squadron immediately chased, 
and. after some firing in passing, 
drove the frigate and corvette on 
shore, near the entrance of the 
river Dive. The corvette sub¬ 
sequently floated off, and, after 
being again engaged, escaped into 
the Dive. The Confiante having 
been hauled closer to the shore, 
and being protected by batteries 
and numerous troops, was left 
until the 31st, when, finding 
that many of her crew were 
quitting her, Sir Francis Laforey, 







NAVY. 


IVEay 31. 


at lOli. a.m., detached the boats 
under the direction of Lieut. 
George Acklow, covered by the 
guns of the Trial, to set the Con- 
hante on fire. This dashing ser¬ 
vice was performed without any 
loss, in the face of a party of 
cavalry on the beach, and in sight 
of an army on the heights, as¬ 
sembled for the invasion of En¬ 
gland. 

IVZay 31. 

1779. Capture of Auda- 
Cieuse. — The 32-gun frigate 
Licorne, Captain Hon. Thomas 
Cadogan, on her passage to New¬ 
foundland, captured the French 
24-gun privateer Audacieuse, after 
a smart action, in which the latter 
had 22 men killed and 17 
wounded; and the Licorne, one 
man wounded. 

1809. Boats of Topaze at 
Demata. —While the 12-pounder 
38-gun frigate Topaze, Capt. A. J. 
Griffiths, was cruising off the coast 
of Albania, nine vessels were ob¬ 
served lying at anchor in the 
road of Demata, which is shel¬ 
tered by a reef of rocks, and 
protected by the fortress of Santa 
Maura. The boats of the frigate 
were despatched under Lieut. 
Charles Hammond, to attempt 
their capture, and having to row 
along the edge of the reef, became 
exposed to a galling fire of mus¬ 
ketry; but dashing on, they suc¬ 
ceeded in boarding and bringing 
out the whole of the nine vessels. 
In the execution of this gallant 
exploit, one man was killed and 
one wounded. Among the prizes, 
were a xebec of 8 guns and six 
swivels, and a crew of 55 men; 
a cutter of 4 guns, a felucca of 
3 guns, and two gun-boats of one 
gun each. 


497 


June 1. 

1794. Battle of 1st June.—- 
At daybreak, the British fleet, 
under Adm. Lord Howe, consist¬ 
ing of 25 ships of the line and 
seven frigates, was in lat. 47° 48' 
N., long. 18° 30' W., the wind 
moderate from south by west; the 
French fleet, of 26 sail of the line, 
under Adm. Villaret, about six 
miles distant on the lee-bow, 
formed in line of battle on the 
larboard tack. After making 
the signal that he intended to 
attack the centre and rear of the 
enemy, and engage to leeward, 
Lord Howe, at 8h. 15m. a. m., 
directed the fleet to bear up, and 
each ship to steer for and engage 
her proper opponent. At 9h. the 
enemy’s van opened a fire upon the 
Defence, which ship was rather in 
advance of the British line. At 
9h. 30m., the Queen Charlotte, 
100 guns, passed under the stern 
of the Montagne, 120, bearing 
the flag of Adm. Villaret, which 
ship continued engaging until 
lOh. 10m., when, having suffered 
severely, she bore away to lee¬ 
ward. Observing that the Jacobin 
and several other ships were fol¬ 
lowing the example of their ad¬ 
miral, Lord Howe made the signal 
for a general chase. At this time 
the Juste, 80, lay on the Queen 
Charlotte’s larboard-bow, and the 
Jacobin, 74, on her starboard 
quarter; but the latter soon after 
disappeared in the smoke to lee¬ 
ward. The Montagne and Ja¬ 
cobin, on quitting the Queen 
Charlotte, having stood towards 
the van, wore round, and followed 
by eleven ships, directed their 
course towards the Queen, then 
lying in a disabled state. Lord 
Howe, perceiving the perilous 
situation of the Queen, signalled 
the ships of the fleet to form in 
line ahead and astern of the 


K K 












498 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 1. 


crippled ship ; and the Queen 
Charlotte, having with difficulty 
got round on the starboard tack, 
stood away, followed by several 
ships, to succour their gallant con¬ 
sort. The French admiral then 
stood on to the aid of five of his 
crippled ships to the eastward. 
About noon the heat of action 
was over. The British were left 
with 11, and the French with 12, 
more or less dismasted ships. 
None of the French, at this time, 
had surrendered, or if they struck 
their colours, had since rehoisted 
them; and they, for the most part, 
were striving to escape under a 
spritsail, or some small sail, on 
the stump of a mast, and con¬ 
tinued to fire at every British 
ship as they passed. After failing, 
in his attempt upon the Queen, 
Adm. Villaret succeeded in co¬ 
vering four of his dismasted ships. 
At about lh. p. m., the firing had 
generally ceased, but it was not 
until 2h. 30m. p.m. that six of 
the dismasted French ships were 
secured. These were as follows : 


Gun-ship. 

80 Sans-Pareil 
80 Juste 
74 America 
74 Impetueux 


Killed. Wounded. 
260 120 
100 145 

134 110 

100 75 


74 Northumberland 60 100 

74 Aehille 36 30 

At a little after 6h. p. m., a seventh 
ship, the Vengeur, was taken pos¬ 
session of, but in so shattered a 
state, that, in less than ten mi¬ 
nutes, she went down, with up¬ 
wards of 200 of her crew, com¬ 
posed chiefly of the wounded. 
The British ships principally en¬ 
gaged, were the Queen Charlotte, 
Royal George, Royal Sovereign, 
Queen, Brunswick, Defence, Marl¬ 
borough, and Invincible. The 
total loss of the British amounted 
to 222 killed, 1140 wounded,— 
including among the former Capt. 
Montagu, of the Montague, 74, 


and among the wounded, Rear- 
Adm. Pasley, John Hutt of the 
Queen, and John Harvey (mor¬ 
tally) of the Brunswick.—fHetlaL 
1813. Shannon and Chesa¬ 
peake. — The 38-gun frigate, 
Shannon (1066 tons), Captain 
P. B. V. Broke, mounting 49 guns, 
with a crew of 330 men and 
boys, at about 30m. p. m. stood 
close to Boston lighthouse ; and 
shortly after lh. p.m. the United 
States frigate Chesapeake (1135 
tons), Captain James Lawrence, 
mounting 50 guns, with a com¬ 
plement of 376 men and boys, 
was seen sailing out of the harbour 
with a fair wind. The two frigates 
continued to stand out until they 
had reached the distance of about 
18 miles to the eastward of Boston 
lighthouse, when the Shannon 
rounded to. About 5h. 50m., 
when the Chesapeake had placed 
herself on the larboard quarter, 
of her opponent, the latter opened 
her fire with great precision. At 
5h. 53m., the Chesapeake having 
forged ahead, luffed up a little; 
and at that moment the jib-sheet 
and fore-topsail-tie being shot 
away, the ship flew up into the 
wind, and became exposed to a 
raking fire. Gaining sternway, 
she fell on board the Shannon, 
her larboard quarter pressing 
upon the gangway of her an¬ 
tagonist. Captain Broke imme¬ 
diately ordered the ships to be 
lashed, and then, at the head of 
about 20 men, boarded the Chesa¬ 
peake. A very slight resistance 
was made, and a reinforcement, 
having arrived, the Americans 
were quickly driven below. Some 
occasional fighting afterwards 
took place, and Capt. Broke re¬ 
ceived a severe sabre cut in the 
head from some men that had 
surrendered. Lieutenant Watt, in 
hoisting the English colours over 
the American, in the haste, un- 







June 2. NAYY. 499 


fortunately sent up the American 
flag uppermost. The supposition 
that the British had been unsuc¬ 
cessful, caused the Shannon to 
reopen her fire. The mistake was 
immediately discovered, but not 
until Lieut. Watt and four men 
were unhappily killed. The short 
space of eleven minutes had only 
elapsed between the firing of the 
first gun and the boarding; and 
in four minutes more, the Chesa¬ 
peake was the Shannon’s prize, — 
having sustained a loss of 46 
killed, Capt. Lawrence (mortally) 
and 106 wounded. Out of 306 
men and 24 boys, the Shannon 
had 24 killed and 59 wounded, 
including among the latter Capt. 
Broke, severely.—isHetfat. 


June 2. 

1653. Dutch Fleet defeated. 
— Early in the morning, the En¬ 
glish fleet being off the Gable, 
discovered the Dutch fleet, con¬ 
sisting of 104 ships, about two 
leagues to leeward of them. The 
English bore down, and from 11 
to 12 o’clock the engagement was 
very general. The battle lasted 
until 6 o’clock in the evening, 
when the Dutch bore away under 
all sail. Gen. Deane, was killed, 
and the Dutch Rear-Adm. Van 
Kelson was blown up in his ship 
in the middle of the action. 
Blake having joined in the night, 
with 18 ships, the fleet, now 
amounting to 105 ships, mounting 
3840 guns with 16,270 men, made 
sail in pursuit of the Dutch, and 
on the 3rd they were enabled to 
bring them to action about noon. 
The James, bearing the flag of 
Vice-Adm. Penn, was laid along¬ 
side by A r an Tromp, who at¬ 
tempted to board, but was re¬ 
pulsed with great loss, and in 
return the English boarded and 


drove all the crew below. Upon 
which, Van Tromp resorted to 
the plan of blowing up the deck, 
which caused great loss to the 
assailants. Notwithstanding this 
repulse, she was again boarded 
by the James and another ship, 
but Dc Witte and De Ruyter 
bore down and saved the admiral 
from certain capture. The victory 
was most decisive, and on the 
following morning, the remains 
of the Dutch fleet entered the 
Texel. Eleven ships and 1300 
prisoners were taken, among 
whom were two rear-admirals and 
six captains. Six ships were sunk, 
one bearing a rear-admiral’s flag, 
and three blown up. One of the 
captured ships was of 1200 tons, 
and had 14 ports on a tier. The 
loss of the English amounted to 
126 killed, 236 wounded. 

1747. The Fortune, of 10 guns 
and 14 swivels, and 110 men, Capt. 
Edward Jeky 11, cruising off Yar¬ 
mouth, after a chase of nine 
hours, captured the Charon, of 10 
guns and 85 men. 

1779. The French 36-gun fri¬ 
gate, Prudente, was captured in 
the Bight of Leogane, St. Do¬ 
mingo, by the 64-gun ship Ruby, 
acting Capt. J. Everitt. 

1805. Boats of Loire at Ca- 
marinas. — The 38-gun frigate 
Loire, Capt. Fred. L. Maitland, on 
the 1st of June, chased a small pri¬ 
vateer into the bay of Camarinas, 
near Cape Finisterre. After dark 
the launch and two cutters, with 
35 officers and men, under Lieut. 
James Lucas Yeo, were des¬ 
patched, but did not. reach the 
point of attack until break of day 
on the 2nd, when they discovered 
two privateers moored under a 
battery 10 of guns. Ordering the 
launch, commanded by Mr. Clinch, 
to board the smaller vessel, Lieut. 
Yeo, with the two cutters, attacked 
and carried without loss the 


K K 2 








500 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June a. 


Spanish felucca Esperanza, armed 
with three long 18-pounders, four 
swivels, and 50 men, 19 of whom 
were killed or wounded. The 
launch captured a lugger of two 
6-pounders and 32 men. 

June 3. 

1665. Dutch under Opdam 

DEFEATED BY DUKE OF YORE.- 

At noon, the Dutch fleet, con¬ 
sisting of 110 sail and 10 fire¬ 
ships, commanded by Wassanaer 
Baron Opdam, having under him 
the two Evertzens and Cornelius 
Van Tromp, appearing off the 
English coast, the Duke of York 
immediately put to sea with 116 
ships, carrying 4537 guns and 
22,206 men ; having under him, 
besides Prince Rupert and the 
Earl of Sandwich, Vice-Admirals 
Lawson, Myngs, and Ayscue, and 
Rear-Admirals Berkeley and 
Tiddiman. On the morning of 
the 2nd the Dutch were five 
leagues to windward, and the 
chase continued all day and dur¬ 
ing the following night. Early 
on the morning of the 3rd the 
wind changed south-west, which 
enabled the English to obtain the 
weather-gage. The van ships of 
the Dutch commenced firing at 
3h. a.m., and a vigorous cannon¬ 
ade ensued between the enemy’s 
van with the English rear as they 
passed on opposite tacks. The 
Swiftsure, the flag-ship of Rear- 
Admiral Berkeley, bore the prin¬ 
cipal part of the action, and one 
of the rear ships was cut off by 
the Dutch. At 6h. a.m., both 
fleets tacked, and the action soon 
afterwards recommenced. At 
lh. p. m., the Dutch van having 
again tacked, weathered upon the 
leading ships of the English line; 
but these succeeded in dividing 
the Dutch fleet, and thus secured 
the victory. The action then 


became close and animated, the 
ships engaging yard-arm and 
yard-arm. The Royal Oak, com¬ 
manded by the brave Lawson, 
did excellent service; and the 
Duke of York, in the Royal 
Charles, engaged Opdam’s ship 
with such effect that, at about 3h. 
p. m., she caught fire and blew up 
with all on board. The van of 
the Dutch, without attempting to 
succour their rear, thus cut off, 
made for the Texel, leaving the 
English in possession of a de¬ 
cisive victory. Twenty-four ships 
were captured, burnt, and sunk, 
and 3000 prisoners taken. 

June 4. 

1673. The Dutch fleet, under 
Van Tromp, being reinforced by 
several fresh ships, again put to 
sea, and the English, commis¬ 
sioned by Sir Edward Spragge, 
to draw them from their own 
coast, feigned a retreat. But at 
5h. p. m. they shortened sail, and 
a furious battle commenced, which 
lasted until lOh. p. m., when the 
Dutch hauled their wind and re¬ 
tired to the shelter of their own 
flats, neither fleet having lost a 
ship. 

1805. Capture of Confiance. 
—At 9h. a. m., the Loire stood 
into Muros bay, to attempt the 
capture of a French privateer of 
26 guns, when a battery of two 
18-pounders having fired at the 
frigate, Lieut. Yeo was ordered 
to push for the shore and spike 
the guns. A fort mounting 12 
long 18-pounders, distant only a 
quarter of a mile, having opened 
a well-directed fire, the Lone 
immediately anchored with a 
spring on the cable, when the 
firing from the fort suddenly 
ceased, and the British colours 
were observed rising above the 
walls. Lieut. Yeo, after spiking 







June 5. 


NAVY. 


501 


the two 18-pounders, had imme¬ 
diately pushed forward to attack 
the fort; the outer gate being 
open, the lieutenant, at the head of 
his men, rushed in, and, after a 
struggle, the garrison, consisting 
of 22 soldiers and about 100 of 
the crew of the French privateer 
Confiance, surrendered. Of these, 
the governor and 11 were killed 
and 30 wounded. On the part 
of the British, Lieut. Yeo and 5 
men were wounded. The Con- 
fiance was brought out.—JHfctfal. 

1812. Capture of Dorade.— 
In the night, the boats of the 32- 
gun frigate Medusa, under Lieut. 
Josiah Thompson, were des¬ 
patched to cut out the French 
store-ship Dorade, of 14 guns 
and 86 men, lying at anchor in 
the harbour of Arcasson. The 
enemy were found at their quar¬ 
ters fully prepared ; but nothing 
could resist the impetuosity of 
the attack, and the Dorade was 
carried, after a desperate struggle, 
in which the whole of her crew, 
except 23 men, were either killed, 
wounded, or compelled to jump 
overboard. The British loss 
was no greater than five men 
wounded. At daylight on the 
5th, the prize was got under 
way, but, having grounded on 
a sand-bank, she was destroyed. 

June 5. 

1758. Expedition to the 
Coast of France. —On 1st June, 
Commodore Hon. Richard Howe, 
in the Essex, 64, with four ships 
of 50 guns, 8 frigates, several 
smaller vessels and one hundred 
transports, conveying troops un¬ 
der the Duke of Marlborough, 
to make a descent on the coast 
of France, on the evening of 
the 5th got into Cancale bay, 
where the troops landed under j 
the command of Lord George J 


Sackville. The commodore shifted 
his pendant to the Success frigate, 
which, with the Rose, Flam- 
borough, and Diligence sloop, 
covered the landing and silenced 
a battery of three guns. 

1761. The French 64-gun ship 
Ste. Anne was captured in Donna 
Maria bay, Port au Prince, by 
Centaur, 74, and Hampshire, 50, 
Capts. Arthur Forrest and Arthur 
Usher, which had chased from 
the squadron under Rear-Adm. 
Holmes. The prize was commis¬ 
sioned under the same name. 

1807. Boats of Pomone.— 
On 5th June, the 38-gun frigate 
Pomone, Capt. R. Barrie, cruising 
off the Pertuis Breton, chased a 
French convoy, under the pro¬ 
tection of three armed brigs, 
drove several of the vessels on 
shore, and, notwithstanding a 
heavy fire from the batteries, a 
transport and brig were brought 
out by the boats under Lieut. 
John Jones, without any loss. 
Fourteen vessels of the same con- 
.voy were captured on the same 
day near St. Gilles, by the Po- 
mone’s boats, under Lieut. J. W. 
Gabriel. 

June 6. 

1755. Capture of Alcide 
and Lys. —The peace which had 
subsisted since 1748 being fre¬ 
quently infringed by ships of the 
French navy, Vice-Adm. Bos- 
cawen was ordered to proceed 
to North America, to counteract 
the designs of a fieet under M. 
De La Motte Although war 
was not actually declared, the 
preparations of France plainly 
evinced hostile designs upon our 
North American colonies. Bos- 
cawen was, therefore, directed to 
protect British possessions and to 
attack the French squadrons 
wherever he found them. The 


K K 3 









502 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 7. 


admiral fulfilled his instructions 
to the letter; for, happening, on 
the 6th June 1755, near the en¬ 
trance to the gulf of St. Law¬ 
rence, to fall in with four sail of 
the line, which had parted from 
the squadron of M. De la Motte 
in a gale of wind, he chased them 
for two successive days ; and on 
the 8th, at noon, Capt. Richard 
Howe, in the Dunkirk, having 
arrived up with the Alcide, 64, 
after some preliminary hailing, 
brought her to close action, and, 
on the approach of the Torbay, 
the French ship struck her co¬ 
lours. The Lys, 64, en flute, was 
also captured; but a fog coming 
on, the other ships escaped. Thus 
was the Seven Years’ War com¬ 
menced. 

1758. Expedition to St. 
Malo. — In the preceding page 
we have noticed the arrival of 
the squadron under Commodore 
Howe, and the landing of a por¬ 
tion of the army on the 5th June. 
On the 6th, the whole of the 
troops had disembarked, together 
with their baggage and stores, 
and on the 7 th the army, except¬ 
ing one brigade, which remained 
at Cancale to secure a retreat, 
marched towards St. Malo. In 
the evening, the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough, observing that the vil¬ 
lages of St. Servan and Solidore, 
forming the suburbs of St. Malo, 
with the storehouses and ships 
in the basin, were entirely un¬ 
protected, determined to destroy 
them. As soon as it became 
dark, a division of the army pro¬ 
ceeded on this service. By mid¬ 
night the ships were in flames, 
and being aground, the flames 
soon communicated to the ma¬ 
gazines filled with naval stores. 
The conflagration now became 
general and the fire continued 
with great fury all night and 
great part of the succeeding day. 


At St. Servan, a ship of 50 guns, 
one of 36, one of 22, and one of 
18, with 62 merchant vessels, 
were destroyed; and at Solidore, 
one of 32, one of 30, 4 of 20, 2 
of 16, and 2 of 12 guns, with 
eleven merchant vessels, were 
also burnt. The loss sustained 
by the enemy on this occasion 
was computed at 800,000/. On 
the 10th, the army marched to 
Cancale, and re- embarked on the 
following day. 

1807. Lieut. Hall, of the 14- 
gun brig Port d’Espagne, com¬ 
manded by Lieutenant James P. 
Stewart, cruising in the gulf of 
Paria, was despatched in a prize 
schooner, disguised as a neutral, 
to attempt the capture of a 
Spanish privateer. After receiv¬ 
ing a volley of musketry, Lieut. 
Hall laid the privateer on board 
and carried her. The prize "was 
the Mercedes, mounting two guns 
and 2 swivels, with a crew of 
thirty men, three of whom were 
killed and one drowned. Two 
of the British were wounded. 

June 7. 

1761. On 7th June, the island 
of Belleisle surrendered to the 
squadron under Commodore Ivep- 
pel and the land forces com¬ 
manded by General Hodgson. 
British loss, between April 22nd 
and June 7th, was 13 officers and 
300 rank and file killed ; 21 
officers and 480 wounded. 

1780. Iris and Hermione.— 
The 32-gun frigate Iris, Captain 
James Hawker, cruising off the 
coast of North America, in the 
morning chased a sail on her lee- 
beam, which proved to be the 
French 36-gun frigate Hermione, 
Capt. De la Touche. The two 
frigates having approached within 
musket-shot, exchanged broad¬ 
sides, and the Iris wearing round, 








) 

June 8. NAVY. 503 


brought her opponent to close 
action, both ships running off the 
wind. After engaging one hour 
and 20 minutes, the Hermione 
made all sail away, and was pur¬ 
sued by the Iris until a strange 
sail hove in sight, with which the 
Hermione exchanged signals. 
The Iris had seven men killed; 
Lieut. Bourne, of the marines 
(mortally), and 9 men wounded. 

June 8. 

1796. Capture of Tamise 
and Tribune.— At 2h. a. m., the 
18-pounder 32-gun frigate Uni¬ 
corn, mounting 38 guns, and 12- 
pounder 36-gun frigate Santa 
Margarita, mounting 40 guns, 
Captains Thomas Williams and 
Thomas Byam Martin, cruising 
to the westward of Scilly, dis¬ 
covered to leeward the French 
36-gun frigates Tribune, mounting 
44 guns, Capt. J. Moulston, Ta¬ 
mise, mounting 40 guns, Capt. J. 
B. A. Fradin, and 18-gun corvette 
Legere. The British ships bore 
away in chase, and at lh. p. m. the 
enemy opened a well-directed 
fire from their stern guns. At 
4h. p. m., the Santa Margarita 
closed with the Tamise, and the 
two ships went off by themselves, 
engaging with spirit during 20 
minutes, when the Tamise struck 
her colours, having 32 men killed 
and 19 wounded. The Santa 
Margarita had only two men 
killed and three wounded. Seeing 
the fate of her companion, the 
Tribune crowded all sail, pursued 
by the Unicorn, who did not 
overtake her antagonist until lOh. 
30m. p. m., after a run of 210 
miles. A close action then com¬ 
menced, which had lasted 35 mi¬ 
nutes, when the Tribune dropped 
from alongside, and was endea¬ 
vouring to cross the Unicorn’s stern 
to gain the wind of her, but the Bri¬ 


tish frigate throwing her sails 
aback, took up her former position, 
and, having by a few well-directed 
broadsides brought down the fore 
and main masts and mizen top¬ 
masts of the Tribune, compelled 
her to surrender. Her loss 
amounted to 37 men killed, her 
commander and 14 men wounded, 
out of a crew of 339. The Uni¬ 
corn, whose complement con¬ 
sisted of 240 men and boys, had 
not a person hurt. Capt. Wil¬ 
liams received the honour of 
knighthood, and Lieut. Thomas 
Palmer was promoted to the rank 
of commander, which reward was 
also bestowed upon Lieut. George 
Harrison of the Santa Margarita. 
—detail. 

1813. The 74-gun ships Eli¬ 
zabeth and Eagle, Capts. E. L. 
Gower and Charles Rowley, 
having anchored off the town of 
Osmago, on the coast of Istria, 
landed the marines under Capt. 
J. H. Graham, and drove the 
troops out of the town, whilst the 
boats under Lieut. Mitchell Ro¬ 
berts, destroyed a two-gun battery 
and brought out four vessels. 
One man only was wounded. 

June 9. 

1796. Capture of Utile.— 
The French corvette Utile, of 18 
long 6-pounders and six smaller 
guns, with a crew of 130 men, 
having anchored in Hyeres road, 
the 32-gun frigate Southampton, 
Capt. James Macnamara, was 
detached by Admiral Sir John 
Jervis to bring her out. At 
8h. 30m. p.m., Capt. Macnamara 
hailed the corvette, cautioning 
her commander not to make a 
fruitless resistance, but she imme¬ 
diately discharged her broadside, 
and the Southampton promptly 
returned the salute. After the 
third broadside she hauled athwart 


K K 4 






504 CALENDAR 


the bows of the Utile, and lashed 
the corvette’s bowsprit to her 
main rigging. Lieut. Charles 
Lydiard, at the head of the 
hoarders, then sprang on board, 
and, after a struggle of ten mi¬ 
nutes, carried her. The South¬ 
ampton had only one man killed, 
but the Utile had her captain 
and seven men killed and 17 
woun de d.—fid ctJ <tl. 

1799. The 32 - gun frigate 
Success, Capt. Shuldham Peard, 
detached her boats, containing 42 
officers and men, under the orders 
of Lieut. Philip Facey, to attempt 
the capture of the polacre Bella 
Aurora, mounting ten guns, with 
a crew of 113 men, which the 
frigate had chased into the port 
of Selva, near Cape Creux. Not¬ 
withstanding that the polacre, 
with her nettings triced-up, was 
supported by a battery and a 
body of small-arms on the shore, 
she was gallantly boarded and 
carried, with the loss on the part 
of the British of four men killed; 
Lieut. Stupart and eight men 
badly wounded. Lieut. Facey, 
who was the first man on the 
enemy’s deck, deservedly obtained 
the rank of commander. — iHctfal. 

1801. Boats at Oreposo.— 
At noon, the 18-gun brig Kan¬ 
garoo, Capt. George C. Pulling, 
and 14-gun brig Speedy, Capt. 
Lord Cochrane, attacked a xebec 
of 20 guns and three gun-boats, 
protecting a convoy lying under 
the battery of Oreposo, which 
appeared to mount 12 guns. 
Having anchored within half 
gun-shot, a brisk cannonade was 
maintained, and at 2h. p. m. the 
Spaniards received a reinforce¬ 
ment of a felucca of 12 guns and 
two gun-boats. By 3h. 30m. the 
xebec and three of the gun-boats 
were sunk by the fire of the brigs, 
and before 7h. p. m. the gun¬ 
boats fled, and the tower was 


OF VICTORY. June 11. 


completely silenced. In the 
meantime the boats captured and 
brought out three brigs laden 
with provisions. The loss of the 
British consisted of one mid¬ 
shipman (Thomas Taylor) killed, 
two lieutenants (Thomas Fouler- 
ton and Thomas Brown Thom¬ 
son) and eight men Avounded, 
belonging to the Kangaroo; and 
Lord Cochrane and two men of 
the Speedy wounded. 

June 10. 

1800. Attack of Convoy at 
Ste. Croix —Rear-Adm. Sir J. 
B. Warren, in the Renown, 74, 
with the Defence, 74, Fisgard and 
Unicorn frigates, cruising off the 
Penmarcks, at llh. p. m. des¬ 
patched the boats of the squadron, 
under Lieut. Henry Burke, to at¬ 
tack a convoy lying at Ste. Croix, 
laden with provisions for the Brest 
fleet. Having to row against 
a head-wind, the boats did not 
reach the harbour until daylight 
on the 11 th, when, in the face of 
a heavy battery, three armed ves¬ 
sels, and a discharge of musketry 
from the shore, the British cap¬ 
tured one gun-boat, two armed 
chasse-marees, and eight merchant 
vessels. The remainder escaped 
by running on the rocks. This 
service was accomplished Avith 
no other casualty than four men 
Avounded. 

June 11. 

1808. Boats of Euryalus 
and Cruiser. — In the evening, 
the 36-gun frigate, Euryalus, 
Captain the Hon. A. H. Dundas, 
and 18-gun sloop Cruiser, Capt. 
G. C. Mackenzie, cruising in the 
Great Belt, having discovered se¬ 
veral vessels at anchor near the 
shore, four boats, under the or¬ 
ders of Lieut. Michael Head, were 






NAVY. 


June 12. 


sent to destroy them. A Danish 
gun-boat, mounting two long 18- 
pounders, with a crew of sixty- 
four men, lying moored close to 
a 3-gun battery, and protected by 
a body of troops on the beach, 
was boarded and brought out, 
and two large ships fitted as 
troop-ships were burnt. The 
British had only one w r ounded; 
whilst the Danes had seven men 
killed and twelve wounded. 


June 12. 

1685. Capt. Thomas Lighton. 
of the Lark frigate, having under 
his orders the Greyhound, Capt. 
Randall Macdonald, and Bona- 
venture, acting Capt. Stafford 
Fairborne, arriving off the bar of 
the Mamora river, discovered 
lying there two Sallee rovers It 
being determined to attempt their 
capture, the boats under Captain 
Macdonald at 8h. p. m. proceeded 
on that service, and, although 
they were exposed to a severe fire 
from the batteries and shipping, 
the Sallee ships (one mounting 
thirty-six and the other twenty-six 
guns) were carried and set on fire. 
The British loss amounted to one 
man killed and five wounded. 

1745. The 24-gun ship Fowey, 
Capt. Polycarpus Taylor, drove 
on shore and destroyed the 26- 
gun privateer Griffin, off St. Malo, 
making prisoners 40 of her crew. 

1813. The boats of the 32-gun 
frigate Narcissus, Capt. John R. 
Lumley, under the command of 
Lieut. John Cririe, were sent up 
York river, in the Chesapeake, to 
attack the United States schooner. 
Surveyor, mounting six 12- 
pounder carronades, but having 
on board only sixteen men. The 
vessel was boarded and carried 
in the face of a severe fire of 
musketry, by which the British 


505 


suffered a loss of three men killed 
and six wounded. 

1813. At daylight, Capt. Wm. 
Hoste, in the 38-gun frigate Bac¬ 
chante, despatched the boats under 
command of Lieut. Silas T. Hood, 
to attack seven gun-boats, each 
mounting one long 18-pounder, 
three carrying each a 3-pounder, 
and fourteen sail of merchant¬ 
men, mostly armed, lying under 
the town of Gela Nova, coast of 
Abruzza, protected by troops and 
two field-pieces. The gun-boats 
were boarded in the most gallant 
manner; and the marines, having 
landed, drove the troops from the 
beach, and captured the two field- 
pieces. The British had 3 killed 
and 5 wounded. 

June 13. 

1796. Dryad and Proser¬ 
pine.- —The 36-gun frigate Dryad, 
mounting 44 guns, Captain Lord 
Amelius Beauclerk,off Cape Clear, 
at lh. p. m., discovered the French 
frigate Proserpine, mounting 42 
guns, Capt. Etienne Pevricux, 
who immediately made sail away 
on the starboard tack, pursued by 
the Dryad. At 8h. p. m., the Pro¬ 
serpine fired her stern chasers, 
and about 9h. p. m. the Dryad, 
having reached her opponent’s 
lee quarter, commenced a close 
action, which was continued until 
9h. 45m. p. m., when the Proser¬ 
pine, out of her complement of 
348, having lost 30 men killed 
and 45 wounded, hauled down 
her colours. The Dryad, out of 
a crew of 251, had two men killed 
and seven wounded. Her first 
lieutenant, Edward Dunford King, 
was deservedly promoted to the 
rank of commander. — JMctfaL 

1805. Maria captured by 
Boats of Cambrian.— The Cam¬ 
brian, 40, Capt. J. P. Berresford, 
in lat. 29° N., long. 62° AV., des- 








506 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


June 16 


patched her boats, under the com¬ 
mand of Lieut. Robert Rigot, to 
attack the Spanish privateer- 
schooner Maria, of 14 guns and 
60 men. Lieut. Pigot, taking the 
lead in the launch, gallantly 
hoarded the schooner; and, as¬ 
sisted by Lieut. George Alfred 
Crofton in the barge, carried her 
in spite of a determined resistance, 
before the other boats could ar¬ 
rive up. The British loss amounted 
to 2 men killed and 2 wounded. 

June 14. 

1809. Scout at Cape Croi- 
sette.— In the morning, the 18- 
gun brig Scout, Capt. William 
Raitt, gave chase to a convoy of 
15 sail, under the protection of 
two gun-boats, coming round 
Cape Croisette; but it falling calm, 
at lh. p.m. the boats of the brig 
were despatched, under the orders 
of Lieut. Henry Robert Batters by. 
The convoy having dispersed 
seven sail, pushed for a harbour 
about three leagues to the east¬ 
ward of the cape, followed by 
the British. Lieut. Battersby then 
landed, and stormed a battery 
mounting two 6-pounders, which 
he spiked. The boats in the mean¬ 
time under Lieut. John Farrant; 
pulled up the harbour and cap¬ 
tured the seven vessels, although 
they were secured to the shore by 
ropes from their keels and mast¬ 
heads. In the execution of this 
service one seaman was killed and 
five wounded. 

1814. The boats of the 74-gun 
ship Superb,Capt. the Hon. Charles 
Paget, under the orders of Lieut. 
James Garland, together with two 
boats of the 18-gun brig Primrose, 
were sent to effect the destruction 
ofsome vessels at Wareham, a town 
situated at the head of Buzzard's 
bay, in the State of Connecticut. 
The intricacy of the navigation 


rendered the undertaking one of 
great difficulty ; nevertheless 
Lieut. Garland completely suc¬ 
ceeded in his object, without in¬ 
curring the slightest loss. The 
vessels destroyed, formed an 
aggregate of 2522 tons; and he 
also burnt down a cotton manu¬ 
factory valued at half a million of 
dollars. 

June 15. 

1780. Apollo and Stanis¬ 
laus. —The 32-gun frigate Apollo, 
Capt. Philemon Pownall, cruising 
off Ostend, brought to close action 
the French privateer Stanislaus, 
mounting 26 long 12-pounders. 
As the fight proceeded, the two 
ships edged off the wind, standing 
in for the shore, and the engage¬ 
ment had lasted nearly an hour, 
when Capt. Pownall was unfortu¬ 
nately killed. The command de¬ 
volved upon Lieut. Edward Pel- 
lew, who continued the fight with 
great spirit, until finding it was 
the intention of the enemy to run 
ashore, when, being in little more 
than 20 feet water, the Apollo 
wore round. Soon afterwards the 
Stanislaus took the ground, and 
her foremast and main-topmast 
fell over the side. Having claimed 
the protection of the Dutch, the 
Stanislaus was got off and taken 
into Ostend, where she was 
purchased by the British govern¬ 
ment, and added to the navy as 
the Proselyte. The loss of the 
Apollo amounted to her captain 
and five men killed, and 20 
wounded. Her rigging was 
much disabled, and she had three 
feet water in the hold when the 
action ceased. 

June 16. 

1778. Arethusa and Belle 
Poule. — On the 12th June, 











June 17. NAVY. 507 


Adm. Keppel put to sea with 
twenty sail of the line, three 
frigates, and a fire-ship. On the 
17th, being off the Lizard, two 
frigates and a schooner were dis¬ 
covered, which the Arethusa 32- 
gun frigate, Capt. Samuel Mar¬ 
shall, and Milford, were ordered 
to pursue. Towards night, the 
Arethusa having arrived up with 
the French 40-gun frigate Belle 
Poule, Captain Marshall hailed, 
and requested the French captain 
to accompany him to the admi¬ 
ral. The request being refused, 
the Arethusa fired a shot across 
the Frenchman’s bows, and re¬ 
ceived in return a broadside. An 
action then commenced, which 
lasted for two hours ; by which 
time the ships were close in with 
the French coast. The Belle 
Poule having made sail, stood 
into a small bay, and was towed 
into a place of safety. The main¬ 
mast of the Arethusa shortly 
afterwards fell over the side, and 
she was otherwise much disabled, 
having eight men killed and 36 
wounded. By the French ac¬ 
counts, the Belle Poule had 4 
officers and 44 men killed, and 
50 wounded. 

1812. On the 16th June, the 
18-gun brig Swallow, Capt. Ed. 
Reynolds Sibly, was standing into 
the bay of Frejus, when the 
French 16-gun brig Renard and 
12-gun schooner Goelan, and 
some gun-boats, were seen ap¬ 
proaching. At lh. p. m., the Swal¬ 
low, passing close to windward 
of the Renard, gave and re¬ 
ceived a broadside. Both vessels 
then wore round on the larboard 
tack, warmly engaging, and the 
Goelan keeping up an occasional 
fire. The action had continued 
upwards of 30 minutes, when the 
proximity of the shore, lined with 
batteries, compelled Capt. Sibly 
to withdraw from the contest. 


The loss of the Swallow out of a 
crew of 109 men, consisted of six 
men killed and 17 wounded, in¬ 
cluding the purser, Eugene Ryan. 
The Renard, out of 180 men, in¬ 
cluding troops, had 14 killed and 
28 wounded. 

June 17. 

1704. Romney, 50, Capt. the 
Hon. W. Paget, captured the 
French frigate Sibylle, mounting 
46 guns, in Miconi roads, Archi¬ 
pelago, after a gallant defence of 
one hour and ten minutes, in 
which the Sibylle lost 44 men 
killed and 112 wounded. — 
iFtciml. 

1795. Cornwallis’s Retreat. 
—On the 16th June, Vice-Adm. 
the Hon. Win. Cornwallis, in the 
Royal Sovereign, 100, with Mars, 
Triumph, Brunswick, and Belle- 
rophon, of 74 guns, Phaeton and 
Pallas frigates, and Kingfisher 
brig, being off Lorient, were pur¬ 
sued by the French fleet of thirteen 
sail of the line and fourteen 
frigates, under Adm. Vence. At 
daylight on the 17th, the enemy’s 
fleet, formed in three divisions, 
were observed still in chase: the 
weather division, consisting of 
three sail of the line and five 
frigates, being nearly abreast and 
to windward; the centre division, 
composed of six ships of her line 
and four frigates, were on the 
weather quarter ; and the lee 
column of four of the line, five 
frigates, two brigs, and two cut¬ 
ters, right astern of the British, 
who were steering about three 
points free. At 9h., the Mars, 
the sternmost ship, became ex¬ 
posed to a fire from the van ship 
of the weather division, assisted 
by a frigate. The chase con¬ 
tinued until 3h. 35m., when the 
admiral observing that the Mars 
had fallen much to leeward, and 








508 CALENDAR 


apprehensive that she might be 
overpowered by the enemy, the 
Royal Sovereign gallantly bore 
up, followed by the Triumph, to 
protect her. This determined 
manoeuvre proved decisive, for 
the leading French ships wore 
and left the Mars to pursue her 
course unmolested. The Mars, 
which was the only ship that sus¬ 
tained any loss, had twelve men 
wounded. — jftrtral. 

1813. Capt. John Harper, with 
40 men of the 18-gun brig Sa¬ 
racen, landed at 11 p.m. upon the 
island of Zapano, in the Adriatic, 
and, after a march of three miles, 
attacked the commandant’s head¬ 
quarters, which post was carried 
by the bayonet. 36 prisoners 
were taken, and the remaining 16, 
composing the garrison, effected 
their escape. 

1815. Pilot and Legere.— 
At daylight, the 18-gun brig 
Pilot, Capt. J. Toup Nicolas, 
when about 50 miles to the west¬ 
ward of Cape Corse, chased the 
French frigate-built corvette Le¬ 
gere, mounting 20 carronades, 
24-pounders, and two long 12- 
pounders on the maindeck, Avith 
six long 6-pounders on the quar¬ 
ter-deck, and at 2h. p. m. ranged 
up on the corvette’s weather- 
beam. Observing that the enemy 
Avas preparing to make sail, Capt. 
Nicolas ordered a shot to be tired 
through the foresail of his oppo¬ 
nent. A broadside from the 
French ship immediately folloAved, 
and the action commenced Avithin 
pistol-shot. By 4h. p.m. the tire 
of the Legere had considerably 
slackened, and at 4h. 30m. she 
hauled up her mainsail and backed 
her mizen-topsail. Every brace, 
boAvline, and clue-garnet being 
cut away, the Pilot unavoidably 
shot ahead; and, as her only al¬ 
ternative, put her helm up to 
rake her opponent. The Legere 


OF VICTORY. June 18. 


taking advantage of this moA r e- 
ment, hauled close to the wind, 
and made off Avith all the sail 
she could carry. The Pilot 
being wholly unmanageable, her 
main - topgallant-mast over the 
side, her main-topsail-yard shot 
away in the slings, and her rigging 
disabled, was not in a condition 
for immediate pursuit; but before 
7h. p. m. she was going seven 
knots by the Avind in chase of 
her opponent, who effected her 
escape. The loss on board the 
Pilot amounted to two men killed; 
her first lieutenant, W. Keigwin 
Nicolas, purser Thomas RoAve, 
and 12 men wounded. The 
Legere had 22 men killed and 79 
Avounded. 

June 13. 

1793. Nymphe and Cleopa- 
tre. — The 12-pounder 36-gun 
frigate Nymphe (mounting 40 
guns), Captain Edward PelleAv, 
cruising off the Start, at daybreak 
discovered the French frigate 
Cleopatre, mounting 40 guns. 
The Nymphe bore up under all 
sail in chase, but at 5h. a. m. the 
Cleopatre hauled up her foresail 
and lowered her topgallant-sails 
to alloAv her opponent to close. 
At 6h. a. M., the Nymphe having 
hauled up on the weather quarter, 
and being hailed from the Cleo¬ 
patre, responded by three British 
cheers. Capt. Mullon then came 
to the gangAvay, and waving his 
hat, exclaimed Vive la Nation !— 
his creAv making a noise in imi¬ 
tation of the British cheers; at 
the same time the Cleopatre bore 
up. At 6h. 15m., the Nymphe 
being on the starboard quarter of 
the Cleopatre, opened her fire, 
and a furious action betAveen the 
tAvo frigates ensued, both running 
before the wind within hail. At 
about 6h. 30m., the Cleopatre 










NAVY. 


June 19. 


hauled suddenly to the wind, and 
before 7h. a. m. her mizen-mast, 
and soon afterwards her wheel, 
were shot away. She then paid 
round off, and fell on board her 
antagonist, her jibboom passing 
between the Nymphe’s fore and 
main masts,which pressing against 
the head of the mainmast, broke 
in two, and the two frigates fell 
alongside, head and stern. The 
firing of the Cleopatre having 
slackened, she was boarded by 
the British, and at 7h. 10m. a. m. 
the republican colours were hauled 
down. Out of a crew of 240 
men and boys, the Nymphe had 
her boatswain (Tobias James), 
one master’s mate (Rich. Pearse), 
three midshipmen (George Boyd, 
John Davie, and Samuel Edfall), 
and 18 men killed; one lieutenant 
(George Luke), two midshipmen 
(John A. Norway & John Plaine), 
one lieutenant of marines (John 
Whittaker), and 23 men wounded. 
Out of a crew of 320 on board 
the Cleopatre, 63 were killed or 
wounded ; and among the slain 
her gallant captain, Jean Mullon. 
Capt. Pellew received the honour 
of knighthood; his brother, Com¬ 
mander Israel Pellew, who was a 
passenger, obtained promotion to 
post rank; and Lieut. Amherst 
Morris was made commander.— 
iflctfaL 

June 19. 

1799. On 19th June, Vice-Adm. 
Lord Keith, cruising off Minorca 
with nineteen sail of the line, fell 
in with and captured the French 
squadron under Rear-Admiral 
Perree, consisting of 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Junon, 36-gun frigates Al- 
ceste and Courageuse, and brigs 
Salamine and Alerte. All these 
ships were added to the British 
navy under the same names, ex¬ 
cept the Junon, which became 


509 


the Princess Charlotte, afterwards 
changed to Andromache. 

1809. Boats of the Bellerophon, 
74, under the orders of Lieut. 
Robert Pilch, stormed and car¬ 
ried a battery mounting four 24- 
pounders, and garrisoned by 103 
men, at Hango, coast of Swedish 
Finland. After a very gallant 
resistance, the Russians retreated 
to the opposite side of the island. 
In this gallant affair the British 
had only five men wounded. 

1812. Lieut. Thomas Jones 
(2), with 18 men in the pin¬ 
nace of the 10-gun brig Briseis, 
carried the ship Urania, mount¬ 
ing 6 guns and 4 swivels, in 
Pillau roads, Baltic, although 
defended by a body of French 
troops, whom they drove off her 
decks, and brought away their 
prize in triumph, but with loss of 
one killed and two wounded. 

June 20. 

1743. The 50-gun ship Cen¬ 
turion, Commodore George An¬ 
son, being off Espirito Santo in 
search of the Manilla galleon, 
was fortunate enough to fall in 
with her, and, after a warmly 
contested action of two hours, 
compelled her to surrender, hav¬ 
ing sustained a loss of 67 men 
killed and 84 wounded, while 
that of the Centurion was only 
two killed and 17 wounded. 
The value of the galleon was 
313,000/. sterling. 

1747. Capture op French 
Convoy. — Commodore Fox, in 
the Kent, 74, with Hampton 
Court, 64, Eagle, 60, Lion, 60, 
Chester, 50, and Hector, 44, being 
off Cape Ortegal, to intercept the 
French West India homeward- 
bound fleet, obtained sight of 
the expected convoy on 20th 
June, in all 170 sail. The French 
ships of war escaped; but forty- 









510 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 23. 


eight sail of merchant ships, 
whose united tonnage amounted 
to 16,051 tons, and crews to 1197 
men, were captured by the Bri¬ 
tish squadron. 

1782. The hired ship Defiance, 
sixteen long 4-pounders, Lieut. 
George Cadman, when off Port¬ 
land, after a spirited action of 
two hours, captured the Dutch 
brig Zeuse, mounting sixteen 
long 6-pounders, and one long 
18-pounder, with a crew of 113 
men, of which 21 were killed, 
17 wounded. Defiance, out of 
a crew of 68 men, had one killed 
and one wounded. 

1783. Hughes and De Suf- 
frein. — A British squadron of 
16 sail of the line and two of 
50 guns, under Vice-Adm. Sir 
Edward Hughes, when off Pon¬ 
dicherry, sustained an action with 
a French squadron, under Com¬ 
modore De Suffrein, consisting 
of 12 ships of the line and three 
of 50 guns. The superior sailing 
of the French ships enabled them 
to keep a position within long 
gun-shot to windward of the Bri¬ 
tish, and, after an engagement of 
three hours, they withdrew from 
the contest. British loss: killed, 
99, and 431 wounded. 

June 21. 

1596. Reduction of Cadiz. 
— Cn 1st June, an expedition, 
amounting to 126 sail of vessels, 
under the Lord High Admiral 
the Earl of Effingham, with 
troops, commanded by the Earl 
of Essex, sailed from Plymouth 
to destroy the Spanish fleet in 
Cadiz, reported to be in prepara¬ 
tion for a renewal of the attempt 
upon England. The expedition 
arrived off Cadiz on the 20th, and 
before any news of its destina¬ 
tion had reached Spain. On the 
following morning, the smallest 


ships entered the harbour, com¬ 
manded by the lord admiral in 
person, having under him his son 
Lord Thomas Howard, Sir Walter 
Raleigh, Sir Thomas Southwell, 
Sir Thomas Carew, Sir William 
Monson (knighted for this ser¬ 
vice), and several others. The 
troops under the Earl of Essex 
attacked and took the town, and 
the garrison was ransomed by the 
payment of 600,000 ducats; but 
the lord high admiral, refusing 
a ransom for the fleet lying in 
Puerto Real, sent Sir Walter 
Raleigh to destroy it. Two rich 
galleons, carrying 100 brass guns, 
were captured ; thirteen ships of 
war, eleven ships freighted for 
the West Indies, and thirteen 
others, were taken or sunk, to¬ 
gether with 1200 pieces of ord¬ 
nance. Cadiz was plundered, 
all the forts demolished, and 
great part of the town laid in 
ashes. The damage was estimated 
at twenty millions of ducats. 

June 22. 

1798. The 6-gun packet Prin¬ 
cess Royal, Capt. John Skinner, 
with a crew of thirty-two men, 
carrying the mail to New York, 
after a very gallant action on 
22nd June, beat off, with much 
loss, the French privateer Aven- 
turier, of sixteen guns and eighty- 
five men. No loss was sustained 
by the packet. 

June 23. 

1795. Bridport’s Action.— 
A British fleet of 17 sail of the 
line and five frigates, under Lord 
Bridport, attacked the French 
fleet of 12 ships of the line and 
11 frigates, under Vice-Adm. 
Villaret de Joyeuse, near Belle- 
isle, as they were proceeding 
under all sail towards the main- 








NAVY. 


June 24. 


land. The action commenced at 
6h. a.m., and lasted until 8h. 15m. 
a.m., when Lord Bridport made 
the signal to discontinue the pur¬ 
suit, and secure the captured 
ships, consisting of Tigre, Alex¬ 
andre, and Formidable, of 74 
guns, whose united loss amounted 
to 630 in killed and wounded. 
The British loss, killed 31 and 
113 wounded. The Tigre re¬ 
tained her name in the British 
navy, but the name of the For¬ 
midable was changed to Belleisle; 
and the Alexandre was restored 
to her place on the navy list.— 
j&etral. 

1801. The boats of the 32-gun 
frigate Mercury, under Lieut. 
Mather, with those of the brig 
El Corso, captured a piratical 
tartan, which had taken refuge 
among the small islands of Tre- 
miti, in the Gulf of Venice. 

1812. The 36-gun frigate Bel- 
videra, mounting 42 guns, in lat. 
39° 26' N., long. 71° 10' W., sus¬ 
tained an action with the Ame¬ 
rican frigate President, mounting 
56 guns, accompanied by the 
United States, of the same force, 
36-gun frigate Congress, 18-gun 
sloop Hornet, and 16-gun brig 
Argus, which lasted from 4h. 20m. 
p.M. until 6h. 30m. p.m., during 
which period the British frigate 
had discharged from her stern 
guns no less than 300 round-shot 
at her opponents. By great ex¬ 
ertion the Belvidera so increased 
her speed as to get beyond the 
reach of her pursuers. She was 
much cut up in sails and rigging, 
and had two men killed, Lieut. 
H. W. Bruce and 16 wounded. 
President, 3 killed, 18 wounded. 

1813. Boats of the 32-gun 
frigate Castor, Capt. Charles 
Dilkes, under Lieut. Bassett, 
boarded and brought out from 
under the protection of a strong 
fort on coast of Catalonia, the 


511 


French privateer Fortune, mount¬ 
ing two guns and two swivels, 
with a crew of 48 men. In ac¬ 
complishing this service, the Bri¬ 
tish sustained a loss of four killed 
and nine wounded. 

June 2ft. 

1340. Battle of Sluts.— 
On learning the intention of 
Edward III. to invade France, 
the French monarch assembled 
at Sluys a fleet of 250 sail, of 
which 140 were large ships, and 
of these 19 were of great size. 
Early on Sunday morning the 
24th June, the two fleets were 
near each other ; but it was noon 
ere the tide suited for the en¬ 
trance of the English, whose fleet 
amounted to more than 200 sail. 
The large ships, manned with 
archers, were placed in the van, 
and, between each, a smaller 
vessel was stationed, containing 
men-at-arms. The second di¬ 
vision, consisting of smaller ves¬ 
sels carrying archers, was kept 
in reserve. The French fleet was 
in four divisions, and the ships 
were secured to each other with 
chains. Quantities of stores were 
stowed in the tops, and also in 
small boats hoisted to the mast¬ 
head, to be hurled on the as¬ 
sailants. At 11 a.m., Edward 
ordered his fleet to prepare for 
battle, but to stand off on the 
starboard tack, to gain the ad¬ 
vantage of having the sun at 
their back. The French, misled 
by this proceeding, imagining 
that their adversaries declined the 
engagement, cast off their lash¬ 
ings, and pursued the English. 
They were, however, shortly un¬ 
deceived ; for, having gained the 
advantage sought, the English 
bore down upon the enemy, and 
about noon commenced the fight. 
The ships clustered together, and 







512 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. June 26. 


secured each to its opponent by 
grapnels, the crews boarded, and 
all that strength and valour could 
accomplish on either side was 
performed. In the end, the 
French were defeated with terrific 
slaughter. Several large French 
ships were captured, and so com¬ 
plete was the discomfiture of the 
van division, that the remainder 
sought safety in flight. The slain 
and drowned has been estimated 
at 25,000, and the loss of the 
English at 4000. A more des¬ 
perate and sanguinary conflict 
is not on record, and it heralded 
that martial glory which subse¬ 
quently crowned the arms of 
England at Poitiers and at 
Cressy. 

1795. Capture op Minerve. 
—The Dido, 28 guns, Capt. G. H. 
Towry, and the 32-gun frigate 
Lowestoffe, near Toulon, sustained 
a gallant action with the French 
frigates Minerve, 40 guns, and 
Artemise, 36, which lasted from 
8h. 30m. a.m. to llh. 45m. A.M., 
when the Minerve surrendered, 
with loss of 8 killed and 12 
wounded. The Artemise escaped. 
Dido, 6 killed and 15 wounded ; 
Lowestoffe, 3 wounded.—JHctfaL 

1800. The boats of the Re¬ 
nown, Defence, and Fisgard, un¬ 
der Lieut. Henry Burke, stormed 
and destroyed a battery of three 
24-pounders, at the entrance of 
the Quimper River, and two other 
small forts, which, with their ma¬ 
gazines, were also blown up. 

June 25. 

1803. The French corvette, 
Bacchante, 18 guns, captured by 
the 40-gun frigate Endymion, 
after a long chase, in which the 
Bacchante had 8 killed and 9 
wounded. 

1809. The Cyane, 22 guns, 
Capt. T. Staines, with the Espoir, 


18, Capt. Robert Mitford, and 
12 gun-boats, were near the isle 
of Procida, when the French fri¬ 
gate Ceres, 42 guns, Faina, 28, 
and a flotilla of gun-boats, were 
seen coming out of Pozzuoli bay. 
The signal was immediately made 
to weigh, and having a light air 
from the northward, the British 
stood towards the enemy. At 
8h. 30m., they opened a distant 
fire, which was returned by the 
French squadron; but at 9h. 
40m., the firing ceased and the 
enemy stood in shore. 

Ischia and Procida surrendered 
on 25th June, 1809, to the British 
forces. 

June 26. 

1799. In lat. 39° 30' N., long. 
33° W., after chase of four days, 
the 32-gun frigate Alcmene, Capt. 
Henry Digby, captured the French 
frigate-privateer Courageuse, of 
28 guns, 12- and 9-pounders, and 
250 men. 

1808. Two boats from the 64- 
gun ship Standard, Capt. Thos. 
Harvey, under Lieut. Richard 
Cull, and Capt. Edward Nicolls 
of the marines, boarded and cap¬ 
tured the Italian gun-boat Volpe, 
mounting one long 24-pounder, 
with a crew of 20 men, near 
Corfu. 

1809. At 6h. 25m., the 22-gun 
ship Cyane, Capt. Thomas Staines 
Espoir, 18, Capt. Robert Mitford, 
with a flotilla of British and Sici¬ 
lian gun-boats, having been de¬ 
tached to intercept a flotilla of 
gun-boats bound to Naples, com¬ 
menced an attack upon the latter 
just as they rounded Cape Baia. 
By the prompt and vigorous fire 
of the Cyane, the progress of the 
enemy’s flotilla was checked, and 
the combined gun-boats enabled 
to close with and capture 
eighteen French gun-boats, and 







NAVY. 


June 27. 


destroy four others. The Cyane, 
was much cut up, and had two 
seamen killed and seven wounded. 
On the same afternoon, the Bri¬ 
tish boats landed near point 
Messino, and spiked four 36- 
pounders. 

June 27. 

1798. The Seahorse frigate, 
mounting 46 guns, Capt. E. J. 
Foote, on the coast of Sicily, cap¬ 
tured French frigate Sensible, of 
36 guns, after a defence of ten 
minutes, in which she had 18 men 
killed and 37 wounded; Sea¬ 
horse, two killed, 16 wounded. 

1803. Two boats of 38-gun 
frigate Loire, under the orders 
of Lieut. Francis Temple, boarded 
and carried, after a short conflict 
of ten minutes, the French 10- 
gun brig Venteux, lying close 
under the batteries of the isle of 
Bas. Yenteux, three killed, 12 
wounded. The British had only 8 
wounded. 

1809. The 22-gun ship Cyane, 
mounting 32 guns, Captain T. 
Staines, in company with 18-gun 
sloop Espoir, and 23 Sicilian 
gun-boats, in the bay Pozzuoli, 
attacked the French 44-gun fri¬ 
gate Ceres, Fama of 28 guns, 
and 20 gun-boats, with which 
squadron she had been engaged 
on the two preceding days. At 
6h. 50m. p. m., when the Espoir 
and the flotilla were too far astern 
to be of any service, and the cor¬ 
vette was a mile and a half ahead 
of the frigate, the Cyane manned 
her sweeps, and stood towards the 
Ceres, then about three miles 
from the mole of Naples. At 7h. 
20m. p.m., the Cyane closed her 
opponent within pistol-shot dis¬ 
tance, and engaged her until 8h. 
30m. p. m., when the firing ceased 
on both sides. Being much dis¬ 
abled in masts, sails, and ringing, 


513 


and having her captain and both 
lieutenants so severely wounded 
as to quit the deck, the Cyane, 
under the command of Mr. Joseph 
Miller, the master, hauled off, 
and was soon taken in tow by the 
gun-boats. Her loss amounted 
to five killed, 20 wounded. — 
JHcfral. 

1813. The boats of 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Cerberus and 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Apollo, under Lieut. J. W. 
Montagu, off Otranto, intercepted 
a convoy protected by eight gun¬ 
boats, each carrying one 9- 
pounder, and two 4-pounders, 
and a body of French troops as¬ 
sembled on the cliffs. The gun¬ 
boats were severally boarded, and 
carried in the most gallant style, 
and four of the convoy also cap¬ 
tured. British loss, 2 killed, one 
wounded. 

June 23. 

1706. Siege of Alicant. — 
The siege having been under¬ 
taken by the forces under Adm. 
Sir George Byng and Sir John 
Jennings, the battering from five 
ships, anchored in a line, close 
under the walls of the town, com¬ 
menced early in the morning of 
the 28th of June. In a short time 
a breach was effected in the round 
tower at the west end of the town, 
and another in the middle of the 
curtain. The troops then ad¬ 
vanced to the breach in the round 
tower, and all the boats were sent 
from the fleet to support them. 
The grenadiers were beaten back; 
but the seamen and marines hav¬ 
ing landed, Capt. John Evans of 
the Koyal Oak, was the first to 
mount the breach, and being well 
supported, succeeded in getting 
into the town, followed by Capts. 
William Passenger, of the Royal 
Anne, and John Watkins, of the 
St. George, with a reinforcement; 
while Sir John Jennings, with the 







514 CALENDAR 


marines, took possession of the 
suburbs. The garrison surren¬ 
dered on the 29th; and this im¬ 
portant conquest was achieved 
with no greater loss than 30 
killed and 80 wounded. 

1719. The Looe, of 40-guns, 
Capt. Protheroe, captured a large 
privateer between Corsica and 
Capri, after an heroic defence, in 
which the enemy sustained a loss 
of 80 men in killed and wounded; 
whilst the Looe had only two 
men killed. 

June 2 . 9 . 

1798. Capture of Seine— 
The French 40-gun frigate Seine, 
commanded by lieut. de vaisseau 
Gabriel Bigot, having 280 troops 
on board, was discovered near 
the Penmarcks at 7h. a.m. by the 
British frigates Jason, Pique, and 
Mermaid, Capts. Charles Stirling, 
David Milne, and James Newman 
Newman. After a chase of more 
than twelve hours, the Pique 
brought the Seine to action at 
9h. p.m.; but the British frigate’s 
main-topmast being shot away, at 
9h. 30m. she dropped astern, and 
soon afterwards took the ground 
near Pointe de la Trenche, as did 
also the Jason. The Seine being 
dismasted, likewise grounded ; 
but she continued most gallantly 
to defend herself, until the Mer¬ 
maid arrived up, when she struck 
her colours. The loss on board 
the British frigates Jason and 
Pique amounted to 9 men killed; 
Capt. Stirling and 17 wounded. 
The Seine commenced the action 
with 610 men, including soldiers; 
of that number no less than 170 
were killed or drowned, and 100 
wounded. 

1810. The boats of the Am- 
pliion, 32, and Cerberus, 32, un¬ 
der Lieut. William Slaughter, 
landed near the town of Groa, 


OF VICTORY. June 30. 


in the gulf of Trieste, when they 
were attacked by a body of French 
troops, of whom a sergeant and 
38 privates were made prisoners. 
The British then entered the har¬ 
bour and took possession of 
twenty-five vessels. A detach¬ 
ment of French infantry was here 
attacked by a division of seamen 
and marines, under Lieut. Slaugh¬ 
ter, and an officer and 22 men 
made prisoners. After great ex¬ 
ertions, five vessels were brought 
off and eleven burnt. The loss 
in this gallant enterprise amounted 
to four marines killed; and Lieut. 
Brattle, of marines, three seamen, 
and four marines wounded. The 
French had ten killed and eight 
wounded. 

June 30. 

1690. Action off Be achy 
Head. — The French fleet under 
the Comte de Tourville, consist¬ 
ing of seventy-eight ships of war, 
principally of large size, mount¬ 
ing upwards of 4700 guns, 
with twenty-two fire-ships, sailed 
from Brest with the intention of 
creating a diversion in favour of 
King James, and with this view 
made a descent on the coast 
of Sussex. Intelligence having 
reached Spithead of the enemy’s 
approach, the British fleet, under 
the Earl of Torrington, put to 
sea on 21st June, and soon gain¬ 
ed sight of the French. Being 
joined by a Dutch squadron of 
22 large ships under Vice-Adm. 
Evertzen, on the 30th, at day¬ 
light, Adin. Torrington made the 
signal to bear up in line abreast; 
and the Dutch, forming the van, 
bore down with their accustomed 
valour, nor did they bring to, until 
closely engaged by the French 
van at 9h. a. m. The Blue squa¬ 
dron, following the example of 
their allies, gallantly attacked the 







> _ 

July 1 . NAVY. 515 


rear of the enemy; but the centre, 
under the commander-in-chief, 
did not show the same disposition 
to close with their adversaries. 
The French taking advantage of 
this lukewarmness of the red di¬ 
vision, kept their wind, and, pass¬ 
ing through the large opening, 
completely cut off the Dutch 
squadron ; but the latter fought 
so determinedly that little impres¬ 
sion was made upon them. The 
fight lasted during the day ; and 
at 5h. p. m. the combined fleets 
anchored; but at 9h. p.m. weighed 
and retreated to the eastward. 
One English ship was destroyed, 
and three Dutch ships sunk. The 
Earl of Torrington was tried by 
court-martial and acquitted of all 
blame. 

1707. Sir Cloudesley Shovel 
having determined to open the 
passage of the Yar, where the 
French were strongly intrenched, 
Sir John Norris, with four En¬ 
glish and one Dutch ship, sailed 
into the river, and advanced to 
within musket-shot of the enemy’s 
works. He then opened such a 
well-directed fire, that the cavalry 
and great part of the infantry 
being quite unprepared, quitted 
the camp, which Sir Cloudesley 
Shovel observing, ordered Sir 
John to land with the seamen and 
marines, and attack them in 
flank. This service was so effec¬ 
tually performed, that the French 
fled from their intreuchments in 
confusion, and in the course of 
half an hour the Duke of Savoy 
passed up without meeting any 
resistance. 

1803. On 30th June, the 
French, 18-pounder 40-gun fri¬ 
gate Creole was captured off St, 
Domingo by the 74-gun ships 
Cumberland and Vanguard, 
Capts. H. W. Bayntun and James 
Walker. The Creole, in com¬ 
mand of Captain Austen Bissell, 


foundered on her passage to 
England. 

July 1. 

1719. The 70-gun ship Graf¬ 
ton, Captain Nicholas Haddock, 
chased three Genoese ships, con¬ 
veying a reinforcement of 800 
soldiers to the Spaniards, with a 
large supply of military stores. 
Two were captured, and the third 
driven on shore. The 70-gun 
ships Lenox, Breda, and Essex, 
Capts. C. Strikland, B. Harris, 
and Richard Rowsier, heaving in 
sight during the action, stood 
towards the stranded ship, and, 
after engaging the castle, close 
under which she was on shore, 
succeeded in burning her. 

1780. Romney and Artois. 
—Romney, 50, acting captain R. 
Home, off Cape Finisterre, after 
a close action of 40 minutes, cap¬ 
tured French 40-gun frigate 
Artois, with loss of 20 killed, 40 
wounded, out of a crew of 460 
men; Romney, only two wounded. 
The Artois measured 1159 tons, 
and was the finest frigate at that 
time afloat. She was added to 
the British navy under the same 
name. 

July 2. 

1781. A small squadron on 
the North American station, com¬ 
manded by Capt. H. F. Evans, 
in the 28-gun frigate Charleston, 
consisting, besides, of the 20-gun 
armed ship Allegiance, Captain 
David Phipps, 14-gun sloop Vul¬ 
ture, Capt. M. Laugharne, with 
Rupert, George, Vernon, and 
Jack, armed ships, bound to Cape 
Breton, with a convoy of 14 sail, 
was chased by the French 40-gun 
frigates Astree and Hermione. 
Finding that the enemy gained 
but little in the pursuit, Captain 


L L 2 







516 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 3. 


Evans formed his little squadron 
in line ahead, and at about 8h. 
p. m. commenced the action. The 
Jack, being the most exposed to 
the enemy’s attack, was com¬ 
pelled to surrender; but the fire 
of the remaining ships was so 
well maintained that the French 
frigates were content with their 
paltry trophy. During the en¬ 
gagement, which lasted two hours, 
Capt. Evans, with 7 men, were 
killed on board the Charleston, 
and 29 wounded. The Allegiance 
had one man killed and 5 wound¬ 
ed ; the Vulture, one killed and 
two wounded; and the Vernon, 
7 killed and 6 wounded. The 
enemy was lost sight of during 
the night. 

1800. In the night, the boats 
of the Renown, 74, Rear-Adm. 
Sir J. B. Warren, Defence, 74, 
and Fisgard frigate, under Lieut. 
Henry Burke, were detached to 
attempt the capture of 20-gun cor¬ 
vette Therese, a 12-gun lugger, a 
cutter, and two schooners, each 
mounting 6 guns, anchored inside 
the sands at the bottom of Noir- 
moutier bay, under the protec¬ 
tion of numerous batteries. At 
about midnight, the boats, after 
a very obstinate resistance, cap¬ 
tured the corvette, three armed 
vessels, and fifteen sail of convoy. 
As the prizes could not be brought 
out, the whole were effectually 
destroyed. Having performed 
this gallant exploit without sus¬ 
taining any loss, the boats were 
returning to their ships ; but, be¬ 
fore getting out of reach of the 
batteries, they grounded on a 
sandbank, and in ten minutes were 
left high and dry. In this help¬ 
less situation the British became 
exposed to a fire from the forts, 
and also from about 400 soldiers. 
Nothing daunted by their peril¬ 
ous condition, part of the boats’ 
crews managed to gain possession 


of one of the French row-boats, 
which still remained afloat; and 
in this vessel 100 officers and 
men succeeded, by passing be¬ 
tween and over the sands, in 
reaching their ships ; but ninety- 
two persons, including Lieuts. 
Burke, Thompson, and Basing- 
hall, of the marines, who were 
wounded, were made prisoners. 

July 3. 

1745. The 24-gun ships Bridge- 
water and Sheerness, Capts. Lord 
George Graham and William 
Gordon, and Ursula, hired armed 
vessel, Lieut. John Ferguson, 
fell in with three Dunkirk pri¬ 
vateers, mounting twenty-eight, 
twenty-six, and twelve guns re¬ 
spectively. After an obstinate 
engagement, the whole were cap¬ 
tured, together with six prizes 
which they were escorting to 
Dunkirk. 

1797. Nelson defeats Spanish 
Gun-boats. — In the night, the 
boats of the British fleet of 21 
sail of the line, blockading Cadiz, 
despatched under the order of 
Rear-Adm. Sir Horatio Nelson, 
to cover the Thunder bomb in 
throwing shells into the town, 
were attacked by the Spanish 
gun-boats and armed launches. 
A personal encounter took place 
between the rear-admiral and the 
Spanish commodore, who, with 
26 men, attempted to carry the 
British boat, whose crew con¬ 
sisted of only 15 men ; but hav¬ 
ing 18 men killed, and himself 
wounded, the gallant Spaniard 
was compelled to surrender. The 
enemy’s flotilla retreated, pursued 
by the British, and, in the course 
of the conflict, two mortar-boats 
were also captured. In this 
smart affair the British had one 
killed; the rear-admiral (slightly) 
and 29 wounded. 






NAVY. 


July 4. 


1812. The 16-gun brig Raven, 
Capt. G. G. Lennock, cruising off 
the Scheldt, attacked a French 
flotilla of 14 brigs, each mount¬ 
ing three long 24-pounders, and 
drove four on shore, near Wei- 
ling. This gallant exploit was 
performed in sight of the" French 
fleet lying in Flushing. 

July 4. 

1652. Vice-Adm. Sir George 
Ayscough, who had just returned 
from the West Indies,—having, 
on his passage, captured four 
ships of war and ten merchant 
ships, — attacked, on the French 
coast, the St. Ubes fleet of forty 
sail, thirty of- which were either 
captured or destroyed. 

1780. Capture of Capri- 
cieuse. — French 40-gun frigate 
Capricieuse, but mounting only 
32 guns, captured off Cape Or- 
tegal by 32-gun frigates Pru- 
dente and Licorne, Capts. Hon. 
W. Waldegrave, and T. Cadogan, 
after a very gallant defence, in 
which she had 100 men killed 
and wounded; Prudente, 17 
killed, 31 wounded; Licorne, 
three killed, seven wounded. 

1811. At daylight, the boats 
of the Unite frigate, Capt. E. H. 
Chamberlayne, cruising on the 
Italian coast, were sent away, 
under the orders of Lieut. Joseph 
Crabb, to cut out an armed brig 
at anchor off Port Hercule, which 
proved to be the St. Fran§ois-de- 
Paule, mounting eight guns, 
lying under the protection of a 
battery of two 8-pounders on the 
beach. The light winds which 
prevailed, preventing the ap¬ 
proach of the ship to co-operate 
in the attack, Capt. Chamberlayne 
sent Lieut. John M‘Dougal, in 
the launch, to support the other 
boats ; but, before his arrival, the 
brig was captured, and out of 


517 


range of the fire from the bat¬ 
tery. 

July 5. 

1695. Bombardment of St. 
Malo. — An expedition against 
the coast of France, consisting of 
six English and four Dutch ships 
of war, and nine galliots, under the 
command of Lord Berkeley and 
the Dutch admiral Allemonde, ar¬ 
rived of St. Malo on the 4th July, 
and immediately cannonaded 
Quince fort. On the 5th, three 
English and two Dutch mortar- 
vessels, under Col. Richards, pro¬ 
ceeded to attack the forts on one 
side the channel, while the other 
was-assailed by the Dutch ; and 
a third division was led by Com¬ 
modore Benbow, in the Charles 
galley. The frigates, anchoring- 
near the forts, commenced the 
bombardment at 6h. a. m., which 
continued for some hours with 
great fury. At 8h. a. m., the town 
was on fire in several places: the 
houses being chiefly of wood, were 
destroyed ; and Quince fort burnt 
for two hours. The cannonade 
continued through the day; and 
in the evening the mortar-vessels, 
having expended their ammuni¬ 
tion,—nearly 9000 shells and car¬ 
casses,—put to sea. The loss sus¬ 
tained by the allies amounted to 
sixty killed and wounded. 

1797. On this day, a second 
bombardment of Cadiz took place. 
The Stromboli, Terror, and Thun¬ 
der bombs, which were most ju¬ 
diciously placed by Mr. Jackson, 
master of the Yille de Paris, 
covered by Theseus, 74, Emerald 
and Terpsichore frigates, did con¬ 
siderable execution in the town. 
The British loss amounted to 3 
men killed and 20 wounded. 

1808. Seahorse and Badere 
Zaffer. — The Seahorse, mount¬ 
ing- 42 guns, Capt. John Stewart, 
near the island of Scropolo, in 


L L 3 
















518 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 6. 


the Archipelago, on 5th July 
brought the Turkish frigate Ba- 
dere Zaffer, of 52 guns, to close 
action at 9h. 30m. p. m., and 
shortly afterwards was also en¬ 
gaged with her consort, the Aliz 
Fezan, of 26 guns ; but the latter 
soon bore away from the conflict 
in a disabled condition. The 
Badere Zaffer continued to de¬ 
fend herself with great obstinacy 
until daylight, when she sur¬ 
rendered, with the loss of 170 
killed and 200 wounded, out of a 
crew of 543 men. The Seahorse, 
out of a crew of 250, had five killed 
and 10 wounded. —IFtcUaL 

July 6 . 

1782. Hughes and De Suf- 
erein. —Having refitted his fleet 
at Trincomalee, Vice-Adm. Sir 
Edward Hughes, with eleven sail 
of the line, arrived at Negapatam 
on the 24th June. On the 5th 
July, the enemy, consisting of ten 
ships of the line, two of 50 guns, 
3 frigates, and 2 corvettes, ap¬ 
peared in the offing; and at 3 p.m. 
the British put to sea in pursuit. 
At daylight on the 6th, the French 
squadron was seen at anchor, but 
on the approach of the British, 
got under way, and stood to the 
eastward ; upon which Sir Ed¬ 
ward, forming his squadron in line 
ahead, bore up for the enemy — 
each ship for her proper opponent. 
The firing commenced at lOh. 
40m., which soon became general 
and lasted until noon, within 200 
yards’ distance. About lh. r. m., 
the French commodore’s second 
ahead, the Brilliant, lost her 
mainmast, and the van ship had 
bore up out of the line. At this 
moment, when the victory ap¬ 
peared to declare for the English, 
a strong breeze set in from the 
southward, taking most of the 
ships aback. The French 64-gun 


ship Severe fell on board the 
Sultan, and, after some sharp con¬ 
tention, surrendered ; but while 
the Sultan wore round to join the 
admiral, the Severe, pouring a 
broadside into the Sultan, hoisted 
her colours and made off. The 
ships wei*e so much cut up in 
masts and rigging as to be in¬ 
capable of following the French 
squadron, which anchored three 
leagues to the northward. The 
loss of the British amounted to 7 7 
killed, 233 wounded. The French 
lost 412 killed, 676 wounded. 

1801. Action off Algesikas. 
— Rear -Adm. Sir James Sau- 
marez, with six ships of the line, 
attacked a French squadron under 
Rear-Adm. D. Linois, consisting 
of three sail of the line, and a 
frigate, lying moored in the bay 
of Algesiras, under the protection 
of five batteries, mounting heavy 
ordnance, and 14 gun-boats. As 
the leading ships at 8h. 45m. a.m. 
approached their stations, it un¬ 
fortunately fell calm, and the 
Hannibal, 74, Capt. Sol. Ferris, 
in endeavouring to place herself 
across the bows of the French 
admiral, took the ground. In 
spite of every exertion, she re¬ 
mained fast on the rocks; and 
after being exposed to a destruc¬ 
tive fire from the batteries, as 
well as from the enemy’s ships 
and gun-boats, for upwards of 
two hours, the Hannibal, at 
lh. 35m. p. m., hauled down her 
colours, having sustained the loss 
of 75 killed, 62 wounded, and 6 
missing. A light breeze springing 
up about this time from the north¬ 
east, Adm. Linois made the signal 
for his ships to cut and run ashore. 
The Formidable, 80, brought up 
again with her larboard broadside 
to the enemy. The Desaix, 74, 
grounded upon a shoal facing the 
town, and the 80-gun ship ln- 
domptable upon one to the north- 













> 


July 7. 


NAVY. 


519 


east of the isleof Verda. Sir James 
Saumarez following the French 
admiral’s example, the Ccesar 
cut, but again anchored with the 
Audacious in a position to bring 
their broadsides to bear upon 
the Indomptable. The Venerable 
and Spencer were prevented by 
the variable winds getting into 
action; w r hilst the Pompee, after 
remaining an hour without being 
able to take any part in the second 
attack, was at length towed out 
of the bay. At lh. 30m. p. m., a 
light air coming off the land, the 
British ships made sail on the 
starboard tack, leaving the dis¬ 
masted Hannibal in the hands of 
the enemy. The total British 
loss amounted to 121 killed, 240 
wounded, and 14 missing. The 
French had 306 killed, and about 
the same number wounded. 

1809. Capture of Furieuse. 
—Bonne Citoyenne, mounting 20 
guns, Capt. Wm. Mounsey, near 
Halifax, captured French 40-gun 
frigate Furieuse (but having only 
20 mounted), after an action which 
lasted from 9h. 10m. a. m. until 
6h. 16m. p. m., in which she lost 
35 killed, 37 wounded, out of a 
crew of 200. Bonne Citoyenne, 
out of 127, had only one man 
killed and 5 wounded.— jHrta T. 

1812. Dictator, 64, Capt. J. P. 
Stewart, with brigs Calypso, Po- 
dargus, and Flamer, attacked and 
destroyed the Danish 40-gun 
frigate Nayaden and three 18- 
gun brigs, 12 miles up a river at 
Mardoe, on the coast of Norway. 
In this gallant enterprise the 
Bi'itish had 9 killed, 35 wounded. 
—iJrHtml. 

July 7. 

1800. Dart and Destree.— 
Four French 40-gun frigates, 
lying at anchor in Dunkirk roads, 
were attacked about midnight by 


the 30-gun corvette Dart, Capt. 
Patrick Campbell, with two brigs 
and four fire-ships. The Dart, 
after being hailed by the outer¬ 
most frigate, passed on unmo¬ 
lested until she came abreast of 
the third ship, with which she 
exchanged broadsides, and then, 
reaching the innermost,—the De¬ 
siree,—ran her on board, the jib- 
boom passing under the frigate’s 
forestay. Lieut. James M‘Der- 
meit, at the head of fifty men, 
immediately sprang upon her 
forecastle, and in a short time 
gained possession of the upper 
deck. Lieutenant W. J. Pearce, 
speedily arriving with a second di¬ 
vision, soon reduced the enemy to 
submission; and in fifteen minutes 
from the commencement of the 
attack, the Desiree was underway. 
This gallant exploit was achieved 
with the loss of one seaman 
killed ; Lieut. M‘Dcrmeit, James 
Hall, master’s mate, and nine 
men wounded ; while the loss on 
board the Desiree was computed at 
one hundred killed and wounded. 
In the meantime the brigs and 
two cutters engaged the gun¬ 
boats ; and though the fire-vessels 
were not abandoned until com¬ 
pletely in flames, the frigates, by 
cutting their cables, avoided them. 
The Desiree was brought out, and 
being a fine ship of 1015 tons, 
was commissioned by the same 
name.— iHctfal. 

1805. Lieut. Robert Pigot, in 
the Matilda, of ten guns, tender 
to the 38-gun frigate Cambrian, 
on 3rd July proceeded to the 
attack of an armed ship, mounting 
8 guns and 50 men, which, with 
a Spanish schooner-privateer, of 
6 guns and 70 men, and a cap¬ 
tured vessel, were moored across 
St. Mary’s river, twelve miles 
from the entrance. On the 7th, 
the Matilda having grounded, 
Lieut. Pigot took to the boats, 


L L 4 










520 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July S. 


boarded and carried the armed 
ship, and with her guns com¬ 
pelled the enemy to abandon the 
privateer and her prize. Owing 
to adverse winds, it was not until 
the 21st that the Lieut, could 
descend the river with his prizes, 
and rejoin the Cambrian. Two 
men Avere killed; Lieut. Pigot, 
two midshipmen, and tAvelve sea¬ 
men Avounded. The Spaniards 
had 25 killed and 22 Avounded. 

1809. A squadron, consisting 
of Implacable and Bellerophon, 
of 74 guns, Melpomene, 38-gun 
frigate, and Prometheus sloop, 
cruising off the coast of Finland, 
discovered eight Russian gun¬ 
boats at anchor under Hango 
head, each armed with a long 24- 
and one long 32-pounder, and a 
crew of 46 men ; Avith twel\ r e 
merchant vessels anchored under 
Porcolo point. The position they 
had taken was one of extraordi¬ 
nary strength, being betwixt tAvo 
rocks, Avhence a destructAe fire 
could be poured upon any force 
that assailed them. Seventeen 
boats, under the command of Lieut. 
Joseph HaAvkey, containing 270 
officers and men, proceeded to the 
attack at 9h. p. m. Not a shot was 
fired until close alongside, when 
the British seamen and marines 
boarded and carried all before 
them. Six gun-boats Avere cap¬ 
tured, one sunk, and one escaped; 
12 vessels laden Avith poAvder and 
provisions, and a large armed 
ship, were also captured. Lieut. 
Hawkey, after carrying one gun¬ 
boat, Avas killed by a grape-shot 
Avliile boarding a second. His 
last Avords Avere “Huzza! push 
on ; England for ever! ” The 
British loss amounted to Lieuts. 
HaAvkey and James Stirling, and 
15 killed, and 37 wounded. The 
Russians had 63 killed; and of the 
157 prisoners, 51 Avere wounded. 
— iHrtfaL 


July S. 

1695. Granville bombarded. 
—A squadron of eight frigates, 
under Commodore BenboAv, bom¬ 
barded the town of Granville; 
and, leaving the tOAvn in flames, 
proceeded on the same day on a 
similar service to Havre. 

1778. On 8th July, the 14-gun 
sloop Ostrich, Captain Peter 
Rainier, Avith 10-gun brig, Lowe- 
stoffe’s prize, captured, after an 
action of three hours, the Ame¬ 
rican privateer Polly, 16 guns 
and 23 SAvivels, with a ci’cav of 
170 men, of AA r hom 30 were killed. 
On board the Ostrich, four men 
Avere killed, Captain Rainier and 
30 wounded. Captain Rainier 

Avas Avounded bA r a musket-ball 
•/ 

through the left breast; he could 
not, hoAvever, be persuaded to go 
beloAv, but remained on deck 
until the close of the action. He 
Avas posted, and appointed to the 
command of the 64-gun ship 
Burford. 

1810. Reduction of Isle of 
Bourbon. —In the month of May, 
Capt. Josias RoAvley, command¬ 
ing the squadron cruising olf the 
Isle of France, having determined 
on making a descent upon the 
island of Bourbon, embarked from 
Rodriguez 3650 European and 
native troops, under Lieut.-Col. 
Keating, A\ T ith which the squadron 
arrived on 7th July, consisting of 
Boadicea, 38, Sirius, 36, Iphi- 
genia, 36, Magicienne, 36, and 
Nereide, 36, and 18-gun sloop 
Otter. Under the superintendence 
of Lieut. J. W. Trading of the 
Sirius, a division of the troops 
landed Avithout sustaining any 
loss; but on the opposite side of 
the island, Avhere the access Avas 
more difficult, the schooner Esta- 
fette Avas knocked to pieces and 
four men drowned. Owing to the 
badness of the Aveather, some little 













July 9 . 


NAVY. 


521 


delay occurred in landing the re¬ 
mainder of the force; but that 
being effected, the island of Bour¬ 
bon capitulated on the 8th July. 

1854. Attack of Sulina.— 
Capt. Hyde Parker, in his gig, 
with the boats from the Fire¬ 
brand and Vesuvius, proceeded 
at 2h. r.M. up the Danube, for the 
purpose of destroying some works 
which were occupied by the Rus¬ 
sians. At the bend of the river, 
opposite a number of houses on 
the right bank and a large stock¬ 
ade on the left, a sharp lire was 
opened upon the gig, and some of 
the men wounded. Capt. Parker 
at once pulled back to the other 
boats, hailing to land the marines 
and be ready to storm. This 
order was executed by the marines 
and a detachment of seamen in 
the same gallant spirit with which 
it was given. Capt. Parker then 
dashed on shore in his gig, and at 
once advanced with a few men. 
A fire 'was soon opened by the 
enemy upon them, and a few 
minutes after landing a bullet 
passed through their leader’s 
heart. The command of the 
force then devolved upon Com¬ 
mander R. A. Powell, who di¬ 
rected the gun-boats and rocket- 
boat at once to be brought to the 
front; and the enemy’s fire having 
been silenced, the storming party, 
under Lieut. Jull, R. M. A., en¬ 
tered the place at a run ;“*but the 
enemy had already retreated at 
the rear, and so thick was the 
cover that pursuit was in vain. 
The work was a gabion battery, 
the guns of which had been taken 
away and the embrasures filled 
up. It consisted of a front along 
the river, raised about 15 feet 
high, and 400 yards in extent. In 
the rear was a morass, and the 
two flanks, which were not 30 
yards in length, were defended as 
in front. About 50 government 


houses, stables, storehouses, and a 
magazine, were entirely demo¬ 
lished, the houses destroyed, and 
nothing now marks the spot but 
a heap of ruins. There was no 
means of computing the enemy’s 
loss, although they were seen to 
fall inside theintrenchments. Mr. 
Carey, second master, was badly 
wounded. 

July 9. 

1745. Lion and Elizabeth. 
—The 58-gun ship Lion, Capt. 
Percy Brett, in lat. 47° 57' N., 
fell in with expedition of Charles 
Edward to the coast of Scotland, 
and brought to action the French 
64-gun ship Elizabeth, which she 
engaged for nearly five hours. 
The Lion having lost her mizen- 
mast, fore and main-topsail yards, 
the Elizabeth, taking advantage of 
her antagonist’s helpless condition, 
made sail and escaped. The loss 
of the Lion amounted to 55 
killed and 107 wounded; Capt. 
Brett, all three lieutenants, and 
the master, among the latter. The 
loss on board the Elizabeth was 
afterwards ascertained to have 
been 64 men killed and 140 
wounded. 

1806. Capture of Bellone. 
—The French 34-gun frigate- 
privateer Bellone, Capt. Jaques 
Perrond, was captured off Ceylon, 
after a chase and running fight 
of two hours, by the 74-gun ship 
Powerful, Capt. Robert Plampin; 
which ship had two men killed 
and eleven wounded, and the 
Bellone one man killed and six 
wounded. 

1810. During the operations on 
shore at the reduction of the Isle 
of Bourbon on 8th July, Capt. 
Pym, observing a brig get under 
way from the bay of St. Paul, 
despatched Lieut. George R. 
Norman, in the barge of the 









522 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 10. 


Sirius, at Ilk. p. m. on the 9th, to 
cut her off. After a hard pull, 
and after some resistance, in 
which three of his boat’s crew 
were wounded, he captured the 
Edward privateer, of 245 tons, 
pierced for sixteen, but mounting 
only four 12-pounders, with a 
crew of thirty men. 

1810. Reduction of Banda 
Neira. —On 8th July, a squadron, 
consisting of Caroline and Pie- 
montaise frigates, Capts. C. Cole 
and C. Foote, and 18-gun brig Bar- 
racouta, Capt. Kerah, arrived off 
Banda Neira, which is about two 
miles in length and half a mile in 
breadth. It was protected by ten 
sea-batteries and the castle of 
Belgica, mounting 52 pieces of 
heavy ordnance, commanding the 
Nassau castle, also of considerable 
strength; and the island mount¬ 
ed altogether 138 guns. On the 
9th, Capt. Cole, with 140 seamen 
and marines and 40 soldiers, ef¬ 
fected a landing just before day¬ 
break. After gaining possession 
of a battery and making 60 men 
prisoners, castle Belgica was 
carried by storm, just as day¬ 
light appeared; and in course of 
the day 1500 regulars and militia 
laid down their arms. Thus was 
the conquest of this valuable 
colony achieved without the loss 
of a man on the part of the Bri¬ 
tish. — JHctfal. 


July 10. 

1745. Action near New¬ 
foundland. — The Prince Fre¬ 
deric, of 28 guns, Capt. Talbot, 
and 240 men, and Duke, Capt. 
Morecock, of 20 guns and 134 
men, two privateers fitted out 
by the merchants of London, 
cruising near the banks of New¬ 
foundland, early in the morning 
fell in with the Marquis d’Antin, 


of 24-guns and 68 men, Lewis 
Erasmus, of 28-guns, 66 men, and 
Notre Dame, of 22-guns and 60 
men, on their return to St. Malo, 
after having been out four years 
in the South Seas, richly laden, 
and having treasure to the value 
of 680,000/. The British bore 
down, and the Prince Frederic 
placing herself close alongside to 
leeward of the Marquis d’Antin, 
after an action of three hours’ 
duration, compelled her to sur¬ 
render. Capt. Talbot then closed 
with the Lewis Erasmus, and, after 
a severe contest of more than two 
hours, compelled her also to strike 
her colours. The third ship, al¬ 
though for some time pursued by 
the Duke, effected her escape. 
The Prince Frederic had one 
lieutenant and five men killed, 
and twenty-five wounded; the 
Duke, seven killed and eight 
wounded. The Lewis Erasmus 
had her captain and one man 
killed, and four wounded ; the 
Marquis d’Antin, her captain 
and six men killed, and eight 
wounded. The prizes being 
totally dismasted, were towed 
into Kinsale bay, Ireland. 

1808. Attack of Port 
D’Anzo. —The boats of the 22- 
gun ship Porcupine, under the 
orders of Lieut. George Price, 
having on the preceding day 
compelled two gun-boats, each 
armed with a long 24-pounder, 
and 30 men, and a polacre, 
mounting six long 6-pounders, 
with a crew of 30 men, to take 
shelter under the batteries of 
Port D’Anzo, on the coast of 
Romania, resolved to attempt the 
capture of the polacre. As soon 
as it became dark, the boats pulled 
in, and notwithstanding the po¬ 
lacre was moored to the beach, 
which was lined with soldiers, 
and lay within pistol-shot of two 
batteries, a tower, and three gun- 














NAVY. 


July 11, 


523 


boats, she was gallantly boarded 
and brought out, but with loss of 
eight men wounded, and among 
that number Lieut. Price severely. 

-iHfiral. 


July 11. 

1798. Boats at Aguada — 
The boats of the 44-gun ship 
Regulus, Capt. George Eyre, com¬ 
manded by Lieut. John Good, 
accompanied by Lieut. William 
Holman and Master’s Mate 
Thomas Finch, were sent to at¬ 
tempt the capture of five ves¬ 
sels at anchor in Aguada bay, 
under the protection of some 
batteries. Three vessels were 
captured and brought off. Mr. 
Finch, who was killed by a 
grape-shot was the only loss 
sustained in effecting this credit¬ 
able service. 

1803. The 18-gun brig Ra¬ 
coon, Capt. Austin Bissell, at¬ 
tacked the French brig Lodi, 
mounting 10 guns, lying in Leo- 
gane roads, San Domingo, and, 
after an action of 40 minutes, 
compelled her to surrender, with 
loss of one killed and 14 wounded. 

1806. The barge of the 32-gun 
frigate Minerva, near Oporto, 
commanded by Lieut. W. H. 
Mulcaster, boarded and carried 
the Spanish lugger-privateer, 
Buena Diclia, mounting one long 
8i-pounder, and having a crew of 
26 men, one of whom was killed 
and five wounded. 

1804. Boats at La Vaudour. 
— Ten boats from the frigates 
Narcissus, Seahorse, and Maid¬ 
stone, under the orders of Lieut. 
John Thompson, at midnight at¬ 
tacked 12 settees at La Vaudour, 
in Hycres bay, moored close to 
the beach, and protected by a 
battery of three guns. In the 
face of a tremendous fire of grape 


and musketry, the settees were 
boarded and set on fire. This 
gallant affair was not accom¬ 
plished without a severe loss on 
the part of the British ; one mid¬ 
shipman and four men were 
killed ; one lieutenant, four mid¬ 
shipmen, and 18 men wounded. 


July 12. 

1346. Invasion of France. 
— King Edward, failing in his 
negotiations for the allegiance of 
Flanders, a large fleet was fitted out 
to enforce his pretensions. On the 
10th July, the king embarked at 
the Isle of Wight, and on the 11th 
sailed with a fleet estimated at 
1100 large ships and 500 small 
vessels. The Prince of Wales ac¬ 
companied his father, and the ex¬ 
pedition was composed of nu¬ 
merous noblemen and knights, 
4000 men-at-arms, 10,000 archers, 
and a body of Kish and Welsh 
soldiers. On the 12th, a land¬ 
ing was effected at La Hogue, 
but it took six days to disem¬ 
bark the horses, troops, and 
stores. Eleven large ships were 
burnt at La Hogue, many others 
at Barfleur, and the towns were 
subsequently ravaged and burnt 
for a distance of 120 miles. 

1694. The town of Dieppe was 
bombarded until the place was 
nearly levelled. Lord Berkeley 
next proceeded to Havre, which 
underwent similar treatment. 

1801. Combined Squadron 
defeated. — The French squa¬ 
dron, of three sail of the line 
and a frigate, that had been at¬ 
tacked in Algesiras bay, as re¬ 
lated on the 6th July, having 
been reinforced by a division 
from Cadiz, put to sea at noon 
on the 12th, with a fresh breeze 
from the eastward. Rear-Adm. 
Sir James Saumarez, with his re- 






524 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 13. 


fitted ships, immediately made 
sail in pursuit; his squadron 
consisting of Caesar, 80, Vene¬ 
rable, Superb, Spencer, and Au¬ 
dacious, of 74 guns, Thames fri¬ 
gate, and Calpe sloop. The 
combined force consisted of two 
ships of 112, one of 96, three of 
80, three of 74 guns, and three 
frigates. At 1 lh. 30m. p. m., the 
Superb being considerably ahead 
of the other British ships, opened 
her fire upon the San Carlos, of 
112 guns, whose fore-topmast 
falling over her guns, the ship 
caught fire, and shortly after 
midnight she blew up ; but she 
had previously fallen on board 
the other first-rate, the San Her- 
menegildo, which also exploded. 
In the meantime the Superb 
closed with, and captured the 
74-gun ship St. Antoine, which 
ship suffered severely; but the Su¬ 
perb had only 15 wounded. The 
remainder of the combined squa¬ 
dron reached Cadiz; but not 
until the 80-gun ship Formi¬ 
dable had sustained a gallant 
action with the Venerable and 
Thames. The British 74 opened 
her fire at 5h. 20m. a. m., and 
the two opponents.continued en¬ 
gaging until 7h. 50m., when the 
Venerable having lost her fore 
and main masts and main-top¬ 
mast, and having 18 men killed 
and 87 wounded, ceased firing. 
At 8h. her mizen-mast fell, as the 
ship had grounded on the reef of 
rocks off St. Pedro. At 2h. p. m., 
by the assistance of the boats of 
the squadron, the Venerable was 
hove off, and taken in tow by the 
Thames frigate. She eventually 
reached Gibraltar. —iHctral. 

1804. The 36-gun frigate 
Aigle, Capt. George Wolf, drove 
on shore near the Cordouan light¬ 
house, and destroyed the French 
corvette Charente, and a brig of 
8 guns. 


1813. Capture of the Ana¬ 
conda.— On the 12th July, a 
landing was effected at Ocracoke, 
North America, by an expedition 
commanded by Capt. Ross of the 
Albion, 74. The division of flat 
rowing-boats was commanded by 
Lieut. George A. Westphal; the 
heavier boats by Captain David 
Paterson of the Fox; and Capt. 
Baker, of the Conflict, the armed 
vessels and tenders. On rounding 
a point of the hay, a brig and a 
schooner opened fire, upon which 
the division under Lieut. West¬ 
phal, covered by rockets, attacked 
and carried them. The prizes 
were the Anaconda brig, of 
eighteen long 9-pounders, and a 
letter-of-marque schooner of ten 
guns. The Anaconda was com¬ 
missioned, and the command con¬ 
ferred on her gallant captor. 

July 13. 

1795. Action off Hyeres.— 
Admiral William Hotham, with 
a fleet of twenty-three ships of 
the line, near Hyeres, attacked a 
French fleet of seventeen sail of 
the line, under Vice-Admiral 
Martin. The action commenced 
at 1 p. m., and ceased at 2h. 42m. 
p.m., by signal from the admiral, 
at a period when four or five 
British ships were closing Avith 
the enemy’s rear. In twenty 
minutes the Alcide, 74, was so dis¬ 
abled by the fire of the Victory 
and Culloden, that she ceased 
firing, and at 2h struck her co¬ 
lours. The Culloden having lost 
her main-topsail-yard, and the 
Victory’s fore-topsail-yard being 
shot away, and the ship otherwise 
disabled, the Cumberland passed 
them, and attacked the Justice 
frigate, which, with the Alceste, 
had approached to take the Al¬ 
cide in tow; but she had barely 
taken up her position to engage, 









NAVY. 


July 14. 


when the signal to discontinue 
the action was made by the 
Britannia. When the recall was 
made by Admiral Hotham, the 
Blenheim, Gibraltar, Captain, and 
some others were closing with the 
rear of the enemy ; hut those ships 
having wore, in obedience to the 
signal of the eommander-in-chief, 
the French fleet, unmolested, pro¬ 
ceeded to Frejus bay. The loss 
of the British amounted to no 
more than 11 killed and 27 
wounded. The Alcide, 74 guns, 
which had surrendered, afterwards 
took fire and blew up. 

1809. Senegal surrenders.— 
A British force under Capt. Ed¬ 
ward Henry Columbine, consist¬ 
ing of 32-gun frigate Solebay, 
18-gun brig Derwent, Command¬ 
er Fred. Parker, and 12-gun brig 
Tigris, Lieutenant Robert Bones, 
with a transport conveying 166 
soldiers of the African corps, under 
Major C. W. Maxwell, and some 
small vessels, anchored off Sene¬ 
gal on the 7th July, and on the 
8th the boats with the troops got 
over the bar ; but Capt. Parker 
and one midshipman were un¬ 
fortunately drowned in the surf. 
Major Maxwell, with the troops 
and marines, numbering alto¬ 
gether about 210 men, landed 
without opposition on the left 
bank of the river, and took up a 
position. On the 9th, the French 
moved out to attack this force, but, 
finding them in greater strength 
than was expected, retired to a 
line of defence atBabague, con¬ 
sisting of a boom across the river 
and a battery on the south point 
of the island. On the 10th, the 
Solebay and Derwent cannon¬ 
aded the fort with considerable 
effect ; but in course of the en¬ 
suing night, the frigate went on 
shore and became totally wrecked. 
On the 12th, the troops re-em¬ 
barked, and the flotilla proceeded 


525 


up the river until within gun¬ 
shot of fort Babague ; when all 
being in readiness for a night 
attack, the French commandant 
proposed to capitulate, and on 
the 13th the colony of Senegal 
surrendered to the British arms. 


July 14. 

1780, Capture of Belle 
Poitle. — The 64-gun ship Non¬ 
such, Capt. Sir James Wallace, 
cruising off Belleisle, chased a 
French convoy, under the pro¬ 
tection of three frigates, but, with 
the exception of one (the Legere) 
which took the ground, the whole 
succeeded in entering the Loire. 
While the boats were employed in 
effecting the destruction of the 
grounded ship, three large ships 
were discovered in the offing 
making signals. The Nonsuch 
thus attracted, was soon under 
sail to close the strangers ; and 
about midnight overtook the 
sternmost, which was 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Belle Poule, Capt. the Che¬ 
valier de Kergariou. After an 
action of two hours duration, the 
enemy was compelled to surrender, 
having lost, out of a crew of 275, 
twenty-five men killed, including 
her gallant commander ; the ma¬ 
jority of the officers, and fifty men 
wounded. The prize, measur¬ 
ing 902 tons, was added to the 
British navy under the same name. 
The other two frigates effected 
their escape. 

1809. Attack of Carri. — 
Lieut. Henry R. Battersby, at the 
head of a party of seamen from 
the 18-gun brig Scout, Capt. Wm. 
Raitt, attacked a strong battery 
commanding the port of Carri, 
situated between Marseilles and 
the Rhone, and carried the post 
without loss. For his gallantry 
on this and similar occasions, 








526 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 16. 


Lieut. Battersby was promoted 
to the rank of commander. — 

July 15. 

1796. Glatton and French 
Squadron. —The Glatton, Capt. 
H. Trollope, mounting 56 guns, 
68-pounder carronades, on the 
coast of Flanders, fell in with a 
French squadron, consisting of a 
ship of 50 guns, two of 40 guns, 
one of 28 guns, and two corvettes 
of 22 guns. At 8h. p. m., the 
Glatton steered for the French 
ships, which were by this time 
formed in line on the larboard 
tack. At 9h. 45m. A.M., closing 
with the Brutus (a razeed 64-gun 
ship), the second in the van, Capt. 
Trollope ordered her to strike. 
French,colours were instantly dis¬ 
played, and the whole squadron 
opened their fire. After receiving 
the terrific broadside of the Glat¬ 
ton, the van ship, which was 
ahead of the British ship’s oppo¬ 
nent, tacked, and in passing to 
windward of the Glatton, received 
the fire of that ship’s larboard 
guns. The remainder of the 
French ships also tacked, as did 
the Glatton, after raking her op¬ 
ponent while on stays. The enemy 
shortly afterwards made sail out 
of gun-shot, and on the following 
day the squadron entered Flush¬ 
ing. The Glatton had none killed, 
and only two wounded. 

1798. Capture op Dorotea. 
— The 64-gun ship Lion, Capt. 
Manley Dixon, when near Car- 
thagena, attacked four Spanish 
34-gun frigates, and, after ex¬ 
changing some broadsides with 
three of them as they passed her 
to windward, closed with the 
fourth, the Dorotea, which she 
captured after a gallant defence. 
The Spanish frigate had 20 killed 
and 32 wounded. Out of a crew 


of 371 men, the Lion had only 
two wounded. 

1806. Capture op Cesar.— 
Twelve boats from the British 
squadron cruising off Rochefort, 
under the orders of Lieut. E. R. 
Sibly, at midnight attacked the 
French 16-gun brig C^sar, having 
a crew of 86 men, anchored in 
Verdon roads, perfectly prepared. 
She was nevertheless gallantly 
boarded, and after a short con¬ 
flict, carried, but with severe loss. 
On the part of the British, Lieut. 
Thomas Helpman and seven men 
were killed; Lieuts. Sibly, D. 
Tait, T. Parker, R. Shepperdson, 
and 38 wounded. Total, 9 killed 
and 39 wounded.— JHrtraL 


July 16. 

1797. A frigate squadron, under 
Commodore Sir T. B. Warren, 
drove on shore the French 28-gun 
frigate Calliope in Audierne bay. 
The 18-gun brig Sylph, Capt. J. 
C. White, then stood close in, and 
opened so effective a fire on the 
frigate, that on the following day 
the stranded ship went to pieces. 
Several vessels under convoy of 
Calliope were taken and burnt by 
the squadron. The Sylph had 6 
men wounded. 

1812. Capture op Eole.— 
Three boats from the 18-gun 
sloop Osprey, and 10-gun brigs 
Britomart and Leveret, under the 
orders of Lieut. William Henry 
Dixon, went in chase of a French 
lugger-privateer, near Heligo¬ 
land. Arriving up with the enemy 
at 3h. p.m., she was gallantly 
boarded ; and, after a struggle of 
ten minutes, her colours were 
hauled down. She proved to be 
the Eole, pierced for 14 guns, but 
having only six mounted, Avith a 
crew of 31 men. The British 
sustained a loss of two killed, 






NAVY. 


July 18. 


Lieut. Dixon and eleven men 
wounded. 

July 17. 

1707. Toulon bombarded.— 
An attempt was made upon Tou¬ 
lon by the combined English and 
Dutch forces, aided by the fleet 
under Sir Cloudesley Shovel. One 
hundred guns were landed from 
the different ships for the bat¬ 
teries, accompanied by a great 
number of men to serve in them. 
Sir Thomas Dilkes, with the fleet, 
bombarded the town, and the 
French sustained considerable 
loss ; eight of their largest ships 
were burnt, several magazines, 
and one hundred and thirty houses 
destroyed. 

1761. Capture of Achille. 
— The 74-gun ship Thunderer, 
Capt. Chas. Proby, having chased 
from a small squadron, cruising 
off Cadiz, came up with the French 
64-gun ship Achille, and com¬ 
menced a very sharp action, when 
one of the Thunderer’s quarter¬ 
deck guns burst, and blew up a 
part of the poop, killing and 
wounding many men, and set the 
ship on fire. By great exertion 
the danger was stayed; and the 
chase having been resumed, the 
Thunderer ran the enemy on 
board. Lieutenant Charles Leslie, 
at the head of 150 men, gallantly 
sprang upon her deck, and, after a 
sharp resistance, carried her. The 
Thunderer had 17 killed and 113 
wounded, but this loss was prin¬ 
cipally occasioned by the bursting 
of the gun. On the same day, 
the consort of the Achille, the 
Buff'on, 32 guns, was captured by 
the 32-gun frigate Thetis, Capt. 
John Moutray. 

July 18. 

1545. French Invasion de¬ 
feated. —The French armament 


527 


which menaced England in this 
year, consisted of 150 large ships 
and sixty vessels of a lesser size, 
besides galleys. King Henry, on 
learning of the approach of this 
formidable force, arrived at Ports¬ 
mouth to expedite the equipment 
of 100 sail of ships, then getting 
ready at that port. On the ap¬ 
pearance of the enemy off St. 
Helen’s, he ordered all the ships 
ready for sea to proceed to the 
attack. The Mary Bose, of 60 
guns, in passing through Spit- 
head, was, unfortunately, upset in 
a squall, and sunk. Sir George 
Carew and his ship’s company, 
except 35, perished. The loss of 
this ship was owing to the low¬ 
ness of her ports, which were not 
more than sixteen inches from 
the water. The whole force which 
the English had to oppose to the 
powerful fleet of the enemy did 
not exceed sixty ships; never¬ 
theless the French contented 
themselves with making a de¬ 
monstration, landing a few men 
on the Isle of Wight, and by 
attacking Brighton. The chief 
part of the fighting took place 
between the row-galleys of the 
French and some of the English 
ships, the Great Harry bearing 
the brunt. In this action the 
English had pinnaces, which were 
of great length and narrow, using 
both sails and oars. These at¬ 
tacked the French galleys with 
great success, and completely 
routed them. 

1692. The 50-gun ship St. 
Albans, Captain Bichard Fitz¬ 
patrick, in the English Channel, 
captured after a short engage¬ 
ment a French 36-gun frigate 
having on board, in addition to 
her proper complement, 200 sea¬ 
men and soldiers, of whom forty 
were killed or wounded. St. 
Albans, four killed and seven 
wounded. 







1 


528 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 21. 


July 19. 

1806. Blanche and Guer¬ 
riere.— Early in July, the Phoebe 
and Thames frigates, lying in 
Leith roads, were directed to 
proceed to the Shetland islands 
in search of three French frigates 
that had been doing much in¬ 
jury to the Greenland fisheries. 
Captain Thomas Lavie, in the 
38-gun frigate Blanche, was 
ordered to take the above-named 
ships under his orders; but the 
Thames and Phoebe, on arriving 
at the appointed rendezvous as¬ 
certaining that one of the French 
frigates had parted company, 
quitted the station. On the 13th 
of July the Blanche arrived at 
the rendezvous ; and Capt. Lavie, 
receiving information that a 
French frigate had been seen 
off the Faro islands, immediately 
proceeded in pursuit. On the 
18th, at lOh. 3m. a.m., a large 
ship was descried bearing north¬ 
east, which proved to be the 
French 40-gun frigate Guerriere, 
Capt. Hubert. At 3h. p.m., the 
stranger, discovering that the 
Blanche was not one of her com¬ 
panions, bore up under all sail. 
The Blanche gained rapidly in 
the pursuit, and at a little past 
midnight opened her fire, and 
poured two broadsides into her 
antagonist before the Guerriere 
returned a shot. A close action 
was maintained until lh. 30m. 
a.m. on the 19th, when the Guer¬ 
riere, having lost her mizen-top- 
mast, hauled down her colours. 
No one was killed on board the 
Blanche ; but Lieut. Bastin and 
three men were wounded. The 
loss of the Guerriere amounted 
to twenty-two men killed and 
thirty wounded. The two ships 
were nearly equal in point of 
guns; but the French crew was 
very sickly, and many men were 


unable to go to their quarters. 
The Guerriere was added to the 
British navy as a 38-gun frigate. 

—iHrtal. 

July 20. 

1814. Rear-Admiral George 
Cockburn, in command of a 
squadron lying in Chesapeake 
bay, on being joined by a batta¬ 
lion of marines and a detachment 
of artillery, determined to pro¬ 
ceed up the Potomac and at¬ 
tack St. Leonard’s, the capital of 
St. Mary’s County, where the 
36th United States regiment was 
quartered. On the 20th, the 
marines, commanded by Major 
George Lewis, disembarked, while 
the boats pulled to the town ; but 
the Americans, observing the ad¬ 
vance of the marines, quitted the 
place and suffered the British to 
take quiet possession. A quan¬ 
tity of military stores, as also of 
tobacco, flour, and provisions, 
were found here ; the former 
were destroyed ; but the latter, 
together with a schooner, were 
brought away. The town was, 
however, spared, not a musket 
having been fired; which was most 
probably owing to the orders pro¬ 
mulgated by the rear-admiral, 
namely, to refrain from all vio¬ 
lence or destruction, where none 
was offered by the inhabitants. 

July 21. 

1588. Arrival of the Ar¬ 
mada. — The Spanish Armada, 
consisting of 132 large ships, 
each carrying 448 tons burden, 
with numerous smaller vessels, 
mounting in all 3165 pieces of 
brass ordnance, carrying 21,855 
soldiers, 8776 mariners, and 2688 
galley slaves, commanded by the 
Duke of Medina Sidonia, sailed 
from the Tagus on 13th June ; 









J 


July 22. NAVY. 529 


and on the 19th July this for¬ 
midable armament appeared in 
the English Channel. The in¬ 
telligence reaching the lord high 
admiral, his lordship put to sea 
on the same day; and on the 20th 
the remainder of the fleet, amount¬ 
ing to fifty-four sail, stood off 
shore in search of the enemy, 
which were soon discovered in line 
abreast, near seven miles in ex¬ 
tent, steering up Channel. The 
lord high admiral, waiting for 
further reinforcement from Ply¬ 
mouth, did not attempt to arrest 
their progress ; but, being joined 
on the following day, the 21st, 
by many ships, increasing his 
force to one hundred sail, he at¬ 
tacked the enemy’s rear. Drake, 
Hawkins, and Forbisher also 
gallantly brought them to action, 
so effectually, that the Spanish 
fleet was thrown into great con¬ 
fusion. The English ships, al¬ 
though insignificant in point of 
size, possessed the advantages of 
being easily handled and sailing 
well : they therefore attacked 
their enemies wherever they ap¬ 
peared most vulnerable and in 
disorder. At length the British 
admiral thought fit to recall his 
ships, to await the junction of forty 
ships from Plymouth. During 
the night the wind increased, and 
several Spanish ships got foul of 
each other and were much da¬ 
maged. Among them a galleon, 
which, having lost her foremast 
and bowsprit, became a prize to 
Sir Francis Drake. The lord 
high admiral, having closely fol¬ 
lowed the Armada during the 
night, found himself with his im¬ 
mediate followers a long distance 
in advance of the body of the 
fleet. The further proceedings of 
the Armada are related under 
date of 23rd July. 

1812. Sealark and Yille de 
Caen. — The Sealark schooner, 


of 10-guns and 60 men, Lieut. 
Thomas Warrand, cruising off the 
Start, captured the French lugger 
Yille de Caen, 16 guns, 75 men. 
After a close action of one hour 
and 30 minutes, Mr. James Bea¬ 
ver, acting master, at the head of 
a few men, sprang on board, and 
in a few minutes carried the lug¬ 
ger. Sealark, 7 killed, Lieut. 
Warrand and 21 wounded. The 
Yille de Caen had her captain 
and 14 killed, and 16 wounded. 

— iHftral. 

July 22. 

1801. Capture op Chevrette. 

— On the 21st July, the boats of 
the Beaulieu, Doris, and Uranie 
frigates, and two of the 74-gun 
ship Kobust, under command 
of Lieut. W. Losack, of the 
Yille de Paris, numbering in all 
fifteen, and containing 280 men, 
at 9h. 30m. r. m. proceeded to 
the attack of the French 20-gun 
corvette Chevrette, moored under 
the batteries of Camaret, at the 
entrance of Brest harbour, having 
on board, including troops em¬ 
barked expressly for her defence, 
339 men. Soon after the boats 
put off, Lieut. Losack with five, 
separated in chase of a strange 
boat. The remainder having 
waited for some time, Lieut. 
Keith Maxwell determined to 
proceed with the boats then with 
him, which contained about 180 
officers and men. At 1 a. m. on 
the 22nd, the Chevrette opened a 
heavy discharge of grape and 
musketry, accompanied by vol¬ 
leys from the shore; but, nothing 
daunted, the British dashed gal¬ 
lantly on. The Beaulieu’s boats, 
under Lieuts. Maxwell and Pasley, 
and Lieutenant of Marines J. 
Sinclair, boarded on the starboard 
bow and quarter, the Uranie’s, 
under Lieut. M. Neville, one from 
the lloebuek, under Midshipman 


21 21 


















530 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 22 


R. Warren, and one from the 
Doris, under Lieut. Walter Burke, 
on the larboard bow. They were 
gallantly resisted by the enemy, 
who in their turn boarded the 
boats; but the assailants overcame 
this formidable opposition, and 
having gained a footing on the 
decks of the corvette, the topmen 
fought their way aloft, laying out 
on the yards, in spite of every 
means of obstruction having been 
taken. The French, perceiving 
then’ sails fall, and the ship under 
way, were seized with astonish¬ 
ment and consternation : some 
leaped overboard, whilst others 
threw away their arms and ran 
down the hatchways. The bat¬ 
teries continued to fire at the 
ship, but a light breeze from the 
north-east soon drove her out of 
range. About this time the divi¬ 
sion under Lieut. Losack arrived 
alongside the captured ship. 
This gallant exploit was perform¬ 
ed in the presence of the com¬ 
bined fleets of France and Spain, 
by an officer on his own judg¬ 
ment and responsibility, and 
whose intrepidity and presence 
of mind, seconded by the won¬ 
derful exertion of the officers and 
men under his command, suc¬ 
ceeded in effecting an enterprise 
which, by those who reflect upon 
its peculiar circumstances, will 
ever be regarded with admiration 
and astonishment. The loss on 
the part of the British amounted 
to one lieutenant of marines 
(James Sinclair , one midshipman 
(Robert Warren), 7 seamen, and 
two marines killed : two lieute¬ 
nants (Martin Neville and Walter 
Burke, the latter mortally), 
three midshipmen, (Edward Crof- 
ton, Edward Byrn, and Robert 
Finnis), 43 seamen, and nine 
marines wounded : total, 11 kill¬ 
ed, 57 wounded. The Chevrette 
had her captain, 6 officers, and 


85 men killed; 5 officers and 
57 wounded: total, 92 killed, 62 
wounded. — fHcttal. 

1805. Battle off Ferrol. — 
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Calder, 
with 15 sail of the line, consisting 
of the Prince of Wales, Glory, 
Barfleur, Windsor Castle, of 98 
guns, Malta, 80, Thunderer, Hero, 
Repulse, Defiance, Ajax, War¬ 
rior, Dragon,Triumph, of 74, Aga¬ 
memnon and Raisonable, of 64 
guns, when about 40 leagues 
NW. of Cape Finnisterre, in the 
morning fell in with the com¬ 
bined French and Spanish fleet, 
under Vice-Admiral Villeneuve, 
consisting of 20 sail of the line, 
seven frigates, and two brigs. At 
3h. 30m. p. m., the enemy having 
formed a close line of battle 
stood on, under easy sail. The 
British being at the time nearly 
abeam, about seven miles dis¬ 
tant ; but owing to the fog, nei¬ 
ther fleet was more than partially 
visible to each other. The signal 
to tack and engage the enemy was 
made at 3h. 20m., and at 3h. 30m. 
the Hero, the leading ship, hove 
in stays. At 4h. 21m., the signal 
was made to tack in succession; 
and it appears that the same sig¬ 
nal was made by each command¬ 
er-in-chief at the same time; 
but the weather was so thick, 
that neither fleet saw the com¬ 
mencement of the other’s ma¬ 
noeuvre. The Sirius frigate hav¬ 
ing made an attempt to cut oflf 
the galleon in tow of a frigate at 
the rear of the enemy’s line, in¬ 
duced the combined van to wear 
round to afford support; and this 
manoeuvre brought them in imme¬ 
diate contact with the British van 
at about 5h. 20m. p. m., when the 
Hero, on perceiving that the 
enemy had come round on the 
starboard tack, which the fog 
concealed from the ships in her 
wake, tacked and opened a fire 






NAVY. 


July 23 . 


from her starboad guns. Precisely 
at this moment, when the Hero 
tacked to starboard, the sixth 
British ship from the van, the 
Windsor Castle, tacked to port. 
By 6h. r. m., all the British ships 
except the Dragon, which was to 
leeward, working up, had gone 
round on the starboard tack, and 
found opponents; but what with the 
fog and the smoke, no ship could 
see much beyond her length. The 
San Rafael, 80, Firme and Esparia 
of 74-guns, having dropped to 
leeward, became warmly engaged. 
The Pluton, 74, gallantly bore up 
to support her consorts, but being 
powerfully opposed by the lead¬ 
ing British ships, she with some 
difficulty regained her station. 
Being, however, supported by the 
Mont Blanc and Atlas, the gal¬ 
lant Cosmao Kerjulien a second 
time interposed between his allies 
and the British, and in this in¬ 
stance succeeded in rescuing the 
Esparia. Soon after 8h. p. m., the 
Firme, with loss of main and 
mizen masts, and San Rafael, 
with main-topmast gone, surren¬ 
dered, and at 8h. 25m. Sir Robert 
Calder made the signal to discon¬ 
tinue the action; but the firing 
did not entirely cease until £h. 
30m. p. m. The loss on board the 
prizes amounted to about 600 
killed and wounded. The total 
loss of the British, 41 killed and 
162 wounded. 

July 23 . 

1588. Progress op the Ar¬ 
mada. — A second engagement 
took place between the British, 
under the lord high admiral 
and the Spanish Armada. The 
wind having changed to north¬ 
east, the Spanish fleet was under 
the necessity of bringing on an 
engagement, and at daybreak 
bore down upon the English, who 


531 


tacked to the westward. In a 
short time the action commenced. 
Confusion reigned triumphant; 
and it is probable that the En¬ 
glish were as much indebted to 
the shot of the Spaniards for their 
success, as to their own. The 
diminutive size of the English 
ships preserved them from injury, 
the shot of their lofty adversaries 
passing harmlessly over them. 
The wind blowing fresh with a 
heavy sea, increased the confusion 
of the Spaniards, whilst the active, 
well-handled ships of the English 
committed great devastation with 
comparative impunity; and suc¬ 
ceeded in capturing a large 
Venetian ship with some smaller 
vessels. Having nearly expended 
their ammunition, the lord high 
admiral, on the 24th, availed 
himself of the respite to bring 
his fleet into better order. He 
divided his ships into four squa¬ 
drons, himself commanding one 
in the Ai'k Roval, and commit- 
ting the other three to the charge 
of Sir Francis Drake in the 
Revenge, Sir John Hawkins in 
the Victory, and Capt. Martin 
Forbisher in the Triumph. On 
the 25th, the fight was renewed. 
The Armada had reached as far 
up Channel as the Isle of Wight, 
when Sir John Hawkins having 
captured the St. Anne, a Portu¬ 
guese galleon, three galleases ap¬ 
proached to her rescue; but these 
were at length beaten off with 
much loss, by the Ark Royal and 
Golden Lion. It was nearly calm 
when this action took place, both 
fleets looking on, but neither 
being able to take a part, with 
the exception of the two ships 
above named, which were towed 
by the galleys to the attack of the 
three Spaniards. It being deter¬ 
mined not to renew the action until 
the Armada reached the Straits 
of Dover, the Spaniards pursued 


31 M 2 













532 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 25. 


their course, followed distantly 
by the English. 

1796. Aimable and Pensee. 
— The 32-gun frigate Aimable, 
Capt. Jemmet Mainwaring, off 
Guadaloupe, was distantly en¬ 
gaged with the French 36-gun 
frigate Pensee ; but on the 23rd, 
at 8h. 35m. a. m., the frigates 
having closed, the two captains, 
in the true spirit of chivalry, ex¬ 
changed salutes with the hat, and 
in another five minutes the action 
commenced. In a short time the 
Pensee made sail, and a running 
fight continued, until lOh. a.m., 
when the Aimable, in spite of 
every effort, had fallen so far 
astern as to be out of gun-shot. 
The Aimable had only two men 
wounded ; but the Pensee is re¬ 
ported to have lost 90 in killed 
and wounded. 

July 24. 

1704. Reduction of Gibral¬ 
tar. —It being determined that 
an attack should be made upon 
Gibraltar, the combined English 
and Dutch fleets, under Adm. Sir 
George Rooke, crossed over from 
Tetuan, and on the 21st of July 
anchored in Gibraltar bay. On 
the same day the marines, English 
and Dutch, were landed on the 
isthmus to the northward of the 
rock, under the Prince of Hesse, 
who summoned the garrison to 
surrender without effect. Sir 
George Rooke then gave orders 
to commence the attack; and on 
the 22nd, Rear-Admiral George 
Byng, with the following 15 Bri¬ 
tish and six Dutch ships of the 
line got under way. 

Names. Guns. Commanders. 

Ranelagh, 80- Rear-Adm. Geo. Byng. 
Monmouth, 70 - Capt. John Baker. 
Suffolk, „ - ,, Robt. Kirktown. 

Essex, - „ - ,, John Hubbard. 

Grafton. „ - „ Sir Andr. Leake. 

Nottingham, „ - „ Sam. Whitaker. 

Montagu, „ - „ Wm. Cleveland. 


Names. Gans. Commanders. 

Kingston, 70 - Capt. Edward Acton. 

Nassau, „ - „ Francis Dove. 

Swiftsure, „ - ,, Robert Wynn. 

Berwick, „ - „ Robert Fairfax. 

Eagle, - „ - „ Lord Hamilton. 

Burford, ,, - „ Kerrit Roffey. 

Lennox, ,, - ,, Wm. Jumper. 

Yarmouth,,, . - „ Jasper Hicks. 

The wind proving unfavour¬ 
able, they were unable to arrive 
at their respective stations until 
the 23rd before daylight, when 
the ships, having anchored in the 
berths assigned to them, the 
cannonade commenced. 15,000 
shot were fired in less than six 
hours, and the enemy fairly 
driven from their guns, especially 
at the mole-head, which became 
the immediate object of attack. 
Captain Whitaker, with all the 
boats of the fleet, was sent to 
gain possession of that post. 
The landing was expeditiously 
effected by Captains Hicks and 
Jumper, who, being in the head¬ 
most boats, dashed alongside the 
battery and drove the Spaniards 
from their guns. The enemy, 
prepared for the assault, sprung 
a mine, which killed 40 and 
wounded 60 men. The whole 
party then attacked and carried 
a bastion half-way between the 
mole and the town. A second 
sufnmons was now sent to the 
governor, on which the garrison 
capitulated. Thus, on the 24th 
July, this fortress, hitherto con¬ 
sidered impregnable, fell into the 
hands of the besiegers, with no 
greater loss than two lieutenants, 
a master, and sixty men killed; 
one captain, seven lieutenants, a 
boatswain, and 216 men wounded. 

July 25. 

1666. Dutch defeated off 
the Foreland. — The Dutch 
fleet, under Adms. De Ruvter, 
Tromp, and Evertzen, attacked 
off the Foreland by the English 
fleet, of 89 ships of war and 18 






July 26. 


NAVY. 


533 


> 


fire-ships, Tinder Prince Rupert 
and the Duke of Albemarle. The 
action commenced by Sir Thomas 
Allen at noon, with the White 
squadron, engaging that of Evert- 
zen; and shortly after De Ruyter 
became engaged with the Red. 
The ships of Evertzen were put 
to flight, he himself, as well as 
Vice-Adm. De Vries and Rear- 
Adm. Coenders, being killed. De 
Ruyter’s squadron was so hardly 
pressed, that being deserted by 
most of his ships, he at length 
bore away to join his squadron 
to leeward. Tromp’s division was 
attacked with equal vigour, by 
Sir Jeremy Smith, with the Blue 
squadron. Rear-Adm. Houtuyn 
was killed, and the killed and 
wounded in Tromp’s squadron 
was upwards of 100. The Dutch 
sustained a complete defeat, and 
were pursued on to the Weilings. 
Of the Dutch force, which was 
equal to that of the English, 20 
ships were burnt or sunk, and 
4000 men killed and wounded. 

1803. Seventeen boats from the 
Princess Caroline and Minotaur, 
74s, 32-gun frigate Cerberus, and 
18-gun sloop Prometheus, led by 
Capt. T. Porrest, of the Prome¬ 
theus, in the night attacked four 
Russian gun-boats and an armed 
brig, lying at Eredericksham, near 
Apso roads, in the Gulf of Fin¬ 
land. After a desperate and san¬ 
guinary conflict, three of the gun¬ 
boats, mounting two long 18- 
pounders each, and having on 
board between them 137 men, 
also an armed transport, with 23 
men, were captured and brought 
off. The Russians defended them¬ 
selves with such determination 
that in one gun-boat 24 were 
killed, and the remaining 20 
wounded, before she surrendered. 
The British loss amounted to 19 
killed, Captain Forrest and 50 
wounded. — iHctral. 


1810. The 32-gun frigate 
Thames, Capt. Hon. G. G. Walde- 
grave, 18-gun brig, Weasel, Capt. 
Henry Prescott, and 18-gun brig 
Pilot, Capt. J. Toup Nicolas, at¬ 
tacked a French flotilla, under 
the town of Amanthea, consisting 
of seven gun-boats, two armed 
scampavias, having 32 transport 
vessels under convoy, with stores 
for Murat’s army at Scylla. The 
frigate and brigs, formed in line, 
closed with the enemy at two 
p.m. The boats, led by Capt. Pres¬ 
cott, then pushed off'; and by six 
p. m. the whole of the flotilla were 
either brought off or destroyed. 
British loss, one man killed and 
6 wounded. —j&rtral. 

July 26. 

1800. Capture of Ceebere. 
—Acting Lieut. Jeremiah Cogh- 
lan, commanding the Viper, 14- 
gun cutter, watching the harbour 
of L’Orient, with three boats, in 
the night, attacked the French 
gun-brig Cerbere, mounting three 
long 24-pounders and four long 
6-pounders, with a crew of 87 
men, lying moored in a naval 
port of difficult access, with 
springs on her cables, within 
pistol-shot of three batteries, and 
not a mile from a French ship of 
the line and two frigates. Regard¬ 
less of the aid of the other two 
boats, Mr. Coghlan, in the cutter, 
with 19 companions, boarded the 
brig on the quarter, and owing 
to the darkness of the night, 
he jumped into a trawl net, 
hung up to dry. In this help¬ 
less situation, he was pierced 
through the left thigh by a pike, 
several of his men were also 
wounded, and the whole forced 
back into their boat. Unchecked 
in ardour, these gallant fellows 
hauled their boat ahead, and 


mm3 












534 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


July 27. 


again boarded the brig. After 
an obstinate conflict, they were 
a second time repulsed. Never¬ 
theless, the assailants returned 
to the charge with courage un¬ 
abated, and, after killing six men 
and wounding 20, this gallant 
band carried the Cerbere. The 
loss of the British was one man 
killed and eight wounded, in¬ 
cluding Mr. Coghlan in two 
places, and Mr. Paddon in six. 
With the aid of the two other 
boats, the prize was towed out, 
under a heavy, but ineffectual 
fire from the batteries. — fficlsnl. 

1806. Capture of Pallas.— 
In the evening of 25th July, as 
the 32-gun frigate Greyhound, 
Capt. Edward Elphinstone, and 
18-gun brig Harrier, Captain 
Edward Thomas Troubridge, 
were cruising in the Java sea, 
they gave chase to the Dutch 36- 
gun frigate Pallas, the 14-gun 
ship-corvette William, and the 
armed Company’s ships Batavia 
and Vittoria. At daybreak on the 
26th, the enemy were discovered 
between the small ports of Bo- 
thean and Balacomba, in the 
straits of Salayer, formed in line 
of battle to receive the attack. 
At 5h. 30m. a. m., the Greyhound 
closed with the Pallas, whilst the 
Harrier engaged the Vittoria. 
After a spirited contest of 40 
minutes, the Greyhound compelled 
the Pallas to haul down her co¬ 
lours, and at 6h. 30m. the Harrier 
took possession of the Vittoria 
and the Batavia. The corvette, 
taking advantage of the disabled, 
state of the Harrier’s rigging, 
made sail and effected her escape. 
Out of 212, the Greyhound had 
only one man killed and eight 
wounded; whilst her opponent, 
the Pallas, out of 250 men, had 
eight killed, her captainfmortally) 
and 31 wounded. The Harrier, 
out of 110 men, had three wound¬ 


ed. The Vittoria had two killed. 
Batavia, two killed, a lieutenant 
and six wounded. 

July 27. 

1758. Capture of Prudent 
and Bienfaisant. — During the 
siege of Louisbourg by the Bri¬ 
tish force under Gen. Amherst, 
the operations were so retarded 
by the galling fire of the French 
74-gun ship Prudent and Bien¬ 
faisant, 64, lying in the harbour, 
that it was determined to attempt 
their capture. Accordingly, two 
boats from every ship, and the 
whole formed into two divisions, 
aided by the foggy darkness of 
the night, entered the harbour 
on the 26th July, unperceived 
either from the island batteiy or 
the ships. On being hailed, the 
division under Commander La- 
forey made for the Prudent, 
whilst Commander Balfour’s boats 
attacked the Bienfaisant: giving 
three cheers, the British boarded 
with their characteristic daring, 
and in a short time both ships were 
in possession of the assailants. 
The exulting cheers of the sea¬ 
men soon convinced the besieged 
of the truth of what had occurred, 
and immediately a heavy fire of 
shot, shell, and musketry was 
opened from the batteries. The 
Prudent, being fast aground, was 
set on fire, and Commander La- 
forey proceeded with his division 
to the Bienfaisant, which was 
carried off triumphantly amidst 
a tremendous cannonade. Both 
the leaders of this gallant enter¬ 
prise were promoted to post rank. 

1778. Iveppel and D’Orvil- 
liers. — On 27th July, the fleet 
of thirty sail of the line and six 
frigates, under Adm. the Hon. A. 
Iveppel, at llh. 45m. brought to 
action, off Ushant, the French 
fleet under Comte d’Orvilliers, 













NAVY. 




July 23. 


consisting of thirty ships of the 
line, one of 50 guns, and 13 fri¬ 
gates, as the fleets crossed on op¬ 
posite tacks. At lh. 30m. p. m., 
the French fleet, having passed 
along the British line, came to 
the wind on the starboard tack on 
the lee-beam of their opponents ; 
but, owing to some misunder¬ 
standing of Sir Hugh Palliser, 
who did not close with the di¬ 
vision of the commander-in-chief 
as they edged away in chase, the 
action was not renewed. The 
loss sustained by the British 
amounted to 133 killed and 373 
wounded; that of the French, 
163 killed, 519 wounded. 

1811. Attack of Bagosniza. 
—The boats of the 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Active, Capt. J. A. Gordon, 
were despatched under the com¬ 
mand of Lieut. William W. Hen¬ 
derson, and attacked a convoy of 
twenty-eight vessels anchored off 
the town of Bagosniza, on the 
coast of Dalmatia. The creek 
where the vessels were lying being 
very narrow at its entrance, and 
protected by three gun-boats and 
an armed force on each of the 
points, Lieut. Henderson, with 
the small-arm men and marines, 
landed to take possession of a 
hill that commanded the creek, 
leaving Lieut. Bobert Gibson to 
push for the gun-boats when a 
preconcerted signal was made. 
After dislodging the soldiers 
from their post, and making the 
signal for that officer to ad¬ 
vance, Lieut. Henderson descend¬ 
ed from the hill to support the 
boats, who gallantly boarded the 
gun-boats and took possession of 
the whole convoy. Eighteen 
vessels were brought out and ten 
destroyed, and this dashing en¬ 
terprise was accomplished with 
no greater loss than four men 
wounded. 


535 


July 23. 

1588. Defeat op the Ar¬ 
mada. — The Spanish Armada, 
pursued by the English, anchored 
off Calais on the 27th July, and 
the fleet under the lord high 
admiral, now amounting to 140 
sail, also brought up at no great 
distance from the enemy. During 
the night of the 28th, several fire¬ 
ships were sent in among the 
Spanish fleet, under Capts. Young 
and Browse. Their approach 
caused a universal panic, and, 
although no actual damage re¬ 
sulted, several of the Spanish 
ships, having put to sea and 
driven past Calais, were warmly 
attacked by the Bevenge, Victory, 
Nonpareil, Mary Bose, Dread¬ 
nought, and Swallow. A galleon 
was captured, the St. Philip 
driven on shore, and the whole 
fleet, in the various encounters, 
suffered so severely that they de¬ 
termined on retreating from the 
scene of their reverses. The poor 
remains of this once proud arma¬ 
ment reached the Spanish coast 
about the end of September, in 
a miserable plight, having lost 
ten ships on the coast of Ire¬ 
land; and altogether forty large 
ships had foundered, or had 
been captured or destroyed. The 
loss on the part of the English 
amounted to one small ship only, 
and about 100 men; while the 
loss to the Spaniards, according 
to several accounts, amounted to 
10,185 men. In reward for his 
devotion and skill, the lord high 
admiral was created Earl of 
Nottingham, and was made lord 
chief justice itinerant of all the 
forest south of the Trent. 

1806. Capture of Burn.— 
On 27th July, the 74-gun ship 
Mars, Captain Bobert Dudley 
Oliver, being the look-out ship of 
a squadron of five sail of the line. 


JI m 4 









536 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. July 23. 


under Commodore R. G. Keats, 
cruising to the westward of 
Ushant, at six p. m. discovered 
and chased the French 40-gun 
frigates Ilortense, Hermione, The¬ 
mis and Rhin. At daylight on 
the 28th, they were again seen to 
windward; but the Mars had lost 
sight of her own squadron. The 
French commodore, finding the 
Mars coming up fast with the 
sternmost frigate, made off, leav¬ 
ing that ship to her fate. At 
six p. m., the Mars, after a run of 
150 miles, having gained a po¬ 
sition on the frigate’s lee quarter, 
the Rhin hauled down her co¬ 
lours. 

July 29. 

1417. On the 29th of July, 
King Henry V. sailed from 
Portsmouth, with 1500 vessels, 
on his expedition to France, 
during which he made his tri¬ 
umphant entry into Paris, where 
his title of “ Regent and Heir of 
France ” was publicly admitted. 

1782. Capture of Amazone. 
— The 36-gun frigate Santa 
Margarita, Captain Elliot Salter, 
off the Chesapeake, captured the 
French 36-gun frigate Amazone, 
after a sharp action of one hour. 
Out of a crew of 301 men, the 
Amazone had her commander 
(the Vicomte de Montguiote) and 
70 killed, and 80 wounded; Santa 
Margarita, out of 255, five killed 
and 17 wounded. 

1811. Fort Marrack storm¬ 
ed. —Lieut. Edmund Lyons, of 
the 74-gun ship Minden, being 
detached with thirty-five officers 
and men, in the launch and cutter 
of that ship, on the coast of Ba¬ 
tavia, determined to make an 
attack on fort Marrack, situated 
on a promontory, and mounting 
fifty-four pieces of cannon, with a 
garrison of 180 men. At half¬ 


past midnight, as the moon was 
sinking into the horizon, the boats 
having been fired upon by the 
sentinels, Lieutenant Lyons im¬ 
mediately pushed ashore in a 
heavy surf, and was soon in pos¬ 
session of the lower battery; then 
leading on his gallant followers, 
he stormed and carried the upper 
battery. On reaching the summit 
of the hill, the sailors, after firing 
a volley on the troops drawn up 
to receive them, pushed forward 
with the bayonet, Lieut. Lyons 
calling out that he had 400 men, 
and would give no quarter. The 
Dutch, on hearing this, fled 
through the postern gateway at 
the rear of the fort. During the 
night, the enemy kept up a fire 
upon fort Marrack from a bat¬ 
tery in the rear, and a column 
was beaten back in an attempt to 
regain possession of it. Having 
spiked the guns, the British with¬ 
drew from the fort as the day 
dawned on the 30th. Mr. Wil¬ 
liam Langton, midshipman, and 
three men were wounded. — 
fHcfral. 

1813. The 38-gun frigate Ju- 
non, Captain Saunders, and the 
18-gun sloop Martin, Capt. H. F. 
Senhouse, were lying in Delaware 
bay, when the Martin, having 
been ordered inshore, grounded 
on a shoal about two and a half 
miles from the beach. The shal¬ 
lowness of the water preventing 
the Junon anchoring nearer to 
the sloop than a mile and three 
quarters, the American flotilla, 
consisting of two block-vessels, 
each mounting six long 18- 
pounders and 60 men, and eight 
gun-boats, having each a long 
32- and a 4-pounder on traversing 
carriages, with a crew of 35 men, 
took up an anchorage on the 
Martin’s inner beam, and kept up 
a smart cannonade until 2 p.m. 
Seven boats from the two ships 









NAVY. 


July 31. 


were then despatched, under the 
orders of Lieut. Philip Westphal, 
to cut off a gun-boat which had 
separated from the rest; and, in 
spite of a heavy cannonade, the 
object of the attack was quickly 
boarded and overpowered. The 
loss of the British in this spirited 
affair amounted to 3 men killed 
and 4 wounded. 

July 30. 

1810. During the night of the 
30th of July, the 18-gun brig 
Procris, Capt. Robert Maunsell, 
having anchored near the Indro- 
mayo river, on the coast of Ba¬ 
tavia, at daylight on the 31st 
discovered lying there six gun¬ 
boats, each armed with a long 
18-pounder aft, and a brass 32- 
pounder carronade forward, with 
a crew of 60 men, protecting a 
convoy of more than 40 prows. 
The brig immediately weighed, 
and ran in as close as the water 
would admit; but, finding she 
was not sufficiently near to make 
any impression by her fire, Capt. 
Maunsell, heading the party, 
attacked the enemy in his boats, in 
which were embarked a detach¬ 
ment of 40 soldiers that happened 
to be on board the brig. Al¬ 
though the British were opposed 
to a heavy fire of grape, five of 
the gun-boats were captured, the 
crews jumping overboard as 
soon as they had thrown their 
spears at the assailants ; and the 
sixth blew up. The only loss 
on the part of the British was 
Mr. William Randall, master’s 
mate, and ten men wounded. 

July 31. 

1718. Defeat of Spanish 
Fleet. —A Spanish force having 
been sent to attack Sicily, Adm. 
Sir George Byng was despatched 


537 


to the Mediterranean with twenty 
sail of the line, to prevent any 
attempt to violate the peace of 
Italy. On the 30th of July, be¬ 
ing to the northward of Messina, 
the admiral gained intelligence 
that induced him to sail through 
the Faro, and at noon got sight 
of a Spanish fleet of 26 ships of 
war (including 10 of the line), 
13 smaller vessels, and several 
transports, under Adm. A. Cas- 
taneta, which, upon seeing the 
British fleet, bore up under all 
sail in order of battle. On the 
morning of the 31st, finding that 
several of the enemy had tacked 
to get inshore, Capt. Walton, of 
the Canterbury, 70, with seven 
other ships, were detached in 
pursuit; whilst Sir George Byng 
attacked the main body about 
six leagues from Cape Passaro, 
which resulted in the capture of 
5 ships of the line, two of 50 
guns, and eight frigates and 
smaller vessels, and, by the squa¬ 
dron under Capt. Walton, of one 
ship of 60 guns, one of fifty, and 
nine smaller vessels, taken or 
destroyed. 

1793. Boston and Embus- 
cade.— The 12-pounder 32-gun 
frigate Boston, Captain G. W. A. 
Courtenay, cruising offNew York, 
having sent a proposal to Capt. 
J. B. Bompart, of the French 12- 
pounder 36-gun frigate Embus- 
cade, to come outside the Hook 
and try their strength, at daylight 
on the 31st the French frigate 
made herself known bv hoisting 

4/ O 

a signal of recognition. At 5h. 
45m. a.m., the Embuscade ranged 
up on the larboard and weather 
side of the Boston. Shortly after¬ 
wards the latter wore round, and 
both ships continued engaging 
until 7h. a.m. ; at which time the 
Boston, being so crippled as to 
be incapable of further defence, 
having her main-topmast, main- 







538 CALENDAR 


topsail, and mizen-topmast over 
the side, and her rigging and 
sails cut to pieces, put before the 
wind. She was pursued by the 
Embuscade, in very little better 
condition than her opponent; 
but at 8h. p.m. the French frigate 
brought to the wind, and was 
soon lost sight of. The loss of 
the Boston consisted of Captain 
Courtenay and 9 killed, and 24 
wounded. 

1801. Sylph axd Arte- 
mise. —In the evening, the 18- 
gun brig Sylph, Captain Charles 
Dashwood, cruising off Santan¬ 
der, north coast of Spain, dis¬ 
covered a frigate under the land 
advancing towards her. At llh. 
p.m., the brig opened her fire ; 
and a spirited cannonade was 
kept up for one hour and 20 mi¬ 
nutes, when the Sylph, being 
much disabled, edged away to 
repair damages. On the 1st of 
August, at daylight, the Sylph 
discovered her late opponent 
seven miles to windward, with 
her fore-yard upon deck. The 
brig made sail in chase ; but her 
mainmast being much disabled, 
and as she was then making a 
foot and a half water per hour, 
Capt. Dashwood felt it his duty 
to wear and stand to the north¬ 
ward. She had one man killed; 
one midshipman (L. Carey) and 
eight men wounded. 

1804. The 32-gun frigate Tar¬ 
tar, Capt. Keith Maxwell, having 
chased the French schooner 
Hirondelle, mounting 10 long 
4-pounders, in the passage be¬ 
tween Saoma and St. Domingo, 
where she anchored at lOh. a.m., 
three boats were immediatelv 

V 

despatched under the command 
of Lieutenant II. Mullah. The 
schooner was gallantly boarded, 
and, after a short and obstinate 
resistance, carried, with the loss 
of only two men wounded. The 


OF VICTORY. August 1. 


Hirondelle had 9 killed, 6 
wounded, and 3 missing. 

August 1. 

1798. Battle of the Nile. 
—A British fleet, under the com¬ 
mand of Rear-Adm. Sir Horatio 
Nelson, consisting of Goliath, 
Zealous, Orion, Audacious, The¬ 
seus, Vanguard, Minotaur, De¬ 
fence, Bellerophon, Majestic, Cul- 
loden, Alexander, and Swiftsure, 
of 74 guns, Leander, of 50, and 
Mutine brig, at sunset attacked 
the French fleet under Vice-Adm. 
Brueys, anchored in the bay of 
Aboukir, in the following order 
of battle :— Guerrier, 74, Con- 
querant, 74, Spartiate, 74, Aqui- 
lon, 74, Peuple Souverain, 74, 
Franklin, 80, Orient, 120, Ton- 
nant, 80, Heureux, 74, Mercure, 
74, Guillaume Tell, 80, Genereux, 
74, and Timoleon, 74, the line 
forming an obtuse angle, having 
its centre projecting towards the 
sea. Four frigates were in line 
within them, with bomb-vessels 
and gun-boats stationed on the 
flanks; and a battery was erected 
on Aboukir island. In rounding 
the shoal at the entrance of the 
bay, the Culloden, unfortunately, 
took the ground, and she re¬ 
mained fast until the next day. 
At about 6h. 30m., the Go¬ 
liath, after crossing the head of 
the French line, dropped her 
stern-anchor on the inner bow of 
the Guerrier, but it did not bring 
her up until she was abreast of 
the Conquerant. The Zealous 
following, brought up by the stern 
on the inner bow of the Guerrier. 
The Orion succeeding, passed the 
Goliath, intending to bring up 
abreast of the Aquilon, but the 
Serieuse frigate having presumed 
to fire, the Orion opened her 
starboard broadside so effectually 
that the frigate Avas dismasted, 






August 2. 


NAVY. 


539 


and sunk. The Orion then 
brought up head to wind, abreast 
of the Peuple Souverain. Mean¬ 
while the Theseus and Audacious 
anchored ; the former passed be¬ 
tween the Zealous and Goliath, 
and brought up by the stern abreast 
of the Spartiate, while the Auda¬ 
cious anchored outside the line, 
on the starboard bow of the Con- 
querant. The advantageous posi¬ 
tion of the leading ships arose from 
pure accident, and was entirely 
owing to the Goliath not bring¬ 
ing up in the situation assigned to 
her. The two succeeding ships 
availed themselves of the advan¬ 
tageous opportunity that pre¬ 
sented itself of doubling in upon 
the van of the enemy; and by thus 
bringing their whole force upon 
the van and centre, the British 
were enabled to subdue a consi¬ 
derable portion of their opponents 
and then fall upon the rear of the 
French line, which, until that 
moment, had been incapable of 
taking any part in the action. 
The Vanguard, bearing the flag 
of the rear-admiral, after receiv¬ 
ing the fire of the van ships, an¬ 
chored at 6h. 40m. p.m. on the 
starboard beam of the Spartiate, 
and the Minotaur shortly after¬ 
wards placing herself ahead of the 
Vanguard, brought up abreast of 
the Aquilon. At about 7 p.m., 
the Defence anchored on the 
starboard side of the Peuple 
Souverain. The Bellerophon, 
at about 7h. 10m. p.m., dropped 
her stern anchor abreast of the 
Orient; and soon afterwards the 
Majestic brought up abreast of 
the Tonnant, from whose heavy 
fire she suffered most severely, hav¬ 
ing her captain (G. B. Westcott) 
and 49 killed, and 143 wounded. 
The French van continued to de¬ 
fend themselves with great deter¬ 
mination, but the Conquerant, no 
longer able to contend against her 


three opponents, surrendered a 
little before 9h. p.m., her fore and 
mizen masts gone, and her main 
mast in a falling state. Of her 
principal opponents, the Goliath 
had 21 killed, and 41 wounded. 
The Guerrier, with all her masts 
gone, struck at 9 p.m.; and about 
the same time the Spartiate, after 
sustaining the fire of the Theseus, 
Vanguard, and Minotaur, and 
having lost all her masts, struck 
her colours. The Aquilon, being 
also overpowered, and reduced 
to the same dismasted state as 
her companions, surrendered at 
9h. 25m. p.m. One of her oppo¬ 
nents, the Minotaur, had 23 killed 
and 64 wounded. The Peuple 
Souverain having lost her fore 
and main masts by the close fire 
of the Defence and raking broad¬ 
sides of the Orion, parted her 
cable, and, dropping out of the 
line, reanchored abreast of the 
Orient. The Bellerophon, from 
being exposed to the formidable 
battery of the three-decker, lost 
her mizen, and then her main¬ 
mast; and at 8h. 20m. p.m., being 
totally disabled, she cut her stern- 
cable, and, setting her spritsail, 
had scarcely wore clear of her 
jDOwerful opponent, when the tot¬ 
tering foremast fell over her lar¬ 
board bow. In drifting along the 
rear of the French line, she re¬ 
ceived a broadside from the Ton¬ 
nant and some distant shots from 
the Heureux. Her loss amounted 
to 49 killed, 148 wounded. The 
Alexander and Swiftsure, owing 
to the shift of wind, were delayed 
in their endeavours to reach the 
scene of action. It was just as 
the Bellerophon had withdrawn 
from the' contest that the Swift- 
sure, at about 8h. 25m. p.m., 
brought up by the stern and 
opened a fire upon the Franklin 
and Orient, whilst the Leander 
kept under way in the vacant 









I-" 

540 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 2. 


space left by the Peuple Souverain 
• when she quitted the line, and 
raked the Franklin with impu¬ 
nity. Shortly afterwards the 
Alexander came up and passed 
through the opening which the 
Tonnant had left, on perceiving 
the fire break out on board the 
Orient, about 9 p.m. The flames 
rapidly spread, and at 10 p.m., 
this magnificent ship blew up 
with a tremendous explosion. The 
catastrophe was so impressive, that 
all firing ceased for several mi¬ 
nutes. Then the strife was re¬ 
newed, by the Franklin engaging 
the Defence and Swiftsure; but 
that gallantly fought ship did not 
surrender, although she was per¬ 
fectly dismasted. Just as day 
broke on the 2nd, the firing was 
renewed. The Atemise frigate 
caught fire and blew up. The 
Tonnant, after nobly defending 
herself, with her three masts over 
the side, Timoleon, Ileureux, and 
Mcrcure, had cut their cables and 
drifted ashore, whilst the Guil¬ 
laume Tell and Genereux, with 
the frigates Justice and Diane, 
got under way and effected their 
escape. The Tonnant and Timo¬ 
leon were lying ashore mere 
wrecks, with their colours flying, 
until the approach of the Theseus 
and Leander on the morning of 
the 3rd. Shortly afterwards the 
Timoleon, having been set on 
fire by her crew, exploded; and 
the Heureux and Mercure sur¬ 
rendered. Thus terminated this 
memorable battle, leaving in the 
hands of the British two ships of 
80, and seven of 74 guns, whilst 
onlv two of the line and two fri- 

V 

gates made their escape. The 
total loss of the British ahiounted 
to 218 killed, and 671 wounded. 

—jHcthib 

1808. The boats of 74-gun 
ship Kent and 16-gun brig 
Wizard, under Lieut. Wm. Cash- 


man, attacked a deeply laden 
convoy at anchor, under the pro¬ 
tection of a large gun-boat, off 
the town of Noli, in the Gulf of 
Genoa. The vessels were boarded, 
but being secured to the beach by 
chains from the mast-heads, it 
became necessary to land, and the 
boats had to pull to the shore ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire from several 
guns and from troops assembled 
on the beach. In spite of every 
obstacle, the gun-boat, mounting 
two heavy guns, with a crew of 45 
men, together with all the convoy, 
were captured, and the guns on 
shore destroyed, with no greater 
loss than one man killed and one 
wounded. 

August 2. 

1812. Boats of Horatio.— 
Three boats from the 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Horatio, under the orders of 
Lieut. A. M. Hawkins, at 8 a.m. 
attacked a Danish cutter, mount¬ 
ing four 6-pounders and 22 men, 
a schooner of six 6-poundcrs and 
30 men, lying with an American 
ship, their prize, in a cx*eek on the 
coast of Noiway. Although 
these vessels were moored in a 
very defensive position, with 
springs on their cables, fully pre¬ 
pared for the attack, they were 
gallantly boarded, and, after a san¬ 
guinary contest, taken possession 
of. The British lost in this affair 
Lieut. George Syder, of the 
marines, and8 men killed; Lieuts. 
Hawkins and T. J. P. Masters, 
assistant surgeon James Larans 
(mortally), the boatswain, Wm. 
Hughes, one midshipman (Thomas 
Fowler), and 11 men wounded. 

1813. Attack of Rovigno.— 
The Eagle, 74, Capt. Charles 
Rowley, and Bacchante frigate, 
Capt. W. Hoste, were sailing 
along the coast of Istria, in the 
evening, when 21 sail of vessels 
were discovered in the harbour of 







August ft. 


NAVY. 


541 


Rovigno. An attack having been 
determined on, the two ships 
stood in; and,having silenced the 
batteries, Capt. Hoste landed with 
a detachment of seamen and 
marines, drove the enemy out of 
the town, disabled the guns, and 
destroyed or brought out the 
whole of the vessels. This was 
accomplished with so small a loss 
as one man wounded. 

August 3. 

1801. Capture of Carrere. 
— The frigates Phoenix, Pomone, 
and Pearl, Capts. Lawrence, "YV. 
Halstead, Edward L. Gower, and 
Samuel Balland, cruising off the 
island of Elba, fell in with the 
French 40-gun, frigate Carrere, 
having under her charge a convoy 
laden with ordnance stores. The 
Pomone arrived up with the chase, 
and, after an action of ten mi¬ 
nutes, compelled the Carrere to 
surrender. The Pomone had 
two men killed; Lieut. Charles 
Douglas, of the marines, with the 
loss of a leg, and three seamen 
wounded. 

August ft. 

1798. Capture of Aven- 
turier. —Five boats from the 38- 
gun frigate Melpomene and 14- 
gun brig-sloop Childers, under 
the orders of Lieut. T. G. Short- 
land, at 3h. a.m. attacked the 
14-gun brig Aventurier, having 
a crew of 79 men, lying in the 
harbour of Corigiou, near the 
isle of Bas. She was gallantly 
boarded and carried, after a spi¬ 
rited defence. The loss on the 
part of the British was one man 
killed; Mr. Frost, midshipman, 
and three men wounded. The 
forts had just opened their fire 
upon the brig, when the wind 
veered round to the north-west, 
and blew a fresh gale directly 


into the narrow entrance to the 
harbour. After being exposed to 
a smart fire from the batteries for 
more than two hours, Lieut. Short- 
land, by great exertion, succeeded 
in bringing out his prize without 
further loss. For his gallant con¬ 
duct on this occasion, Lieut. Short- 
land was made commander. 

August 5. 

1781. Battle of the Dog- 
gerbank. —A gallantly contest¬ 
ed, although indecisive, battle was 
fought off the Doggerbank, on 
the 5th August. 

British 

(under Vice-Adm. Hyde Parker): 



1 

ship of 

80 guns 


2 

99 

74 „ 


1 

99 

64 „ 


1 

99 

60 „ 


1 

99 

50 „ 


1 

99 

44 „ 

Total, 

7 

ships, 

372 guns. 



Dutch 

(under 

Bear-Adm. Zoutm 


1 

ship of 

74 guns 


1 

99 

68 „ 


1 

99 

64 „ 


1 

99 

54 „ 


1 

99 

50 „ 


1 

99 

44 „ 

Total, 

6 

ships, 

354 guns. 


At daybreak, the Dutch squa¬ 
dron was discovered steering 
nearly the same course as the 
British, and likewise escorting a 
fleet of merchant ships. Vice- 
Aclm. Parker placing the convoy 
in charge of the Tartar frigate, 
with directions to proceed to 
England, at 6 a.m., having formed 
the British squadron in close or¬ 
der of battle, proceeded in chase. 
The Dutch, placing their convoy 
to leeward, hauled to the wind on 
the larboard tack. The morning 
was fine and clear, with a light 











I 


542 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 7. 


breeze of wind from NE., and 
the British, led by the Berwick, 
Avere soon bearing doAvn in good 
order to the attack. At 8h. a. m., 
having arrived within pistol-shot 
to windward, without the enemy’s 
having fired a shot, an action 
commenced, Avhich, for steadiness 
on both sides, has been but in few 
instances surpassed. Owing to 
some confusion among the British 
ships in taking their stations, 
occasioned in some measure by 
the damages sustained in the fall 
of spars at the commencement of 
the action, the ships Avere not 
equally matched. The battle had 
lasted three hours and a half, Avith 
great vigour on both sides, Avhen 
Vice-Adm. Parker haAung hauled 
down the signal to engage, the 
British ships hove to, and com¬ 
menced repairing damages. The 
Dutch suffered severely, and one 
ship, the Hollandia, 64, Avent 
down the same night: her flag, 
Avhich was kept flying, Avas taken 
aAvay by the Belle Poule, and 
carried to Adm. Parker. Their 
loss amounted to 142 killed, 403 
wounded. British loss, 109 killed, 
362 Avounded. After Vice-Adm. 
Parker discontinued the action, 
the Dutch admiral put before the 
wind Avith his shattered ships, and 
reached Holland. The Dutch 
claimed a victory, and published an 
exaggerated version of the affair. 

August 6. 

1805. On the 6th August, the 
74-gun ship Blenheim, Capt. Aus¬ 
tin Bissell, bearing the flag of 
Rear-Adm. Sir Thomas Trou- 
bridge, being in lat. 19° S., long. 
81° E., while convoying a fleet of 
homeward bound East India ships, 
gallantly repulsed the 74-gun 
ship Marengo, Rear-Adm. Linois, 
and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule. 


August 7. 

1758. Cherbourg attacked. 
—Commodore the Hon. Richard 
Howe, Avith tAventy-five ships of 
Avar, principally frigates, and 100 
sail of transports, sailed from 
Portsmouth on 1st August to 
attack Cherbourg, and on the 6th 
arrived off that port. Early in 
the morning of the 7th, the fleet 
moved to Marais bay, about tAvo 
leagues to the Avestward, Avhen 
the frigates and smaller A^essels 
anchored close to the shore, to 
cover the debarkation. The 
British troops in four divisions, 
directed by Captains Robert 
Duff, Joshua Rowley, Jervis 
Maplesdon, and William Paston, 
effected a landing in the after¬ 
noon Avith little opposition, or 
loss. The piers at the entrance 
of the harbour were destroyed, 
the batteries and magazines de¬ 
molished, and upwards of 200 
pieces of cannon brought atvay, 
or rendered useless. The army 
re-embarked in perfect order, 
having sustained no greater loss 
than 20 killed and 30 Avounded. 

1798. Espoir and Liguria.— 
The Espoir, of 14 guns, six- 
pounders, and 80 men, Captain 
Loftus OtAvay Bland, near Gi¬ 
braltar, with a convoy under her 
protection, fell in with the pirate 
ship Liguria, mounting 26 guns 
and four sivivels, Avith a creAv of 
120 men. Having closed, the 
Liguria at 7h. p. m. discharged 
her broadside, which the Espoir 
Avas not sIoav in returning; and a 
spirited action was maintained 
on both sides until lOh. 45m. 
The captain of the Liguria then 
hailed the Espoir not to fire 
again; but as he did not comply 
Avith the demand of Capt. Bland 
to lower his sails and come on 
board the brig, the Espoir re- 
netved the action, and Avas tacking 







NAVY. 


August 8. 


543 


to fire her other broadside, when 
the Liguria again hailed to say 
she had surrendered. The Liguria 
had three killed, her commander 
and 13 wounded. The Espoir 
lost her master, Mr. Solsby, 
killed, and six men wounded. 
Capt. Bland was very deservedly 
promoted to post rank for this 
gallant affair.— iHctiaL 

1807. The 38-gun frigate 
Hydra, Captain George Mundy, 
having chased a polacre and two 
brigs into the harbour of Begur, 
coast of Catalonia, the frigate 
anchored and opened a fire upon 
the battery and shipping, which 
was smartly returned for nearly 
an hour. 50 seamen and marines 
having, under Lieut. Edward 
O’Brien Drury, been despatched 
in the boats, though exposed to a 
heavy discharge of langdridge 
and musketry, mounted the cliff 
and attacked the fort with such 
intrepidity, that the enemy, after 
spiking the guns (four long 24- 
pounders), rushed out on one side 
as the assailants entered at the 
other. The marines, under Lieut. 
Robert Hayes, remained in pos¬ 
session of the heights, whilst the 
seamen, under Lieutenant Drury, 
attacked the town and boarded 
the vessels, which, by great ex¬ 
ertion, "were warped out of the 
harbour. The captured polacres 
were a ship of 16 guns and 130 
men, a brig of 12 guns and 40 
men, and another of four guns 
and 30 men. One man was 
killed and two wounded on hoard 
the Hydra, and Mr. II. H. God¬ 
dard, clerk, and four men wounded 
on shore. Lieut. Drury was pro¬ 
moted for his gallant services on 
this occasion. 

August 3. 

1796. Mermaid and Ven¬ 
geance. — The 32-gun frigate 


Mermaid, Capt. R. W. Otway, near 
Guadaloupe, at noon brought to 
action the Erench 40-gun frigate 
Vengeance, and both ships con¬ 
tinued engaging until four p. m., 
occasionally fired at by the bat¬ 
teries on shore. The Vengeance 
having the advantage of sailing, 
escaped into Basse-terre. The 
Mermaid had her fore-topgallant- 
mast shot away, and was much 
cut up in rigging and sails, but 
suffered no loss. The Vengeance 
is reported to have had 12 men 
killed and 26 wounded. 

1808. Boats of Porcupine. 
— The 22-gun ship Porcupine, 
Capt. Hon. Henry Duncan, having 
chased a polacre ship into a har¬ 
bour in the island of Planosa, 
near Elba, which was defended 
by a battery, in the evening des¬ 
patched three boats under com¬ 
mand of Lieut. Prancis Smith, to 
capture or destroy her. She was 
boarded without loss ; but a fort 
of 8 guns near which she lay 
moored, immediately opened a 
heavy fire of round and grape, to 
which was soon added the mus¬ 
ketry of French troops drawn up 
upon the beach. In spite of this 
opposition, the British brought 
out the polacre, which proved to 
be the Conception, mounting four 
guns. One seaman was killed, 
Lieut. James Renwick, of the 
marines, mortally, and seven men 
severely wounded. 

1813. Defeat of American 
Flotilla.— While the American 
flotilla, consisting of fourteen 
vessels, mounting altogether 114 
guns, commanded by Commodore 
Chauncey, lay at anchor off Nia¬ 
gara, on Lake Ontario, the British 
squadron, under Sir James Yeo, 
of six sail, mounting 92 guns, 
hove in sight. The American 
squadron weighed and stood out 
in line of battle. Light winds 
prevented Sir James Yeo from 













544 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 10. 


closing during the day, and in 
the night a heavy squall came 
on, which upset two American 
schooners. On the 9th the 
squadrons manoeuvred in sight 
of each other. On the 10th, in the 
evening, a fine breeze springing 
up, the squadron of Sir James 
Yeo bore up to the attack; but on 
their approach, the Americans 
stood away under all sail for 
Niagara, leaving the schooners 
Julia and Growler, each armed 
with a long 24-pounder on a 
pivot, and manned by 40 men, 
to be captured by the British. 
Sir James Yeo, with his prizes, 
returned to Kingston. 

August 9. 

1666. Attack of Schelling. 
— Sir Robert Holmes, with a 
number of fire-ships, destroyed 
two Dutch ships of war and 160 
merchantmen anchored at Schel¬ 
ling. The English landed and 
plundered the island. 

1781. Iris and Trumbull.— 
The 32-gun frigate Iris, Captain 
George Dawson, on the coast of 
North America, captured the 
American 32-gun frigate Trum¬ 
bull, after an action of one hour, 
with loss of four killed, ten 
wounded. Iris, one killed, six 
wounded. 

1799. The Speedy, 14-gun 
brig (four-pounders), with 80 men, 
Capt. Jaheel Brenton, and 14- 
gun brig-privateer Defender, of 
Gibraltar, chased three Spanish 
armed vessels; one of four six- 
pounders, another of six, and the 
third of eight six-pounders, into 
a sandy bay to the eastward of 
Cape de Gatt, where they moored 
themselves in line, close to the 
beach. The two brigs then opened 
their fire. In a short time the 
Speedy anchored within pistol- 
shot, whilst the Defender stood 


j out to meet one of her boats in 
the offing. After a sharp can¬ 
nonade of three-quarters of an 
hour, the Spanish crews took to 
their boats, having first cut the 
cables of the two vessels, which 
drifted ashore. They were never- 
thelesss all brought out by the 
Speedy’s boats, under a heavy 
fire of musketry from the hills. 
The British had only three men 
wounded. 

August IQ. (New Style.) 

1653. Defeat of Van Tromp. 
— The Dutch fleet, commanded 
by Van Tromp, having been re¬ 
inforced by the division under 
De Witte, amounting to 180 mcn- 
of-war and fire~ships, and 25 
armed merchant ships, bore dowm 
upon the English fleet under 
Monk, Penn, Lawson, and Jor¬ 
don, whose force amounted to 
120 ships, carrying 4000 guns 
and 17,000 men, and attacked 
them with great fury. The battle 
was warmly contested on botli 
sides, and some ships caught fire 
and exploded. The English, with 
incredible valour, sustained all 
the efforts of their gallant oppo¬ 
nents, who continued the fight 
with the most determined vigour, 
until Van Tromp, in endeavour¬ 
ing to grapple with the English 
admiral, was killed by a musket- 
ball. This disaster spread such 
dismay among the Dutch, that 
they hauled their wind, pursued 
by the victorious fleet as far as 
the Texel. The loss of the Dutch 
amounted to 1200 killed, 1500 
drowned, 2500 wounded; 26 men- 
of-war were sunk or burnt, and 
1000 men were made prisoners. 

1780. Flora and Nymphe.—• 
The 18-pounder 36-gun frigate 
Flora, mounting 42 guns, 259 
men, Capt. William Peere Wil¬ 
liams, off Ushant, captured the 
French 12-pounder 36-gun fri- 






I 


August 11. NAVY. 545 


gate Nymphe, mounting 38 guns, 
291 men. After the action had 
been kept up with great spirit for 
upwards of an hour, during which 
the enemy made several attempts 
to board, the British crew, headed 
by Lieutenant E. Thornborough, 
boarded the Nymphe, and after 
a short struggle carried her. She 
had 63 killed, including her cap¬ 
tain, Le Chevalier du Romain, 
and 68 wounded. Elora, 9 killed, 
17 wounded. 

1797. Capture of Gaiete.— 
At daylight, the 38-gun frigate 
Arethusa, Capt. Thomas Wolley, 
in lat. 30° 49' N., long. 55° 5(/ 
W., captured the Gaiete, ship- 
corvette of 20 long 8-pounders, 
after a gallant defence of 30 mi¬ 
nutes, with a loss of two men 
killed and eight wounded. The 
Arethusa had one man killed and 
three wounded. 

1801. The French lugger 
Eveille, mounting two long 4- 
pounders and four large swivels, 
captured in Quiberon bay by 
boats of Unicorn, 32, under Lieut. 
Francis Smith. 

1805. PlICENIX AND DlDON.— 
The 36-gun frigate Phoenix, Capt. 
Thomas Baker, mounting 42 guns, 
cruising in lat. 43° 16' N., long. 
12 ° 14' W., with the wind NE. by 
E., discovered the French 18- 
pounder 40-gun frigate Didon, 
Capt. Milius. The Phoenix imme¬ 
diately bore up in chase, whilst 
the Didon hove to and awaited 
the attack, and, at 8h. 45m. a.m., 
opened a smart fire. As the Bri¬ 
tish frigate steered a course to 
pass astern of her opponent, the 
Didon wore, and, coming round 
on the opposite tack, discharged 
her broadside. The manoeuvre 
having been repeated three times, 
the Phoenix, annoyed at being 
so foiled, ran right at her op¬ 
ponent to windward. At 9h. 
15m. a. 3i., the two frigates, stand¬ 


ing on the larboard tack, brought 
their broadsides mutually to bear 
within pistol-shot. The Phoenix 
having forged ahead, the Didon 
bore up, and, passing athwart the 
stern of the British frigate, raked 
her. She then hauled up again 
on the starboard tack, and en¬ 
deavoured to bestow her star¬ 
board broadside in a similar 
manner; but the Phoenix, prompt¬ 
ly throwing her sails aback, de¬ 
feated the attempt. This manoeu¬ 
vre brought the Didon with her 
larboard bow pressing against the 
starboard quarter of the Phoenix, 
the two frigates lying in nearly 
a parallel direction. Both ships 
prepared to board; but the im¬ 
mense superiority of numbers on 
board the French ship made it 
necessary for the Phoenix to de¬ 
fend her own decks. Having 
repulsed the boarders, the Phoe¬ 
nix brought a gun to bear out of 
the cabin window with visible 
effect. The Didon forged ahead, 
and a mutual cannonade was 
maintained until the latter passed 
out of gun-shot, with her main- 
topmast gone, and foremast tot¬ 
tering, which fell over the bows 
about noon. The Phoenix, hav¬ 
ing refitted her rigging, took a 
position on her opponent’s weather 
bow, and was about to resume 
the action, when the Didon, at 1 
15 minutes past noon, hauled 
down her colours. Out of 260 
men, the Phoenix had her second 
lieutenant (John Bounton) and 11 
killed, and 28 wounded ; the Di¬ 
don, 27 killed and 44 wounded, 
out of crew of 330.—JHflfaL 

August 11. 

1415. Invasion of France.— 
Two years after Henry Y. as¬ 
cended the throne, in asserting 
the English claim to the French 
I crown, he assembled a flotilla of 


N N 














546 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 12. 


1400 vessels, carrying 24,000 
archers and 600 men-at-arms, at 
the head of which Henry entered 
the Seine on 10th August. 

1673. Action with Dutch 
Fleet. —The Dutch fleet of 100 
sail, under De Ruyter and Banc- 
quert, bore down to attack the 
combined fleet under Prince Ru¬ 
pert, consisting of 60 English 
and 30 French ships, commanded 
by the Comte d’Estrees. The 
latter, which had previously been 
distributed among the English 
ships, were on this occasion in a 
separate squadron, and, at the 
first onset, they made sail away, 
leaving the English to fight the 
battle alone. Thus deserted, the 
English admiral found it ad¬ 
visable to retreat towards his 
own shores ; a running fight en¬ 
sued, in which Tromp and 
Spragge, as before, singled out 
each other’s ships. After three 
hours’ fighting, Spragge found 
the Royal Prince so disabled that 
he removed his flag into the St. 
George. Tromp also changed 
his flag from the Golden Lion to 
the Comet, and these ships re¬ 
newed the action, until the St. 
George lost her mainmast, when 
Spragge having embarked to go 
on board the Royal Charles, the 
boat was sunk by a shot, and 
he was drowned close alongside 
that ship. The fight continued 
all night, when the Dutch hauled 
off towards their own coast. 

1747. At 6h. p.m., the 10-gun 
sloop Viper, Lieut. Robert Hay, 
off Ushant, brought to action the 
French South-sea ship Hector, 
of 28 guns and 60 men. Lieut. 
Hay was killed at 6h. 30m., and 
Lieut. John Lendrick, assuming 
the command, continued the en¬ 
gagement until 8h. p. M., when he 
laid the enemy alongside; and 
short!v afterwards the Hector 
surrendered, having 10 men 


killed and 16 wounded. The 
Viper had her commander and 
4 killed, and 8 wounded. The 
prize had on board 7000/. freight. 

1808. Capture of Sylphe.— 
The 18-gun ship-sloop Comet, 
Capt. C. F. Daly, in the bay of 
Biscay, discovered three vessels, 
which proved to be the French 
18-gun ship-corvette Diligente, 
with 16-gun brigs Espiegle and 
Sylphe. The ship having out¬ 
sailed the brigs, Capt. Daly re¬ 
solved to attack them. At 5h. 
20 m. p. m., the Comet arriving 
within pistol-shot of the Sylphe, 
opened her fire, and, at the 
expiration of 20 minutes, the 
French brig hauled down her 
colours, having, out of 98 men, 
six killed and five wounded. In 
this very gallant affair on the 
part of Captain Daly, the Comet 
had not a man hurt. —iUrtfiTal. 

August 12. 

1762. Reduction of the 
Havannail— The Havannah and 
its dependencies surrendered to 
the fleet under Adm. Sir George 
Pocock, consisting of 22 sail of 
the line, four of 50 guns, ten fri¬ 
gates, and 17 smaller vessels, 
with an army of 16,000 men un¬ 
der the Earl of Albemarle. 

1798. Hazard and Neptune. 
—In lat. 46° 12' N., long. 18° 
23' W., the 18-gun sloop Hazard, 
Capt. William Butterfield, at 4 
p.m. arrived within gun-shot of 
the French 20-gun ship Neptune, 
mounting 10 guns, having a 
crew of 53 men and 270 soldiers. 
An action immediately com¬ 
menced, and the enemy made 
several attempts to board, which 
were repulsed with great loss. 
After a defence of an hour and 
50 minutes, the Neptune hauled 
down her colonrs. The Hazard 
had only six men wounded. 






NAVY. 


August 13. 


1799. The Crash gun-brig (re¬ 
cently retaken) and a captured 
schuyt, accompanied by the boats 
of the squadron of Capt. Sothe- 
ron, were despatched, under the 
command of Lieut. James Slade, 
of the Latona, to attack the 
Dutch 6-gun schooner Vengeance 
and a large row-boat, moored 
under a battery upon the island of 
Schiermonikoog, near Groningen. 
The enemy were driven from the 
battery, the guns either brought off 
or spiked; and the Vengeance, 
having been set on fire, blew up. 

1814. In the night, com¬ 
mander Alexander Dobbs, of the 
Charwell, 18, stationed in the 
Niagara river, proceeded to effect 
the destruction of the enemy’s 
schooners attached to fort Erie. 
Having had his gig transported 
from Queenstown to French¬ 
man’s creek, a distance of twenty 
miles, Capt. Dobbs, by the aid of 
some Canadian militia, succeeded 
in conveying five bateaux a dis¬ 
tance of 8 miles to lake Erie. 
The British, amounting to 75 
persons, carried two of the 
schooners, the Ohio and Somers, 
sword in hand, with the loss of 
Lient. C. Radcliffe, and one sea¬ 
man killed, and 4 wounded. The 
Americans, one killed, 7 wounded. 
The third schooner, having cut her 
cable, drifted among the rapids. 

August 13. 

1704. Battle or Malaga.— 
The French fleet under Admiral 
Le Comte de Toulouse, consist¬ 
ing of 50 sail of the line, carrying 
3543 guns and 24,155 men, and 
eight frigates, carrying 149 guns 
and 1025 men, after a tedious 
pursuit, was brought to action 
on Sunday the 13th August, off 
Malaga, by the combined British 
and Dutch fleets, under Admiral 
Sir George Rooke, consisting of 


547 


41 English and 12 Dutch ships 
of the line, and six frigates, car¬ 
rying 3700 guns and 23,200 men, 
under Vice-Admiral Callemberg. 
The confederates bore down with 
the intention of cutting through 
the enemy’s line and engaging 
to leeward ; but, on their arrival 
within half gun-shot, the French 
fleet filled and edged awav. 
Shovel’s division was gallantly 
led by Vice-Admiral Sir John 
Leake, and the action continued 
until 2 p.m., when several En¬ 
glish ships were compelled to 
discontinue engaging for want of 
ammunition. The Monk was 
thrice attempted to be boarded 
by a ship of 70 guns; but each 
time the assailants were repulsed 
with great slaughter. The con¬ 
test throughout was vigorously 
maintained ; and had it not been 
for the reluctance of the French 
admiral to come to close action, 
it is probable that more than one 
trophy would have been gained 
by the allies. The Dutch be¬ 
haved with their accustomed va¬ 
lour, and did not give over the 
pursuit until night. On board 
the English fleet, Capts. Andrew 
Leake of the Grafton, John Cow 
of the Ranelagh, and 687 men 
were killed ; Capts. Myng, Baker, 
and Jumper, and 1632 wounded. 
The Dutch lost one captain and 
400 men, killed and wounded. 
The loss of the French is stated 
to have been more than 1600. 

1780'. Comte d'Artois cap¬ 
tured. — The 64-gun ship Bien- 
faisant, Captain John Macbride, 
and Charon, 44, Captain John 
Symonds, being off the Old Head 
of Kinsale, chased, and at 7h. 
30m. A. m. brought to action, the 
French 64-gun privateer Comte 
d’Artois, commanded by the 
Chevalier Clonard, lieutenant de 
vaisseau, having a crew of 640 
men; and, after a gallant defence, 


N N 2 







548 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 14. 


which lasted until 9h. a. m., com¬ 
pelled her to haul down her co¬ 
lours, having 21 killed and 35 
wounded. The Bienfaisant had 
three killed and 22 wounded ; 
the Charon, one man wounded. 

1810. Capture or the Isle 
de la Passe. — At 8 p. m., three 
boats of the 36-gun frigate Sirius, 
and two from the 36-gun frigate 
Iphigenia, containing seventy-one 
officers and men, under the com¬ 
mand of Lieut. George R. Nor¬ 
man, assisted by Lieut. H. D. 
Chads and John Watling, and 
Lieuts. of Marines James Cottell 
and William Bate, were des¬ 
patched to attempt the capture of 
Isle de la Passe, having a garrison 
of 2 officers and 80 men, at the 
entrance of port Sud-Est, Isle of 
France. The batteries mounted 
19 pieces of ordnance, including 
three 13-inch mortars and two 
howitzers. The principal landing- 
place, which w r as on the N. side of 
the island, was defended by a che- 
vaux-de-frise and two howitzers. 
The two boats of the Iphigenia, 
under Lieut. Chads, separating, 
made for a different part of the 
island, where they landed without 
opposition. As those of the Sirius 
reached the third battery, the 
enemy opened a fire which killed 
and wounded several men. Ar¬ 
riving at the landing place, Lieuts. 
Norman and Watling attempted 
to scale the works, but were 
beaten back, and at the same 
time Norman was shot through 
the heart. Lieut. Watling, never¬ 
theless, made another attempt, 
and, after a desperate struggle, 
gained possession of the fort. 
Lieut. Chads now arrived with 
his detachment, and, he being 
the senior officer, assumed the 
command. The British loss, 
which was confined to the party 
under Lieut. Watling, amounted 
to five killed and twelve wounded. 


August 14. 

1761. Bellona and Coura- 
geux. — In the evening of the 
13th August, the 74-gun ship 
Bellona, Capt. Robert Faulkner 
and 36-gun frigate Brilliant, 
Capt. James Loggie, being off 
Vigo, chased three large ships ; 
and on the morning of the 14th, 
the strangers, which were the 
French 74-gun ship Courageux 
and 36-gun frigates Hermione 
and Malicieuse, stood towards 
the British. The two frigates 
having closed with the Brilliant, 
commenced the action at 6h. 25m. 
p. m., and so vigorously were the 
guns of the Brilliant plied that 
the enemy’s frigates hauled off to 
repair damages. Meanwhile, the 
furious contest within musket- 
shot was maintained between the 
Bellona and Courageux ; and the 
water being smooth, few shots 
were wasted. The mizen-mast 
of the Bellona having been shot 
away soon after the engagement 
commenced, Capt. Faulkner de¬ 
termined to lay his antagonist on 
board; and as the Bellona wore 
round, she fell alongside, the star¬ 
board quarter of the Courageux 
striking the beam of the British 
ship, whose larboard guns were 
discharged with such destructive 
effect into the stern and quarter 
of the enemy, that in twenty 
minutes she hauled down her 
colours. The two frigates crowded 
sail and escaped. The Coura¬ 
geux, out of 700 men, had 200 
killed, Capt. M. L’Ambert (mor¬ 
tally) and 110 wounded. The 
Bellona had 6 men killed, 25 
wounded ; Brilliant, 6 killed, 16 
wounded. 

1781. The 14-gun brig Cameleon, 
Commander Thomas Drury, being 
off the Texel, chased a large 
Dutch lugger, mounting eighteen 
6-pounders, and after engaging a 






NAVY. 


> 


August 15. 


549 


quarter of an hour, the lugger 
blew up. Commander Drury and 
eleven men were wounded, and the 
Camcleon damaged by fire. 

1807. Comus and Frederick¬ 
scoarn— Oil the night of the 
12th, the Danish 32-gun frigate 
Frederickscoarn, mounting 32 
long 12- and 6-pounders, lying in 
Elsineur roads, slipped her cable 
and steered for Norway; upon 
which the 22-gun ship Comus, 
mounting 22 long 9-pounders, 
eight 24-pounder carronades, and 
two long nines, Capt. Edmund 
Heywood, was directed in pur¬ 
suit. About midnight, on the 
14th, Capt. Heywood hailed the 
Frederickscoarn, and requested her 
captain to heave to. This being 
refused, the Comus bore up, and 
passing under the stern of her 
opponent within pistol-shot, the 
action continued 45 minutes, when 
the Frederickscoarn fell on board 
her opponent. Lieuts. George Ed¬ 
ward Wates and Hood Knight, 
gallantly heading the assailants, 
sprang onboard, and, after a slight 
resistance, the Danish frigate was 
carried. Her loss, out of a crew 
of 206 men, amounted to 12 
killed, and 20 wounded. Out of 
a crew of 145 men, the Comus 
had only one man wounded. 

1813. Pelican and Argus.— 
The 18-gun brig Pelican, Capt. 
Fordyce Maples, on the coast of 
Ireland, at 4h. 30m., a. m. bore 
down upon the United States 
20-gun brig Argus, Capt. W. H. 
Allen, which at 6h. wore, and 
fired her larboard broadside with¬ 
in grape-shot distance. The Peli¬ 
can discharged her starboard 
guns, by which Capt. Allen was 
severely wounded, and then bore 
up to rake her antagonist; but 
the latter frustrated the manoeuvre 
by throwing all aback. At 6h. 
18m., the Pelican, after raking the 
Argus, ranged up on her starboard 


quarter ; and, after a short time, 
the two brigs having fallen foul, 
Mr. William Young, master’s mate, 
heading the boarders, sprang on 
the forecastle of the Argus ; and 
although this gallant officer at 
that moment received a mortal 
wound, his daring followers soon 
gained complete possession of the 
enemy’s brig. The loss of the 
Pelican amounted to Mr. Young 
and one seaman killed, and 5 
wounded, out of a crew of 101. 
The Argus, of 122, had six killed, 
her commander (mortally) and 17 
wounded.—jHctlal. 

August 15. 

1416. French defeated by 
Duke of Bedford. — Harfleur 
being closely besieged by the 
French, an English fleet under 
the Duke of Bedford was assem¬ 
bled for its relief, and Sir Walter 
Hungerford was appointed admi¬ 
ral. On the 15th August, this fleet, 
amounting to 400 sail, being off' 
the Seine, had a desperate en¬ 
gagement with a number of large 
Genoese carracks, hired by the 
French. After the action had 
lasted five hours, the French were 
defeated, with the loss of 1500 
men; and three great carracks 
with many smaller vessels were 
captured. 

1797. The six-gun schooner 
Alexandrian (tender to the flag¬ 
ship at Martinique), Lieut. W. H. 
Senhouse, being on a cruise, cap¬ 
tured the French privateer-schoo¬ 
ner Coq, of six guns and thirty- 
four men, after a spirited action. 

1809. Attack of Riviere 
Noire. — The boats of 18-gun 
sloop Otter, led by Capt. N. J. 
Willoughby, at midnight on the 
14th August, proceeded to the at¬ 
tack of three vessels anchored 
under the powerful batteries of 
Riviere Noire, Isle of France. 


N N 3 






550 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 16. 


Having reached a lugger unper¬ 
ceived, and that vessel being quick¬ 
ly secured, the boats, under Lieut. 
J. Burns, after a short struggle, 
boarded and carried a brig, al¬ 
though defended by a party of 
soldiers. Capt. Willoughby, who 
in the gig had in the meantime 
made an unsuccessful search for 
the gun-boat, discovering that the 
brig was secured to the shore by 
a chain fast to the keel, ordered 
her to be destroyed ; but learn¬ 
ing that some of the crew were 
below badly wounded, the prize 
was abandoned. The three boats 
then taking the lugger in tow, 
carried her off, under a heavy 
fire from the batteries. In this 
daring exploit, no gi'eater loss was 
sustained than one man killed and 
another wounded. 

August 16. 

1652. Ayscue and De Rut¬ 
ter. — Vice-Admiral Sir George 
Ayscue being off Plymouth with 
thirty-eight sail, for the protec¬ 
tion of the English trade, fell in 
with Admiral de Ruyter, who, 
with a Dutch fleet of equal force, 
was convoying about fifty out¬ 
ward-bound merchant ships down 
the Channel. De Ruyter, taking 
twenty merchant ships into his 
own fleet, bore down upon the 
English in line abreast. The 
English vice-admiral, with nine 
of his headmost ships, passed 
between the Dutch, and en¬ 
gaged them with much vigour; 
and the fight lasted from 4h. p. m. 
until dark. Being ill supported 
by many of his squadron. Sir 
George Ayscue was unable to 
capture any of the Dutch ships ; 
but two were sunk. 

1697. Harlow and De Poin- 
tis. —Commodore Thomas Har¬ 
low, cruising in the Bay with the 
80-gun ships Torbay and Devon¬ 
shire, 70-gun ship Restoration, 


and 64-gun ship Defiance, had 
an action with a French squadron 
of five sail of the line, under M. 
De Pointis. After engaging a 
short time, the enemy made sail 
away, pursued by the English, 
who renewed the fight on the 
16th, when the French, having 
the advantage of sailing, again 
hauled off. In the two partial 
actions, the Torbay had one man 
killed and five wounded; the 
Restoration, six killed and 14 
wounded ; Devonshire, 11 killed 
and 11 wounded ; and the Defi¬ 
ance, 16 wounded. 

1854. Reduction of Bomar- 
sund. — An expedition, consist¬ 
ing of the combined English and 
French squadrons, conveying 
11,000 troops, early in August 
proceeded to effect the reduction 
of the Aland islands in the gulf 
of Bothnia. The principal object 
of attack being the forts of Bo- 
marsund, the French army ef¬ 
fected a landing, and having made 
the necessary approaches, bat¬ 
teries were erected in suitable 
positions. The fortifications of 
Bomarsund lay on the eastern 
point of the largest of the Aland 
islands. The principal fortress 
stood at the head of a semicir¬ 
cular bay, armed with about 
eighty cannon in two tiers. At 
the back or northern side of the 
fort, the land rose considerably, 
and the defence on that part 
consisted of three round towers, 
—one on the highest ground to 
the west, a second in the centre, 
and a third to the east. A fourth 
work had been erected on the 
island of Presto, east of the for¬ 
tress, and a mud battery thrown 
up on the beach to the west. 
Across the bay, running east and 
west, lay such of the ships as 
could make their way through 
the narrow, shallow, and intricate 
passages leading from Ledsund to 












NAVY. 


August 17. 


Boraarsund. As the western tower 
commanded the main fort on the 
shore, it was determined to land 
the main body on that side, while 
the English and French marines, 
with some sailors, were landed 
on the shore north of the forts. 
The mud battery on the west, 
however, stood in the way, but 
half an hour’s firing from the 
Amphion and Phlegethon de¬ 
stroyed it. The woods near the 
point of embarkation being clear¬ 
ed by the fire of the Edinburgh, 
on the 8th August, in three 
hours and a half, 11,000 men, 
with guns, were landed on the 
island, and, marching over the 
heights, encamped against the 
western fort. On the 13th, some 
sailors, headed by a band of mu¬ 
sic, dragged the heavy guns from 
the beach into the camp of the 
marines, which was within 800 
yards of the western fort, and 
sheltered by some rocky ground. 
On the 14th, all was ready, and 
the bombardment of the western 
fort, commenced at four that 
morning by the French, soon be¬ 
came so evident on the facings 
and embrasures, that the enemy 
hung out a flag of truce, and 
asked for time to bury their dead. 
This was a Russian ruse to gain 
time ; instead of burying their 
dead, they obtained ammunition 
and reinforcements. When the 
firing had recommenced they 
tried the trick again ; but Gen. 
Baraguay d’Hilliers refused fur¬ 
ther concessions, and all night 
long the batteries continued their 
deadly fire. Early the next morn¬ 
ing, the fort gave in and was cap¬ 
tured. It was found that the 
granite had fallen out in masses, 
and that the rubble had followed 
it in heaps ! Meanwhile Capt. 
Pelham had established a battery 
on the west of the main fort ; 
Gen. Jones had completed his 


551 


battery inland ; the Edinburgh 
and Ajax made good practice at 
long range upon the great fort ; 
and the combined fire smashed 
and defaced its embrasures in 
splendid style. On the 15th, the 
eastern round tower was taken 
by the marines, and on the 16th, 
the large fort, after sustaining a 
tremendous fire from all sides for 
a few hours, hung out a flag of 
truce, and the Aland islands sur¬ 
rendered. 

August 17. 

1796. Surrender of Dutch 
Squadron. — A Dutch squadron, 
consisting of two ships of 66 guns, 
one of 54, two of 40, two of 26 
guns, and an 18-gun sloop, com¬ 
manded by Rcar-Adm. Lucas, 
arrived in Saldanha bay on the 
3rd of August, with the intention 
of attempting to regain possession 
of the settlement of the Cape of 
Good Hope. This information 
having been conveyed to Vice- 
Adm. Sir George Keith Elphin- 
stone, who was lying in Simon’s 
bay with a British squadron of 
seven sail of the line and a ship of 
50 guns, the vice-admiral pro¬ 
ceeded in quest of the Dutch 
squadron. On the 16th, the Bri¬ 
tish ships anchored within gun¬ 
shot of them, and the rear-ad¬ 
miral having been summoned to 
surrender without attempting any 
resistance, a capitulation was 
signed on the 17th, placing the 
nine Dutch ships in possession of 
the British admiral. 

1804. Capture of Blonde.— 
In lat. 49° 30' N., long. 12° 20' 
W., the 38-gun frigate Loire, 
Capt. F. L. Maitland, captured 
the French privateer Blonde, 
mounting 30 guns, 8-pounders, 
with a crew of 280 men, after a 
chase of 20 hours, including a 
running fight of 15minutes, in 


N N 4 









552 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August IB 


which she had two men killed 
and five wounded. The Loire had 
six men wounded. 

1810. Attack of Canaille 
du Bois. — Captain N. J. Wil¬ 
loughby, of the 36-gun frigate 
Nereide, having embarked in 
the boats of that ship and the 
Staunch gun-brig, 50 seamen, 
under Lieut. H. C. Deacon and 
acting Lieut. W. West, the de¬ 
tachment of marines, and 50 men 
of the 33rd and 69th regiments, 
before daylight landed at Canaille 
j du Bois, on the Isle of France. 

I After a march of six miles, they 
attacked the fort on Pointe du 
! Diable, which was stormed and 
carried without the loss of a man, 
although the French officer com¬ 
manding the fort and three men 
i were killed. After destroying the 
guns and magazine, the party 
proceeded to Grand-Port, a dis¬ 
tance of 12 miles, under the cover 
of three boats commanded by 
Lieut. Deacon, leaving procla¬ 
mations at the different villages 
through which they passed. Hav¬ 
ing accomplished this service, the 
whole force re-embarked at sunset, 
without any casualty. 

August 18 . 

1747. The Bellona, 24 guns, 
Capt. the Hon. Samuel Barrington, 
off Ushant, captured the French 
Indiaman, Due de Chartres, 30 
guns and 175 men, after an ac¬ 
tion of two hours. 

1759. Boscaw t en and La Clue. 
— A British fleet, under Adm. 
the Hon. Edward Boscawen, of 
13 sail of the line, 2 of 50 guns, 
and 10 frigates, discovered, on 
the Barbary coast, a French squa¬ 
dron, consisting of 1 ship of 80, 
5 of 7 4, 5 of 64, 2 of 50 guns, 
and 3 frigates, under Adm. De 
la Clue. Owing to the light airs 
that prevailed, the action was but 


partial; it was, nevertheless, well 
maintained on both sides. The 
Centaur, of 74 guns, after a gal¬ 
lant defence, and the loss of 200 
men killed, surrendered. The 
pursuit was continued during the 
night, and on the morning of 
the 19th only four sail were to 
be seen, and they were completely 
embayed near Lagos, on the coast 
of Portugal. At 9h. a.m., the 
admiral’s ship, the Ocean, of 80 
guns, was observed on shore 
among the breakers, and her 
masts fell over the side. She was 
boarded and set on fire, as was 
the Redoutable, 74. The Teme- 
raire, 74, and Modeste, 64, were 
captured. The loss of the enemy 
was very severe, and Adm. De 
la Clue died of the wounds he 
had received in the action. The 
British had 56 killed, 196 
wounded. 

1807. The boats of the 18-gun 
sloop Confiance, Capt. J. L. Yco, 
under the orders of Lieut. W. H. 
Walker, were despatched to at¬ 
tempt the capture of a lugger, 
mounting one long 12- and two 
4-pounders, with a crew of 30 
men, in the harbour of Guardia, 
moored under two forts, one of 
four 26-pounders and the other 
six 18-pounders. Although ex¬ 
posed to a heavy fire, the lugger 
was carried without the slightest 
loss ; but the enemy had several 
killed and wounded. 

1813. Batteries of Cassis 

stormed -The 38-gun frigate 

Undaunted, Capt. Thos. Ussher, 
Redwing and Espoir, 18-gun 
brigs, Capts. Sir J. Gordon Sin¬ 
clair and Hon. R. C. Spencer, ac¬ 
companied by boats of Caledonia, 
Hibernia, Barfleur, and Prince of 
Wales, with 200 marines from 
the fleet, attacked the batteries of 
Cassis, a town situated between 
Marseilles and Toulon. The light 
winds prevented the Undaunted 











August 19. NAVY. 553 


taking up her position; but the 
Redwing and Espoir, in spite of 
the fire of the four batteries, 
swept in and covered the ma¬ 
rines, who, led by Capt. J. Cogh- 
lan of the Caledonia, carried 
the citadel battery by escalade, 
and then drove the enemy at the 
point of the bayonet, pursuing 
them to the heights that com¬ 
manded the town. The boats, 
under Capt. Sinclair, now en¬ 
tered the mole, and captured 3 
gun-boats and 24 merchant ves¬ 
sels. The British had 4 marines 
killed; one lieutenant (Aaron 
Tozer), 1 midshipman, and 14 ma¬ 
rines wounded. Lieut. Harry 
Hunt, of the marines, was the first 
who entered the citadel-battery, 
by a ladder, under a galling fire. 

August 19. 

1702. Benbow and Du Casse. 

—Vice-Adm. John Benbow, off 
Santa Martha, in the West Indies, 
fell in Avith a French squadron 
under Rcar-Adm. Du Casse. 

British. 

1 ship of 70 guns 


French. 

4 ships of 70 guns 
2 „ 60 „ 

1 large Dutch ship, and 5 
smaller vessels. 

Chase Avas immediately given, but 
the ships Avere so much separated 
that it was some time before 
Adm. Benbow could make the 
attack. The brunt of the action 
was borne by the flag-ship, the 
Breda, Capt. Fogg, and the Ruby, 
of 50 guns, Capt. George Walton. 
Both these ships, and the Fal¬ 
mouth, of 48 guns, Capt. Samuel 
Vincent, pursued the enemy, and 
Avere closely engaged, as related 
in our columns of the 24th 


August, but from want of energy 
on the part of Capts. Kirby, of 
the Defiance, 64, Hudson, of the 
Pendennis, John Constable, of the 
Windsor, of 48 guns, and Cooper 
Wade, of the 54-gun ship Green¬ 
wich, the enemy effected their 
escape. 

1811. Haavk: and French 
Flotilla.— At 2h. p.m., the 16- 
gun brig Hawk, Capt. Henry 
Bourchier, chased a convoy under 
the protection of three gun-brigs 
and two large luggers, steering 
for Barfleur. The five armed 
vessels having hauled out from 
the convoy to attack the brig, the 
Hawk hove to in readiness to re¬ 
ceive them. At 30h. 3m. p.m., 
the action commenced within 
pistol-shot, and continued with 
great spirit, until the Haivk suc¬ 
ceeded in driving tAvo of the brigs 
and the tAvo luggers, AA-ith 15 sail 
of the convoy, on shore. While 
in the act of Avearing, the HaAvk 
took the ground, but by great 
exertions she Avas again afloat, 
but lay exposed to an incessant 
discharge of artillery and mus¬ 
ketry from the shore. The boats 
under Lieut. David Price, under 
a galling fire of musketry from 
the beach, succeeded in bringing 
out the Heron brig, pierced for 16 
and mounting 10 guns, together 
Avith three large transports laden 
Avith ship-timber. The remainder 
of the vessels Avere on their broad¬ 
sides, completely bilged. The loss 
of the British amounted to one 
man killed and four wounded. 

1840. Defeat of Chinese.— 
The detachments of marines of 
Druid, 44, Larne and Hyacinth 
sloops, with a party of seamen 
and a field-piece, Avere landed to 
attack a body of Chinese near the 
barrier. This force having united 
with the Bengal volunteers, droA’e 
the enemy, Avho abandoned their 
guns, and fled in all directions. 







554 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 21. 


Having destroyed the fort and 
spiked the guns, the British re¬ 
turned to their respective ships, 
without having incurred any loss. 

August 20. 

1799. Clyde and Vest ale. 
—The 38-gun frigate Clyde, Capt. 
Charles Cunningham, when about 
7 leagues to the westward of 
Cordouan lighthouse, with the 
wind to the northward, at 8h. 
30m. a.m. chased two sail in the 
south-west quarter. At noon the 
strangers bore up, steering differ¬ 
ent courses. The largest, the 12- 
pounder 36-gun frigate Vestale, 
Capt. Gaspard, was pursued by 
the Clyde, and at Ih. 30m. p.m. 
brought to close action. After a 
gallant resistance of an hour and 
50 minutes, the Vestale hauled 
down her colours, with loss of 10 
killed and 22 wounded, out of a 
crew of 230 men. The Clyde, 
out of a crew of 281, had 2 killed 
and 3 wounded. The consort of 
the Vestale, the 20-gun corvette 
Sagcsse, was in sight during the 
action. Lieut. A. R. Kerr, who 
lost an eye in the Boston, in her 
action with the Embuscade, was 
promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander. 

1801. In the night, the boats 
of the frigates Fisgard, Diamond, 
and Boadicea, under the orders 
of Lieut. Philip Pipon, boarded 
and cai'ried the Spanish ship Nep- 
tuno, pierced for 20 guns, moored 
within the strong batteries that 
protect the harbour of Corunna. 
The corvette, together with a gun¬ 
boat and a merchant ship, were 
safely brought out without sus¬ 
taining any loss. 

August 21. 

1797. Penguin and Oiseatt. 
— In lat. 48° 3' N., long. 8° W., 


the 16-gun brig Penguin, Capt. 
John King Pulling, at 9h. 30m. 
a.m. brought two brigs to ac¬ 
tion, and soon compelled the 
sternmost to haul down her co¬ 
lours. Without taking possession, 
Capt. Pulling pursued the other 
brig, and after a running fight or 
an hour and 40 minutes, the 
French privateer brig Oiseau, of 
18 guns, surrendered. No loss 
was sustained by the Penguin, but 
the Oiseau had one man killed 
and five wounded. 

1800. Seine and Vengeance. 
— The 38-gun frigate Seine, 
mounting 48 guns, Capt. David 
Milne, cruising in the Mona pas¬ 
sage, at 8h. a.m. discovered the 
French frigate Vengeance, mount¬ 
ing 52 guns, which commenced 
firing her stern guns at 4h. p.m. ; 
but it was not until 1 111. 30m. 
that the Seine was enabled to 
open her broadside. The Ven¬ 
geance, nevertheless, continued 
her course, and her firing so 
greatly damaged the rigging and 
sails of the Seine, that she un¬ 
avoidably dropped astern. After 
refitting, the Seine continued the 
pursuit, and at 8h. a.m. on the 
21st, having got close alongside 
of her opponent, recommenced 
the action, which continued until 
lOh. 30m. A.M.,when, having lost 
her foremast and main-topmast, 
and 35 men being killed and 70 
wounded, out of a crew of 326, 
the Vengeance surrendered. The 
Seine had one lieutenant (George 
Milne) and 12 seamen killed, and 
29 wounded.— iHctraL 

1810. Recapture of Wind¬ 
ham. — The 36-gun frigate Ne- 
reide, Capt. N. J. Willoughby, 
was lying near the Isle de la Passe, 
when the French 40-gun frigates 
Bellone and Minerve, Victor sloop, 
and their prize the Ceylon India- 
man, were enticed into Grand- 
Port, by the use of the French 








August 22. 


NAVY. 


555 


signals, which had fallen into our 
possession at the capture of that 
little island on the 13th. Another 
Indiaman that had been captured 
by the French frigates, the Wind¬ 
ham, having separated from the 
squadron, and steered for the 
Riviere Noire, was seen by the 
38-gun frigate Sirius, Capt. Pym, 
while cruising off Port Louis on 
the 21st August. Not aware of 
the real force of this ship in the 
twilight of the morning, Lieut. 
W. Watling proceeded to board 
her with the gig, and jolly-boat, 
under Mr. John Andrews, mid¬ 
shipman ; and owing to some 
mismanagement, both boats were 
unprovided with arms. Daylight 
discovered to the bold adventurers 
a ship of 800 tons, apparently 
armed with 30 guns, very near to 
the French batteries, and distant 
three miles from the Sirius. Un¬ 
daunted by these discoiwaging 
circumstances, this gallant little 
band pulled alongside the ship, 
and, armed with the boats’ stretch¬ 
ers, fought their way up the 
side and gained possession of the 
Windham, mounting 26 guns, 
commanded by a lieutenant de 
vaisseau, with a crew of 30 men, 
and within shot of the French 
batteries. After sustaining their 
lire for 20 minutes, by which four 
of the crew were wounded, Lieut. 
Watling succeeded in bringing off 
his prize. 

August 22. 

1795. Stag and Alliance.— 
A small British squadron, con¬ 
sisting of the 50-gun ship Isis, 
36-gun frigates Reunion, Stag 
of 32, and Vestal of 28 guns, 
were cruising off the coast of 
Norway, when the two Dutch 
36-gun frigates Argo and Al¬ 
liance, with a 16-gun cutter, were 
discovered and chased. The 


Stag, Capt. Joseph Yorke, closed 
with the Alliance, and after an 
action of 50 minutes, compelled 
her to surrender. The Stag had 
four killed and 13 wounded. 
After a running fight, in which 
the Reunion had one man killed 
and three wounded, the Isis two 
men wounded, and the Argo two 
killed and 15 wounded, the latter 
with the cutter got safe into the 
harbour of Egeroe. 

1798. Capture of Decade.— 
The 38-gun frigate Naiad, Capt. 
Wm. Pierrepoint, off Cape Finis- 
terre, at noon fell in with and 
chased the French 36-gun frigate 
Decade. The pursuit continued 
until 2h. p.m. on the 23rd, when the 
44-gun ship Magnanime, Capt. 
Hon. Michael De Courcy, joined 
in the chase, and after a running 
light from 5h. p. m. until 6h. 15m. 
p. m., the Decade hauled down 
her colours. 

1806. The boats of the 36-gun 
frigate Alexandria, Capt. Edward 
D. King, in which were Lieuts. 
Joseph Lewis and Edmund Nagle, 
and Master’s Mate Alfred Smith, 
boarded and carried a Spanish 
brig and a garda-costa, moored 
under the batteries in the har¬ 
bour of Rio de la Plata, on the 
Spanish main. As the vessels were 
stripped of their sails, and secured 
to the shore, Lieut. Lewis, after 
sustaining a severe fire for 
two hours, and consequently a 
heavy loss, ordered them to be 
destroyed. Mr. Smith and live 
men were killed; Lieut. Nagle, 
Midshipman Samuel Marshall, 
the gunner, and eight seamen 
wounded. 

August 23. 

1794. VOLONTAIRE DESTROYED. 
—Commodore Sir J. B. Warren, 
in the Flora, 36, with a squadron 
of five frigates, drove on shore 













556 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. August 24. 


on the Penmarcks the French 
36-gun frigate Volontaire, where 
she was completely wrecked. 
The Alerte and Espion, of 18 
guns, were also driven on shore; 
but the latter was got off' without 
having sustained much injury. 

1796. Destruction of An- 
dromaque. —French 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Andromaque, driven on 
shore near Arcasson by Galatea, 
Capt. R. G. Keats, and Sylph, 
18, Capt. J. C. White, completely 
destroyed. 

1806. Capture of Pomona. 
— In the morning, the 38-gun 
frigate Arethusa, Capt. Charles 
Brisbane, and 44-gun frigate 
Anson, Capt. Charles Lydiard, 
cruising off' the Havannah, disco¬ 
vered, within two miles of the 
Moro castle, the Spanish 34-gun 
frigate Pomona, which, finding 
herself driven to leeward of the 
port by the current, bore up and 
anchored within pistol-shot of a 
castle mounting eleven long 36- 
pounders, where she was rein¬ 
forced by 10 gun-boats from 
Havannah, each mounting a long 
24-pounder, with 60 men. At 
lOh. a. m., the British frigates 
came to an anchor,—the Anson 
abreast of the gun-boats, which 
were formed in line ahead of the 
Pomona, whilst the Arethusa, on 
her consort’s starboard quarter, 
lay close alongside of the Spanish 
frigate; and a warm action now 
commenced. In 35 minutes the 
Pomona struck her colours, and 
during that time all the gun¬ 
boats had previously blown up, 
sunk, or been driven on shore. 
The castle continued the can¬ 
nonade a short time longer, until 
the explosion of part of the bat¬ 
tery put an entire stop to the 
action. The Anson had not a 
man hurt; but the Arethusa had 
two men killed, Lieut. Henry 
Higman, Lieut, of Marines John 


Fennell, and 29 wounded. The 
Pomona, out of a crew of 347 
men, had her captain and 20 
men killed, two lieutenants and 
30 men wounded. —iHclfaL 

August 24. 

1217. Defeat of Eustace 
the Monk. —A fleet of eighty 
ships and a large number of 
galleys, commanded by Eustace 
the Monk, put to sea from Calais 
on 24th August, with the in¬ 
tention of proceeding up the 
Thames to London. Herbert de 
Burg, governor of Dover castle, 
by great exertions collected six¬ 
teen large ships and about twenty 
smaller vessels, and with this small 
force put to sea. The wind was 
blowing fresh from the south¬ 
ward, and the French, not antici¬ 
pating the hostile reception in 
store for them, were steering free, 
to round the North Foreland. 
Overtaking the French rear, the 
English threw their grapnels on 
board, and a furious onslaught 
was made upon the enemy. 
Quantities of unslaked lime, re¬ 
duced to powder, being blown by 
the wind into the eyes of their 
opponents, completed their dis¬ 
may. The English then boarded 
the enemy, and, cutting away the 
masts, rendered the ships entirely 
helpless. Out of the whole fleet, 
only fifteen escaped. 

1702. Benbow and Du Casse. 
—Vice-Adm. Benbow, continuing 
to follow the enemy’s squadron, 
noticed on the 19th instant, dis¬ 
tantly attacked them on the 20th; 
but it was not until the 24th, at 
2h. a. m., that the Breda was 
enabled to close with the stern- 
most French ship, which Benbow 
in person boarded three times, 
and was twice wounded. Shortly 
afterwards, this gallant officer 
had his right leg shattered by a 







August 25. 


NAVY. 


557 


a chain-shot, and was carried 
below; but he insisted on being 
again taken upon deck, where he 
remained lying in his cradle, 
giving directions during the re¬ 
mainder of the action. The op¬ 
ponent of the Breda lost her 
mizen-mast, and was otherwise 
completely disabled ; but soon 
after daylight her consorts bore 
down to her assistance ; and at 
the same time Benbow had the 
mortification of seeing the Wind¬ 
sor, Pendennis, Greenwich, and 
Defiance running away to lee¬ 
ward, despite of his signal then 
flying for close action. The ene¬ 
my, observing the dastardly con¬ 
duct of Benbow’s captains, sharply 
assailed the Breda ; and then 
taking their disabled consort, her 
late opponent, in tow, made sail 
away. The heroic Benbow finding 
himself deserted by his captains, 
gave over the pursuit, and pro¬ 
ceeded with his squadron to 
Jamaica, where he died of his 
wounds on the 4th November. 

1841. Reduction of Amoy.— 
At 111. 30m. p. m., the 74-gun ships 
Wellesley and Blenheim, after 
ranging along the line of works 
of Amoy, which mounted above 
300 guns, under a smart fire, 
anchored by the stern at 2h. 30m., 
within 400 yards of the principal 
battery. The Cruiser, Pylades, 
Columbine, and Algerine sloops, 
took their positions at the extreme 
point of the line, and covered the 
landing of the troops, flanked by 
the Sesostris and Queen steam ves¬ 
sels, while the Blonde and Druid 
frigates and Modeste sloop 
reached their stations against the 
batteries of Koo-lang-soo. At 
3h. 30m., 170 marines, under 
Captain Ellis, followed by the 
companies of the 26th regiment, 
under Major Johnstone, landed, 
and the British colours were 
soon planted on the fortifications. 


The marines of the Blenheim, 
under Capt. Whitcomb, and a 
party of seamen, under Com¬ 
mander Fletcher, landed, and 
drove the enemy from their guns 
in the principal battery. Every 
point being now in the power of 
the British, they occupied the 
heights above the town for the 
night. 

August 25: 

1796. When inlat. 41° 39' N., 
long. 66° 24' W., the 20-gun ship 
Raison, Capt. John P. Beresford, 
engaged the French 40-gun ship 
Vengeance; but a fog coming on, 
the combatants separated. The 
Raison was much cut up, and 
had 3 men killed and six 
wounded. 

1799. Tamar and Republi- 
cain. —The 38-gun frigate Ta¬ 
mar, Capt. Thos. Western, cruis¬ 
ing off Surinam, chased the 
French 28-gun frigate Republi¬ 
can!, Capt. Le Bosec, and on the 
following day brought her to 
close action. After a gallant 
resistance, which was continued 
while a chance of escape re¬ 
mained, the Republicain sur¬ 
rendered, having lost nine men 
killed and 12 wounded, out of a 
crew of 281. The Tamar had 
two men wounded. 

1811. Successful Ruse.— The 
38-gun frigate Diana, Capt. Win. 
Ferris, and 36-gun frigate Semi- 
ramis, Capt. Charles Richardson, 
having on the 24th August de¬ 
scried five vessels, under the 
convoy of the 14-gun brig Teazer 
(late British), at the entrance of 
the Gironde river, adopted the 
following stratagem to effect their 
capture. At 4h. 30m. p.m., the 
two frigates, under French colours 
and making the signal for a pilot, 
stood boldly in. The Teazer 
having hoisted her colours and 










558 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


August 26. 


fired a gun to leeward, the signal 
for a friend, the British ships 
promptly repeated the gun, and 
at 6h. p.m. they ttfcked. The bat¬ 
tery at Pointe-la-Coubre now 
fired a few shot, but the Capt. of 
the Teazer, as she ran past, hailed 
the commandant, and informed 
him that the strangers were the 
Elbe and Pallas, from Rochefort. 
The battery then ceased firing, 

, and shortly afterwards a pilot- 
boat came alongside the Diana. 
At 7 p.m., the frigates anchored 
off Pointe-de-Grave, between the 
Cordouan and Royan, under the 
batteries of which place lay the 
Teazer, in company with the 16- 
gun brig-corvette Pluvier. The 
Teazer’s convoy having anchored 
four miles higher up the river, at 
7h. 30m. p.m. three boats from 
the Diana, under Lieut. Fras. 
Sparrow, and four from the Se- 
miramis, under Lieut. Thos. Gard¬ 
ner, were despatched to attempt 
their capture. And at 6h. a.m. on 
the 25th, the two frigates, under 
their assumed character, got un¬ 
der way, and steered for Verdon 
road; when Capt. Dubourg, of the 
Pluvier, went on board the Diana, 
nor did he discover his mistake 
until he had ascended the quarter¬ 
deck. While the Semiramis stood 
towards the inner brig, the Diana 
laid the Teazer close alongside. 
In an instant she was boarded, 
and carried, without the loss 
of a man. The Pluvier, on the 
approach of the Semiramis, cut 
her cables and grounded under 
the battery of Royan. Lieuts. 
Gardner and Grace, with the 
three boats, having returned from 
capturing the convoy, boarded 
and carried the Pluvier, without 
greater loss than Lieut. Gardner 
and two seamen wounded. Hav¬ 
ing burnt the corvette, the Semi¬ 
ramis stood out to join the Diana, 
wliich had anchored out of gun¬ 


shot, in company with the Teazer 
and the five vessels late under her 
charge. 

August 26. 

1804. In sight of the Emperor 
Napoleon, a flotilla of sixty brigs 
and upwards of thirty luggers, 
was attacked off Cape Grisnez, 
by the Immortalite, 38, Commo¬ 
dore Owen, 18-gun brig Harpy, 
Capt. E. Hey wood, 12-gun brig 
Adder, Lieut. George Wood, and 
Constitution cutter, Lieut. J. J. 
A. Dennis, within shot of their 
numerous batteries. Several gun- 
vessels ran ashore, and the re¬ 
mainder bore up for Boulogne. 
The Constitution was struck by a 
shell; and one seaman killed and 
six wounded, was the total loss 
of the British squadron. 

1808. Capture of Sewolod. 
—A Russian fleet of nine sail of 
the line, three 50-gun ships, eight 
frigates and smaller vessels, in all 
24 sail, anchored in. Hango bay, 
Swedish Finland, on 19th of 
August. On the 20th, Rear-Adm. 
Sir Wm. Hood, in the Centaur, 
74, Capt. Webley, with Implaca¬ 
ble, 74, Capt. T. B. Martin, joined 
the Swedish squadron of eleven 
sail of the line, but unfortunately 
more than a third of their crews 
were on the sick list with scurvy. 
On the 25th, the combined fleet 
weighed from Oro roads, and on 
the morning of the 26th, at 4h., 
the two British ships were many 
miles to windward of the Swedes; 
and the Implacable, two miles to 
windward of the Centaur, was 
within five miles of the Sewolod, 
the stern most Russian ship. After 
several tacks, the Implacable, at 
7h. 30m., ranged up alongside 
her; and so vigorous a cannonade 
was kept up, that the Sewolod 
struck her colours. At this mo¬ 
ment, the Russian admiral was 











NAVY. 


August 27. 


559 


within two miles of the Impla¬ 
cable, bearing clown to the rescue 
of the Sewolod. The Centaur 
having recalled her consort, the 
two British ships bore up for 
the Swedish fleet, then ten 
miles to leeward. The Implaca¬ 
ble had 6 men killed and 26 
wounded. About noon, the Rus¬ 
sian fleet anchored in the port of 
Rogerwick, leaving the Sewolod 
aground, on a shoal near the en¬ 
trance of the harbour. In the 
afternoon, the 74 having floated 
off, a division of boats from the 
Russian squadron proceeded to 
her assistance. Sir Samuel Hood, 
determined to prevent this, bore 
up, to cut her off before the boats 
could arrive. The Centaur, rang¬ 
ing alongside, discharged her 
guns with great execution, and 
then lashed the bowsprit of the 
Russian ship to the Centaur’s 
mizen-rigging. Much valour was 
displayed on both sides, and after 
an hour’s gallant fighting, the 
Sewolod’s colours were again 
struck. The prize having taken 
the ground, was' set on fire and 
burnt to the water’s edge. The 
Centaur had three men killed ; 
Lieut. P. Lawless and 26 wound¬ 
ed.—jHcttal. 

August 27. 

1809. The 32-gun frigate Am- 
phion, Capt. Wm, Iloste, on the 
24th discovered in the Port of 
Cortelazzo, situated near Trieste, 
six Italian gun-boats and a con¬ 
voy of trabaccalos moored close 
under a battery of four 24- 
pounders. Finding it impracti¬ 
cable, on account of the shoaliness 
of the water, to enter the port, 
with the frigate, Capt. Hoste re¬ 
solved to attempt the capture of 
these vessels with the boats. To 
prevent suspicion, the ship was 
kept out of sight of land until 


the evening of the 26th, when, 
crowding all sail, the Amphion 
stood in shore, and at lh. a.m. on 
the 27th anchored off the en¬ 
trance of the Pivie river. At 
3h. a.m., a detachment of 70 sea¬ 
men and marines, commanded by 
Lieut. Charles G. R. Phillott, 
landed about a mile to the south¬ 
ward of the battery; and at 3h. 
15m. a.m., the party attacked 
the fort, which, was carried in 
less than 10 minutes The guns 
of the battery were then turned 
on the gun-boats, which were 
boarded by the division under 
Lieut. Slaughter, and, after a 
slight opposition, taken possession 
of, as well as two laden trabac- 
colos, which were brought off, and 
five others burnt. The only loss 
sustained by the British was one 
man wounded. 

1816. Bombardment of Al¬ 
giers.— A squadron under Adm. 
Lord Exmouth, prepared to act 
against the forts of Algiers, con¬ 
sisting of Queen Charlotte, 100 
guns, Impregnable, 98, Superb, 
Minden, and Albion, 74, Leander, 
50, Severn and Glasgow, 40, 
Granicus and Hebrus, 36 guns, 
with five brigs and four bombs, 
on the 9th August, were joined 
in Gibraltar bay by five Dutch 
frigates, under Vice - Admiral 
the Baron Van de Capellen, 
sailed again on the 14th, and at 
daybreak on the 27th arrived off 
Algiers. At this time, the ships 
lying nearly becalmed, Lord Ex- 
mouth, despatched Lieut. Samuel 
Burgess to demand of the Dey 
the following conditions : — The 
abolition of Christian slavery; the 
release of Christian slaves ; the 
repayment of the money recently 
exacted for the redemption of 
certain Neapolitan and Sardinian 
slaves ; peace with the King of 
the Netherlands; and the imme¬ 
diate liberation of the British 









560 CALENDAR 


consul, with the officers and boats’ 
crews of the Prometheus. Mean¬ 
while, a breeze having sprung up, 
the fleet stood into the bay, and 
lay to, about a mile from the city; 
upon the various batteries of 
which upwards of a thousand 
guns were mounted. No reply 
arriving from the Dey, at 2h. 35m. 
p.m. the Queen Charlotte an¬ 
chored with springs about 50 yards 
from the mole-head, and having 
opened her starboard broadside, 
the action became general. On the 
larboard bow of the Queen Char¬ 
lotte lay the Leander, with her 
starboard after-guns bearing upon 
the mole, and the foremost ones 
on the fishmarket battery. Ahead 
of the Leander w r as the Severn, 
her starboard broadside bearing 
full upon the fishmarket battery. 
Close to the Severn was the Glas¬ 
gow, her larboard guns bearing 
on the town batteries. On the 
larboard quarter of the Queen 
Charlotte was the Superb, her 
starboard broadside bearing on 
the 60-gun battery next to the 
mole-head. It was intended that 
the Impregnable and Albion 
should have anchored close astern 
of the Superb; but the former not 
being sufficiently advanced when 
the firing commenced, brought up 
considerably outside her appointed 
station. The Impregnable thus 
lay exposed, at the distance of 
450 yards, as well to the light¬ 
house battery of three tiers, as to 
the eastern battery of two tiers. 
The Minden, observing the space 
between the Impregnable and 
her second ahead, pushed on, and 
took up a position about her own 
length astern of the Superb. The 
Albion, about 3h. p.m., came to 
within her own length of the 
Minden. The Dutch admiral gal¬ 
lantly ran past the Melampus, 
with his jib-boom over the Glas¬ 
gow’s taffrail. The Hebrus, being 


OF VICTORY. August 27. 


becalmed, anchored a little with¬ 
out the line, on the larboard bow 
of the Queen Charlotte; and 
the Granicus between the Queen 
Charlotte and Superb. The 
brigs took their stations as 
most convenient, and the four 
bomb-vessels anchored about two 
thousand yards from the enemy’s 
works ; whilst the flotilla of mor¬ 
tar-boats, gun-boats, &c., under 
Lieut. Frederick T. Michell, 
placed themselves where they 
could most annoy the enemy. 
The fire of the Queen Charlotte 
was so well directed, that the 
third broadside levelled the south 
end of the mole to its foundation. 
She then sprang her broadside to¬ 
wards the batteries over the town 
gate leading to the mole, and 
their demolition was speedily ef¬ 
fected. The Leander, having 
directed her fire at the Algerine 
gun-boats and row-galleys, com¬ 
pletely frustrated their intention 
of boarding the nearest British 
ships. About 4h. p.m., the barge 
of the Queen Charlotte, under 
Lieut. Peter Richards, set fire to 
the Algerine frigate, lying across 
the mole; and in less than aquai’- 
ter of an hour the ship was in 
flames. By 4h. 30m., the Impreg¬ 
nable having sustained a loss of 
150 in killed and wounded, the 
Glasgow was ordered to divert 
the enemy’s fire, but it being per¬ 
fectly calm, after an hour’s exer¬ 
tion, she anchored a short distance 
ahead of the Severn, and thus 
became exposed to a severe fire 
from the fishmarket and conti¬ 
guous batteries. By 7h. p.m., the 
mortar and rocket-boats had set 
all the vessels within the harbour 
in flames, and the city was also 
set on fire in several parts by the 
shells from the bomb-vessels. 
The cannonade continued until 
10 p.m. , when the upper tiers of 
the batteries on the mole being 







f 


August 29. NAVY. 561 


nearly destroyed, and the lower 
tier almost silenced, the Queen 
Charlotte cut her cables, and 
stood out with a light air of wind, 
which fortunately sprang up from 
off the land. The other ships fol¬ 
lowing as well as their dis¬ 
abled condition would permit, 
made but slow progress; and the 
Leander, Superb, and Impregna¬ 
ble suffered much from the raking 
tire of a fort at the upper angle 
of the city. Before 2h. a. m. on 
the 28th, the whole fleet were out 
of range of shot or shell; but as if 
to add to the awful grandeur of 
the scene, for nearly three hours 
the lightning and thunder were 
incessant, and the rain poured in 
torrents. — ilrUtml. 

Killed. Wounded. 
British loss - -128 692 

Dutch „ - - 13 52 


Total loss - 141 744 

August 28. 

1796. Capture of the Eli 
zabeth. — On 28th August, a 
squadron of five sail of the line, 
under the command of Vice- 
Admiral George Murray, in the 
74-gun ship Resolution, off the 
Chesapeake, gave chase to three 
French frigates. The 36-gun 
frigate Elizabeth was overtaken 
and captured by 36-gun frigate 
Topaze, Capt. Stephen G. Church. 
The others escaped. 

August 29.. 

1350. King Edward defeats 
the Spaniards. —The Spaniards 
having plundered some English 
ships and murdered their crews, 
King Edward assembled a fleet, 
and proceeded to Winchelsea. 
On the 28th August, he embarked 
ori board the cog Thomas, accom¬ 
panied by the Earl of Richmond 


and about 400 knights. At 4h. 
p. m. on Sunday the 29th, the 
Spaniards were observed sailing 
down Channel at a rapid rate. 
The English stood out to the 
attack, led by their chivalrous 
king ; and on arriving close to a 
heavy ship, Edward, reckless of 
the consequences, ordered his 
steersman to lay her aboard. 
Such was the violence of the 
contact, that the mast of the cog 
Thomas went over the side, and 
the ship sprang a leak. The 
Spaniard having sheered off, Ed¬ 
ward with difficulty succeeded in 
grappling another enemy, which 
he impetuously boarded, and, af¬ 
ter much opposition,carried; then 
abandoning the sinking cog, the 
king removed his crew into the 
prize. The Spanish fleet was 
completely beaten, and twenty- 
six large ships captured. The 
monarch, satisfied with his vic¬ 
tory, stood inshore and anchored 
at Rye, with his prizes. 

1800. Capture of Guepe.— 
On 29th August, while a squadron 
under Rear-Adm. Sir J. B. War¬ 
ren, consisting of the Renown, 
Courageux, and Defence, 74, Fis- 
gard and Unicorn frigates, was 
proceeding along the coast of 
Spain, a large French privateer, 
named the Guepe, was observed 
to anchor under the batteries of 
Vigo, in the narrows of Redon- 
dela. In the evening a division 
of boats, 20 in number, under the 
orders of Lieut. Henry Burke, 
of the Renown, proceeded to the 
attack of the privateer, which 
mounted 18 long eight-pounders, 
with a crew of 161 men. It was 
about 40 minutes past midnight 
when the boats got alongside the 
ship, which was fully prepared; 
nevertheless the British resolutely 
boarded, and in fifteen minutes 
carried her. The loss in this 
desperate affair amounted to four 


o o 











562 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 1. 


men killed; Lieuts. Burke, John 
Henry Holmes, and JosephNourse, 
and 17 men wounded. As a proof 
how obstinately the Guepe had 
been defended, she had 25 killed 
and 40 wounded, including among 
the mortally wounded her brave 
commander, the citizen Dupan.— 
ifHtdfal to boats of the Renown, 
Impetucux, London, Courageux, 
Amethyst, Stag, Amelia, Brilliant, 
and Cynthia. 

.August 30. 

1799. Surrender of Dutch 
Squadron. —Vice-Adm. Mitchel, 
with a British squadron, at five 
a. m. got under way from the 
Helder, and steei'ed for the Texel, 
formed in line thus: — Glatton, 
Romney, and Iris, of 50, Veteran, 
Ardent, Belliqueux, Monmouth, 
Overysel, Mistisloff (Russian), of 
64 guns, and four frigates. They 
stood along the narrow and intri¬ 
cate channel of the Vlieter, to¬ 
wards the Dutch squadron of 
eight two-deckers and frigates, 
under Adm. Storey, and anchored 
in the south-east channel upon 
the Vogel sand. A summons 
was then sent to the Dutch ad¬ 
miral, and on the same day they 
took possession of the force we 
have described. 

1806. In the evening the 20- 
gun ship Bacchante, Capt. James 
R. Dacres, cruising off the Spanish 
main, sent her boats, under Lieut. 
George Norton, to effect, the cap¬ 
ture or destruction of some ves¬ 
sels in the harbour of Santa 
Martha. On the 30th, at lh. a.m., 
the boats, under a heavy fire 
from the batteries and some field- 
pieces on the beach, dashed along¬ 
side the vessels, and, in spite of 
this formidable opposition, cap¬ 
tured and brought out an armed 
brig and two armed feluccas, with¬ 
out sustaining any loss. 


August 31. 

1807. Reduction of Heligo¬ 
land.— On 31st August the island 
of Heligoland capitulated to a 
British force, the naval part of 
which was under the command 
of Vice-Adm. Thomas Macna- 
mara Russell. 

1807. In the night, the boats of 
the Psyche frigate, commanded 
by Lieut. Lambert Kersteman, 
boarded two vessels at anchor in 
the road of Griesse, East Indies; 
and although defended by the 
batteries of the town, an 8-gun 
schooner and a large merchant 
brig were gallantly brought out. 

1812. Attack of Port Lemo. 
—The 38-gun frigate Bacchante, 
Capt. William Hoste, lying an¬ 
chored off Rovigno, on the south¬ 
west coast of Istria, despatched 
five boats, under the orders of 
Lieut. D. PI. O’Brien, containing 
62 officers and men, to attempt 
the capture of several vessels, 
laden with ship-timber, in Port 
Lemo. Lieut. O’Brien captured 
two vessels at the entrance of the 
harbour, from which he obtained 
information that the convoy he 
was about to attack, was under 
the protection of a xebec of three 
guns, and two gun-boats. Leav¬ 
ing the two prizes in charge of 
Mr. Langton and six men, the 
remaining 55 dashed on to the 
attack. The skill and gallantry 
of Lieut. O’Brien and his party 
carried all before them, and, with¬ 
out sustaining any loss, they cap¬ 
tured seven laden vessels, toge¬ 
ther with the armed force we 
have already described.—Jftetfal. 

September 1. 

1762. Capture of Zephyr. 
— The 60-guu ship Lion, Capt. 
Le Cras, having chased from the 
squadron of Commodore Mann, 







NAVY. 


September 2. 


off Ushant, fell in with French 
32-gun frigate Zephyr, but hav¬ 
ing only 22 mounted, with a 
crew of 250 men, bound to New¬ 
foundland, with military stores. 
Although of such inferior force, 
the enemy’s frigate did not sur¬ 
render until she had sustained a 
running fight of one hour ; with 
the loss of nine men killed and 
twenty-five wounded. 

1782. Capture op Aigle.— 
The 18-gun sloop Due de Char¬ 
tres, Capt. J. C. Purvis, on the 
North American station, cap¬ 
tured the French 22-gun corvette 
Aigle, Capt. De Preneuf, after an 
action of one hour’s duration, in 
which she had her captain and 
12 men killed, and 15 wounded. 
The Due de Chartres sustained 
no loss. Capt. Purvis was pro¬ 
moted for his gallant conduct. 


September 2. 

1762. Capture op San Josef. 
—The iEolus, 32, Capt. Hotham, 
cruising off Cape Pinas, gave 
chase to two ships, which, having 
taken shelter under a small bat¬ 
tery in Avilas bay, they were 
closely pursued; and the frigate 
anchoring with a spring on her 
cable, opened a well-directed fire 
upon the battery and the largest 
of the ships. After a short resist¬ 
ance, both were abandoned by 
the Spaniards. The marines were 
then landed, and spiked the guns; 
and Lieut, Paisley in the mean¬ 
time took possession of the ship, 
which was so fast aground that he 
set her on fire. She was the San 
Josef, 1100 tons burthen, pierced 
for 60 guns, having 32 mounted, 
from the Caraccas, bound to Pas¬ 
sage. The other ship, by warp¬ 
ing into shoal water, escaped. 

1781. Capture of Magi- 
CIEnne. — The 50-gun ship 


563 


Chatham, Capt. Andrew Snape 
Douglas, off Boston, captured the 
French 32-gun frigate, Magi- 
cienne, Captain the Chevalier 
Bouchetiere, with the loss of 32 
killed and 54 wounded. Chat¬ 
ham, 1 killed, 1 wounded. The Ma- 
gicienne, being a very fine vessel, 
was added to the British navy 
under the same name, and con¬ 
tinued a cruising ship for nearly 
thirty years. 

1801. The squadron under 
Capt. Lawi*ence Halstead, in the 
Phoenix, with Minerve and Po- 
mone, Capts. Geoi’ge Cockburn 
and Edward Leveson Gowei', 
blockading Porto Ferrago, fell 
in with French frigates Succes, 
(late British) of 32-guns, and 
Bravoure of 36-guns, which, after 
a short chase, were di’iven on shore 
near Yada. The Bravoure was 
destroyed ; but the Succes was 
got off, and restored to the British 
navy. 

1801. Victor and Fleche. 
— The 18-gun corvette Victor, 
Capt. George Ralph Collier, 
while cruising off the Seychelle 
islands, discovered to leeward 
the French 8-pounder 18-gun 
brig Fleche, and at 5h. 30m. p. m. 
brought her to action ; but the 
Fleche, after a few broadsides, 
crossing the Victoi*’s stern, 
hauled to the wind and made 
sail away, followed by the Victor 
as soon as she had repaired her 
running rigging. The pursuit 
continued dui’ing the two suc¬ 
ceeding days, as detailed in the 
Calendar of 7th September. 

September 3. 

1782. Hughes and De Suff- 
rein. —Vice-Adm. Sir Edward 
Hughes, on 3rd Sept., for the 
fourth time engaged the Fi'ench 
squadron, under Commodoi'e De 
Suffrein, in the East Indies. 


o o 2 








564 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 3. 


British. 

3 ships, of 74 guns. 


1 

1 

6 

1 


70 

68 

64 

50 


12 ships, 794 guns, 

and four frigates. 

French. 

4 ships, of 74 guns. 

8 „ 64 „ 

3 ,, 50 ,, 


15 ships, 958 guns. 

The British were formed in line 
as the French bore down from 
the harbour of Trincomalee to 
the attack at 2h. 30m. p. m., five 
ships steering for the British van, 
and two on the Monmouth and 
Worcester in the rear. The 
latter ship being oppressed, the 
Monmouth gallantly closed to 
her support. The action then 
became general, the two flag¬ 
ships being warmly engaged. 
At 3h. 30m., the ship astern of 
the Heros lost her mizen-mast, 
and the next ahead her fore and 
mizcn topmasts. The action con¬ 
tinued until 5h. 30m., when the 
wind shifted to ESE. which 
brought the English to windward; 
and the effect of the fire now 
opened brought down the main 
and mizen-mast of the Heros. At 
7h. p.m., the ships of De Suffrein 
wore and stood inshore, receiving 
o severe cannonade as they passed 
to leeward of the British line. 
But it certainly does seem unac¬ 
countable, that no effort should 
have been made to follow the 
beaten enemy, several of whom 
were much disabled, and the 
Heros had only her foremast 
standing. Among the killed were 
Capts. James Watt, of the Sultan, 
Charles Wood, of the Worcester, 
and the Hon. Thomas Lumley, 


of the Iris. The following is the 
loss incurred in the five several 
battles that Sir Edward Hughes 
fought with M. De Suffrein:— 



1782. 

1783 

To. 

tal. 


6th 

12th 

6th 

3rd 

20th 



Feb. 

Ap. 

July. 

Sep. 

Jun. 


Killed - 

32 

137 

77 

51 

99 

396 

Wounded 

83 

430 

233 

283 

431 

1460 

Total - 

115 

567 

310 

334 

530 

1856 


1800. Capture of Concep¬ 
tion and Paz. — Eight boats 
from the 74-gun ship Minotaur, 
Capt. Thomas Louis, and 32-gun 
frigate Niger, en flute, under the 
orders of Capt. James Hillyar, of 
the latter, proceeded at 8 a. m. to 
attempt the capture of the two 
Spanish corvettes Conception 
and Paz, each mounting 22 long 
12- and 8-pounders. As the boats 
approached, the Conception, about 
9h. p. m., discharged a harmless 
broadside. The British, pushing 
on with their accustomed alacrity, 
were alongside before the corvette 
could reload her guns. They 
instantly boarded, and, after a 
sharp struggle, carried the Con¬ 
ception. The announcement of 
this victory by the cheers of the 
British was the signal for the 
Spaniards in the other ship to 
cut their cable, and endeavour to 
run close under the battery at 
the mole-head; but the ship cast¬ 
ing the wrong way, and the 
British being alert in their move¬ 
ments, the Paz, in spite of a 
heavy fire from four strong bat¬ 
teries,! 0 gun-boats, two schooners, 
mounting each two long 36- 
pounders, and a fort on the hill 
throwing shells, before lOh. p. m. 
shared the fate of her consort. 
About 1 lh. p. m., the boats, with 
the two captured ships, reached 
the Minotaur, having only three 
men killed and five wounded. 
































NAVY. 


September 4. 


1806. Attack of Bratabano. 
—Capt. Le Geyt, in the Stork, 
18-gun sloop, with schooners 
Superieure, 14, Capt. Edward 
Rushworth, Flying Fish, 12, Lieut. 
G. Gooding, and Pike, 4, Lieut. 
John Ottley, sailed from Port 
Royal on 25th August, and on 
the 30th arrived off the Isle of 
Pines, when a Spanish schooner 
of 10 guns was captured by the 
Pike. The object of the expe¬ 
dition being to attack Bratabano, 
then thirty leagues distant, Capt. 
Rushworth, after lightening the 
three schooners, proceeded up the 
bight, but owing to the intricacy 
of the navigation, these vessels 
did not reach within twenty miles 
of their destination till the 2nd 
September. At midnight they 
again moved forward, but it was 
broad daylight on the 3rd before 
they could reach the harbour. 
Capt. Rushworth then landing 
within two miles of the battery 
of Bratabano, with 50 men 
pushed on to the attack, and in 
spite of every opposition gained 
the fort, which mounted six long 
18-pounders. Having spiked the 
guns, the boats took possession 
of a felucca, pierced for 14 guns, 
but having only one long 18- 
pounder mounted, a 12-gun 
schooner, and four privateers, to¬ 
gether with six laden vessels. 
This gallant enterprise was ac¬ 
complished with the trifling loss 
of one man wounded. 

1814. The United States fri¬ 
gate Adams, lying moored abreast 
the town of Hampden, protected 
by 1400 militia, and the ap¬ 
proaches to the town defended 
by eight long 18-pounders and 
fifteen 18-pounders, placed on a 
wharf close to the frigate, was 
attacked by a party of seamen 
and marines, amounting to about 
760 men, under Captain Robert 
Barrie, of the 74-gun ship Dragon, 


565 


lying in the Ponobscot river. 
Before the boats got within grape- 
shot, Capt. Morris, of the Adams, 
set the ship on fire, by which 
two other vessels were destroyed. 
The British then pushed on for 
Bangor, where they destroyed se¬ 
veral vessels, including a 16-gun 
brig and the Decatur privateer. 

September 4. 

1777. The homeward-bound 
fleet from the West Indies, under 
convoy of the 22-gun ship Camel, 
Capt. the Hon. W. Finch, 14-gun 
sloop Druid, 6-pounders, and 16- 
gun sloop Weazel, Capts. Peter 
Carteret and Samuel Warren, 
being in lat. 40° 30' N., long. 
50° 17' W., were chased by the 
United States 32-gun frigate 
Raleigh, Capt. T. Thomson, and 
24-gun frigate Alfred, Capt. E. 
Hinxman. At 5h. p.m., the Ra¬ 
leigh ranged up alongside the 
Druid, when a smart action en¬ 
sued. Capt. Carteret was mor¬ 
tally wounded and the master 
killed by the first broadside. 
Lieut. John Bourchier, succeed¬ 
ing to the command, continued 
to fight the ship so vigorously, 
that at 6h. p. m. the enemy made 
sail ahead, leaving the Druid in 
so disabled a state in sails and 
rigging as to be incapable of 
pursuit. At 6h. 20m., the Raleigh 
hauled down her colours, and 
made sail to leeward to close the 
Alfred; and the two American 
frigates permitted themselves to 
be driven from the convoy without 
a single trophy. The Druid, 
besides her captain, had 9 men 
killed and twenty-one wounded. 
Lieut. Bourchier was promoted 
to the command of the Druid. 

1782. Capture of Hebe.— 
The 44-gun ship Rainbow (armed 
entirely with carronades: 20 68- 
pounders, 22 42-pounders, and 6 


oo 3 






CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 6. 


32-pounders), Capt. Henry Trol¬ 
lope, being off the isle of Bas, 
chased, and at 7h. a. m. brought 
to action, the French 40 - gun 
frigate Hebe, of 1063 tons, com¬ 
manded by the Chevalier de 
Vigny, with a crew of 360 
men. After a running fight, the 
Rainbow closed with her oppo¬ 
nent at 8h. 30m., and having 
discharged one broadside, the 
Hebe hauled down her colours, 
with the loss of 5 men killed. 
The Rainbow did not sustain any 
loss. The Hebe was purchased 
into the British navy, and, being 
a beautiful ship, served as a model 
to English shipwrights for many 
years. 

September 5. 

1781. Action off Lynn Haven 
Bay. — The French fleet of 24 
ships of the line, under Admiral 
Comte de Grasse, was lying 
at anchor in Lynn Haven bay, 
when the British fleet of 19 sail 
of the line, under Rear-Adm. Sir 
Thomas Graves, appeared off that 
anchorage. The French fleet, on 
the approach of the British, got 
under way, and stood off shore 
on the larboard tack. At lh. p.m., 
the two fleets were nearly abreast 
of each other, on opposite tacks. 
At about lh. 50m., the signal was 
made to Rear-Adm. Drake, com¬ 
manding the rear division (which 
was now the leading one of the 
fleet), to bear up and close with 
the enemy. At 4h. 45m. p.m., the 
advanced ships of the British 
having arrived within less than 
half gun-shot of the enemy’s van, 
commenced the action. The Bri¬ 
tish van and centre soon became 
generally engaged, but the rear 
took no part in the action. After 
the battle had lasted about two 
hours, without any decisive re¬ 
sult, the British fleet hauled to 


the wind, without any attempt on 
the part of the French to renew 
the contest. At this period Cape 
Henry bore north-west, three 
leagues distant. The loss of the 
British amounted to 79 killed, 230 
wounded; that of the enemy, 250 
in killed and wounded. The 
French fleet continued in sight of 
the British during the succeeding 
four days, with the power of 
bringing on an action; but, al¬ 
though much superior in force, 
they did not evince any disposi¬ 
tion to renew the contest. 

Comparative Force of the 

Two Fleets. 

British. French. 

Ships - 19 - 24 

Guns - 1,408 - 1,822 

Men - 11,311 - 18,100 

1800. The fortress of Valetta 
and its dependencies capitulated; 
and the island of Malta was taken 
possession of by the forces under 
Major-Gen. l J igot and Captain 
George Martin. In the port 
were the 64-gun ships Athenien 
and Dego, and frigate Cartha- 
genaise. The Athenien was added 
to the British navy. 

1810. The boats of 38-gun fri¬ 
gate Surveillante, under the orders 
of Lieut, the Hon. Jas. Arbuth- 
not, captured a French brig lying 
under the batteries of St. Gildas 
and St. Jacques, in the Morbihan; 
and although the boats were also 
exposed to the fire of a body of 
troops and field-pieces, the brig 
was brought off without any 
casualty. 

September 6. 

1808. Recruit and Dili- 
gente.— The 18-gun brig Re¬ 
cruit, Capt. Charles Napier, in 
lat. 17° 50' N., long. 58° 10' W., 
discovered to windward the 
French corvette Diligente, and 






I 

September 7. NAVY. 567 


at 8h. 40m. a.m. exchanged broad¬ 
sides within pistol-shot, by which 
fire Capt. Napier was wounded, 
but not compelled to quit the 
deck. At 8h. 40m., the Recruit 
succeeded in bringing her oppo¬ 
nent to close action, which con¬ 
tinued until 11 h. 30m., when the 
brig’s mainmast was shot away 
within a few feet of the deck. 
In this situation she was raked 
by the Diligente, who then, pass¬ 
ing ahead, exchanged broadsides, 
and then bore away before the 
wind, followed by the British brig 
as well as her disabled condition 
would admit. The Recruit had 
her commander and Lieut. M. de 
Willetts wounded. 

1810. Two boats of the 38-gun 
frigate Surveillante, in charge of 
Master’s Mate John Illingworth, 
were sent to destroy a watch- 
tower and a battery, mounting 
one long 24-pounder, lately erect¬ 
ed at the entrance of the river 
Crache. This service was gal¬ 
lantly executed in broad day¬ 
light. Having first decoyed the 
guard from the battery, the Bri¬ 
tish attacked and drove the 
enemy from the beach, spiked 
the gun, and levelled the building 
with the ground. 

1811. Early in the morning the 
18-gun brig Pilot, Capt. Toup 
Nicolas, observing a ketch secured 
to the walls of the fort of Cas¬ 
tellan, stood in and anchored 
close to the town. The boats 
under Lieut. Alexander Campbell 
were then despatched, and that 
officer having gallantly landed 
under the castle walls, after some 
opposition, set the ketch on fire, 
without sustaining any loss. 

September 7. 

1798. The Phaeton and Anson 
frigates, Capts. Rob. Stopford and 
P. C. Durham, cruising off the 


French coast, captured the French 
32-gun frigate Flore. 

1801. Victor and Fleche.— 
On the 2nd, the 18-gun ship- 
sloop Victor, Capt. George R. 
Collier, cruising off the Seychelle 
islands, discovered the French 
8-pounder 18-gun brig Fleche, 
Lieut. Bonnavie. The Victor 
brought the chase to close action 
at 5h. 30m. p. m., but the Fleche, 
after a few broadsides, made sail 
away. At 3h. 30m. r. m. on the 
5th, the Victor descried her late 
opponent, standing in for the an¬ 
chorage at Mahe ; and at day¬ 
light on the 6th the Fleche was 
seen lying at the mouth of the 
inner harbour, with springs on 
her cables. An incessant can¬ 
nonade was maintained by both 
vessels, until 2h. 20m., a. m. on 
the 7 th, when the Fleche was 
discovered to be sinking, and the 
boats of the Victor had scarcely 
taken possession of their prize 
before she fell over on her lar¬ 
board side and sank. Out of a 
crew of 145, the Fleche sustained 
a severe loss; but the Victor had 
only Mr. Middleton and one sea¬ 
man wounded, and that loss was 
in the previous contest. 

1807. Expedition to Copen¬ 
hagen.— A demand having been 
made by Great Britain for the 
surrender of the Danish fleet, in 
consequence of the treaty of Til¬ 
sit, Adin. Gambier sailed from 
Yarmouth roads on the 26th 
July, with 17 sail of the line, 21 
frigates, and smaller vessels ; and 
in the early part of August the 
British force before Copenhagen 
amounted to twenty-five ships of 
the line, forty frigates, sloops, &c., 
having on board transports 
27,000 troops, under Gen. Lord 
Cathcart. On the 2nd Sept., the 
batteries opened upon the town 
and forts, and the bombardment 
continued with little intermission 


o o 4 







568 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 10. 


until the evening of the 5th, when 
the Danes proposed to capitulate; 
and on the morning of the 7th 
the terms were ratified by the re¬ 
spective parties stipulating that 
the British were to be put in pos¬ 
session of the citadel, the ships of 
war, and their stores ; but within 
six weeks the citadel was to be 
restored, and the island of Zea¬ 
land evacuated by the British. 
The loss sustained by the British 
during the operations amounted 
to 156 killed, 175 wounded, and 
25 missing. Eighteen ships of 
the line, and two 38-gun frigates, 
six 36-gun frigates, two 20-gun 
ships, twelve smaller vessels, and 
twenty gun-boats were brought 
away ; and three ships on the 
stocks were taken to pieces and 
brought off. 

1809. In the night, the boats of 
the 28-gun frigate Mercury, under 
the orders of Lieut. Watkin Owen 
Pell, pulled into the harbour of 
Barletta, near Manfredonia, where 
they boarded and carried the 
French schooner Pugliese, mount¬ 
ing five 6-, and two 18-pounders, 
with 31 men on board, without 
a man being hurt on the part of 
the British. 

September 3. 

1811. On 8th September, the 
36-gun frigate Hotspur, Captain 
the Hon. Joceline Percy, arrived 
off Calvados, and stood in to the 
attack of seven brigs, chased into 
that port by the Barbadoes and 
Goshawk on the preceding day. 
At 6h. p.m., the Hotspur having 
sunk one of the brigs and driven 
two on shore, took the ground, 
when within less than half gun¬ 
shot of the shore. The Hotspur, 
during this time, was exposed to 
a heavy fire from the brigs, a 
battery, and some field-pieces, by 
which she sustained considerable 


damage in her hull, masts, and 
rigging, and a loss of two mid¬ 
shipmen (William Smith and 
Alexander Hay) and three men 
killed, and twenty-two wounded. 

September 9. 

1797. The French privateer 
Decouverte was captured in the 
Channel by the Unite, 36, Capt. 
Rowley. 

1840. Admiral Stopford ar¬ 
rived off Beyrout, accompanied 
by part of the fleet, which, with 
those already assembled there 
under Commodore Sir Charles 
Napier, amounted to thirteen 
ships of the line, several frigates 
and sloops. Five Turkish ships 
of war and three Austrian also 
arrived on the same day. During 
the night, the marines of the 
fleet, together with 5000 Turkish 
troops, were embarked on board 
the steam-ships Gorgon, Cyclops, 
and Phoenix, which were to make 
a feint of landing on the cape, 
under cover of the guns of the 
Dido and Wasp. The next morn¬ 
ing the whole fleet got under 
way, and stood close in. The 
Benbow, 74, having anchored, 
threw shells with great precision, 
and several ships joined in the 
cannonade. Having by these 
means drawn the enemy to a par¬ 
ticular part of the cape, the com¬ 
modore, by signal from the ad¬ 
miral, crossed the bay to a spot 
ten miles distant from the ex¬ 
pected point of disembarkation, 
where a landing was effected, in 
D’Jouni bay, without opposition. 

September 10. 

1759. Pocock and D’ Aciie.— 
The squadron in the East Indies, 
under Vice-Adm. Pocock, dis¬ 
covered the French squadron 
under the Comte d’Ache off Cey- 






September 11. 


NAVY. 


569 


Ion on 4th September, and, after 
an anxious chase of six days, a 
change of wind enabled the Bri¬ 
tish to bring on an action. The 
British squadron consisted of 
Yarmouth, 66, Vice-Adm. Pocock, 
Grafton, 68, Rear-Adm. Charles 
Stevens, Elizabeth, 64, Tiger, 60, 
Sunderland, 60, Weymouth, 60, 
Cumberland, 58, Newcastle, 50, 
Salisbury, 50, Queenborough, 24 : 
line-of-battle force, 536 guns. 
French squadron, of Zodiaque 
(flag), 74, Minotaur, 74, Comte 
de Provence, 74, Centaur, 70, 
Illustre, 64, Actif, 64, Vengeur, 
64, Fortune, 64, Due d’Orleans, 
60, St. Louis, 60, Due de Bour¬ 
gogne, 60, and two frigates : line- 
of-battle force, 740 guns. At 6h. 
a. m. on the 10th, the French 
squadron was in line ahead on 
the starboard tack, with the wind 
north-west, distant eight miles, 
when the British bore up in line 
abreast direct for the enemy. At 
10h., the French wore, and came 
to the wind on the larboard tack. 
The British, having arrived within 
point-blank range, also hauled to 
the wind on the larboard tack, 
thus losing the opportunity of 
bringing on a decided action, and 
giving the enemy the advantage 
resulting from their heavier weight 
of metal. The Grafton, bearing 
the flag of Rear-Adm. Stevens, 
gallantly commenced the action 
with the Zodiaque, but, after a 
short time, relinquished that op¬ 
ponent to Adm. Pocock, and, 
passing ahead, attacked the Ven¬ 
geur, until that ship bore up out 
of the line. The Grafton then 
pushed on to the support of the 
Tiger and Newcastle, which were 
opposed to the St. Louis and Due 
d’Orleans ; and, driving the St. 
Louis out of the line, the rear- 
admiral became engaged with 
the Orleans and Minotaur. Adm. 
Pocock continued to engage the 


Zodiaque, while the Illustre was 
opposed to the Salisbury, until 
the latter becoming disabled, 
her opponent was attacked by 
the Sunderland and Weymouth. 
After a contest of six hours, 
the French bore up and quitted 
the scene of action, leaving 
the British too much disabled 
to follow. The Yarmouth had 
39 killed and wounded, Graf¬ 
ton 83, Elizabeth 77, Tiger 
168, Sunderland two, Cumber¬ 
land 52, Newcastle 115, and the 
Salisbury 36: total 569. The 
French loss was estimated at 
1500 killed and wounded. 

September 11. 

1809. Diana and Zephyr.— 
The 10-gun brig Diana, long 6- 
pounders, and 45 men, Lieut. 
William Kempthorne, standing 
into the bay of Amarang, on the 
north end of the Dutch island of 
Celebes, discovered the Dutch 
brig of war Zephyr, of 14 long 
6-pounders and 45 men, lying 
at anchor under a fort. Lieut. 
Kempthorne resolved to attempt 
her capture with the boats ' at 
night; but, in the meantime, the 
Zephyr had shifted her position 
to take shelter under a strong 
fort in the bay of Monado. Lieut. 
Kempthorne, therefore, proceeded 
in that direction, and on the 
11th, at daylight, the enemy 
being discovered, the chase con¬ 
tinued until 4h. 30m. p. m. When 
within four miles of the shore, 
the Diana succeeded in getting 
within half gun-shot of her op¬ 
ponent’s lee beam. After en¬ 
gaging about 40 minutes, the 
Zephyr, who had her gaff and 
main-topgallant-mast shot away, 
encouraged by the appearance of 
five gun-boats sweeping off to 
her assistance, ran down within 
pistol-shot of the weather beam 





















570 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 13. 


of her opponent; but shortly 
afterwards fell on board the 
Diana, and hauled down her co¬ 
lours. The Diana, taking the 
Zephyr in tow, stood towards the 
gun-boats, which were sweeping 
down in line upon her weather 
beam; but, after receiving a few 
shot from the brig, they put 
about, and left the Diana in quiet 
possession of her prize. Notwith¬ 
standing this action had lasted 
altogether one hour and ten mi¬ 
nutes, the Diana sustained no 
loss; but the Zephyr was much 
cut up, and had her first lieu¬ 
tenant and four men killed, and 
eight wounded.—fHetfat. 

September 12 . 

1799. Capture op Draak 
and Gier. — The Arrow, mount¬ 
ing 24 guns, 32-pounder carron- 
ades, Captain N. Portlock, and 
the bark Wolverine, mounting 13 
guns, carronades, on traversing 
carriages, Capt. W. Bolton, were 
detached on the 9th from the 
squadron of Vice-Adm. Mitchell, 
in quest of a ship and a brig 
lying at anchor under the island 
of Vlie, at the entrance of the 
Texel. On the morning of the 
12th, the enemy was discovered, 
and, as the British ships ap¬ 
proached, hoisted the Batavian 
republican colours. The Wolve¬ 
rine anchored within 70 yards, 
on the weather quarter of the 
Gier brig, of 14 long 12-pounders 
and 80 men, and, having fired 
one gun, the brig fired three guns 
to leeward, and hauled down her 
colours. The Arrow pushed on 
towards the ship, which was the 
Draak, of two long 32- and 16 
long 18-pounders, with six 50- 
pound brass howitzers, lying with 
her broadside directly opposed to 
the Arrow, who was for 20 mi¬ 
nutes exposed to her fire before 


she could bring her broadside to 
bear in return. Having at length 
got within 80 yards of her op¬ 
ponent, the Arrow opened her 
fire, and, after a contest of 15 
minutes, the Wolverine being 
nearly up to co-operate with her 
consort, the Draak struck her 
colours. The Arrow, out of 120 
men, had one man killed; her 
commander, one master’s mate 
(William Wilson), and seven men 
wounded. The Draak was set 
on fire and destroyed; but the 
Gier, being a fine brig of 324 
tons, was taken to England.— 
iHctral. 

September 13. 

1747. The 44-gun ship Dover, 
Captain The Hon. Washington 
Shirley, fell in with the French 
32-gun frigate Renommee, which 
had been severely engaged by the 
2 6-gun frigate Amazon on the 
previous day. After a short de¬ 
fence, the Renommee hauled 
down her colours. The Renom¬ 
mee was purchased into the navy. 

1782. Bombardment of Gi¬ 
braltar. — On the 12th of Sep¬ 
tember, about one o’clock in the 
morning, the enemy’s gun, and 
mortar boats, came over from 
Algesiras, fired upwards of two 
hundred rounds of shot and 
shell, and then retired. On the 
same morning, the combined 
fleets of France and Spain, under 
Adm. De Pointis, stood into the 
bay, and by noon 'anchored op¬ 
posite Cartcja. They amounted 
to 46 sail of the line, six being 
three-deckers, and were accompa¬ 
nied by a number of frigates. On 
the 13th, at 8h. a.m., the ten Spanish 
battering ships under Rear-Adm. 
Moreno stood towards the Rock, 
and about lOh. anchored in their 
respective stations, with un¬ 
daunted resolution, about nine 






NAVY. 


September 13. 


hundred yards from the works. 
The Spanish admiral opposite 
the King’s bastion : three ships 
extended to the southward of the 
flag as far as the Church battery, 
five to the northward, about the 
height of the Old Mole, and one 
a very little to the westward of 
the admiral. Those formidable 
machines mounted altogether 142 
guns and 5260 men. A heavy 
cannonade was immediately 
opened, supported by the cannon 
and mortars in the enemy’s lines 
and from the approaches on the 
isthmus. At the same moment 
the batteries of the garrison 
opened with hot and cold shot 
and shells; and so admirably 
were the operations conducted, 
that while the chief direction of 
the fire seemed to be poured upon 
the battering-ships, the cannon¬ 
ade towards the enemy’s lines 
was so well maintained that the 
whole peninsula appeared over¬ 
whelmed by the torrents of fire 
which were incessantly showered 
upon it. The battering-machines 
continued throughout the day 
a cannonade so tremendous as to 
admit of little, if any, appearance 
of superiority on the part of the 
fortress; and their construction 
was so formidable, that for se¬ 
veral hours the unceasing flights 
of shells and hot shot with which 
they were assailed did not make 
any visible impression upon them. 
Towards noon their firing seemed 
to slacken; and about 2h. p. m. 
the admiral’s ship appeared to be 
on fire. Their cannonade never¬ 
theless continued, although with 
less vigour. About midnight the 
flames burst out from the ad¬ 
miral’s ship ; and in a short time 
her second was also on fire ; and 
before morning some more suc¬ 
cessively took fire. Boats and 
launches from the combined fleet 
came to their assistance; and 


571 


[ although exposed to the con¬ 
tinued fire of the fortress, the 
Spaniards displayed great intre¬ 
pidity in rescuing the crews of 
the burning vessels. In the midst 
of this scene of horror, Brigadier 
Curtis, with twelve gun-boats, 
about 3h. a.m. attacked the flank 
of the enemy, who, disconcerted 
by this unexpected onset, fled 
with precipitation. The day and 
night of the 13th exhibited the 
grandest scene of military 
prowess that was, perhaps, ever 
displayed; and daylight on the 
14th disclosed one of awful and 
impressive grandeur. Numbers 
of the enemy were seen in the 
midst of the flames crying for 
assistance; and the melancholy 
condition to which those on the 
battering-ships were reduced 
produced a cessation of the firing 
both from the garrison as w'ell as 
from the gun-boats. Nine of the 
battering-ships exploded; and the 
tenth was destroyed by the Bri¬ 
tish. The loss on the part of the 
garrison amounted to 65 killed 
and 388 wounded. Gen. Elliott, 
for his distinguished services, was 
created a peer of Great Britain 
by the title of Baron Heathfield. 

1801. Capture of Esperan- 
za. — In the afternoon, the 18- 
gun brig Lark, acting commander 
Lieut. James Johnstone, being 
close off the island of Cuba, fell 
in with and chased the Spanish 
privateer-schooner Esperanza, of 
one long eight- and two four- 
pounders and 45 men, which ran 
for shelter within the Portillo 
reefs. The yawl and cutter of 
the Lark, with 16 men in each, 
were immediately despatched, 
under the orders of Lieut. James 
Pasley, to attempt her capture. 
At about 10b. 30m. p.m., the two 
boats found the schooner at an¬ 
chor awaiting the attack, and, on 
their near approach, opened a 






- - - - 

572 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 15. 


fire that severely wounded several 
of the men. Nevertheless the 
British dashed on, boarded, and 
after a sharp contest carried, the 
privateer. In this gallant and 
well-conducted enterprise, the 
British sustained a loss of one 
man killed, Mr. M'Cloud (mid¬ 
shipman) and 12 seamen wounded. 
The loss on board the Esperanza 
was the captain and 20 men 
killed, and six men wounded. 

September 14. 

1779. Pearl and St a. Moni¬ 
ca. —The 32-gun frigate Pearl, 
Capt. George Montagu, cruising 
off the Azores, early in the morn¬ 
ing chased a large ship bearing 
north-west, and at 9h. 30m. a. m. 
brought to action the Spanish 
28-gun ship Santa Monica. After 
a gallant defence of two hours, 
in which she had thirty-eight 
men killed and forty-five wound¬ 
ed, the Spanish frigate surren¬ 
dered. The Pearl suffered a loss 
of twelve men killed and nine¬ 
teen wounded. 

1801. Attack of Port Fer- 
rajo. —Rear-Adm. Sir John B. 
Warren arrived off Port Ferrajo 
on the 12th, when it was deter¬ 
mined to land a detachment of 
seamen and marines, to assist in 
an attack upon some French bat¬ 
teries, those especially which shut 
up the port. Arrangements were 
immediately made for an active 
co-operation of the squadron, 
consisting of the Renown, 74, 
Gibraltar, 80, Alexander, 74, 
Genereux, 74, Stately, 64, Pearl 
and Pomone frigates, and Vin- 
cejo brig. On the 13th, at day¬ 
break, the Dragon and Genereux, 
foi; the purpose of creating a di¬ 
version, opened a fire upon a 
round tower at Marciana; and 
on the 14th, a little before the 
day broke, 449 marines and 240 


seamen, commanded by Captain 
George Long of the Vincejo, to¬ 
gether with a party of Tuscans, 
pioneers, &c., amounting in the 
whole to about 1000 men, landed 
in tw r o divisions under Captain 
Chambers White, of the Renown. 
The attack was creditably made, 
several of the batteries destroyed, 
and 55 prisoners, including three 
captains and five subalterns, 
brought off; but the enemy ar¬ 
riving in very superior force, the 
allied detachments were com¬ 
pelled to retire with a loss of 32 
killed, 61 wounded, and 105 
missing. Of this number, Capt. 
Long, while gallantly leading his 
men to storm a narrow bridge, 
two seamen, and 12 marines were 
killed; 17 seamen and 20 ma¬ 
rines wounded ; one officer, 12 
seamen, and 64 marines missing. 
Total loss to the navy, 15 killed, 
33 wounded, and 77 missing. 

1803. Bombardment of 
Dieppe.— Captain Owen, in the 
Immortalite frigate, with bomb- 
vessels Perseus and Explosion, 
cannonaded the batteries pro¬ 
tecting the town of Dieppe, from 
8h. until llh. 30m. a.m. 

1806 . Destruction of Im¬ 
petueux. — The French 74-gun 
ship Impetueux, under jurymasts, 
endeavouring to enter the Che¬ 
sapeake river, coast of North 
America, was discovered by the 
7 4-gun ships Belleisle, Capt. Wm. 
Hargood, and Bellona, J. E. 
Douglas, and Melampus frigate. 
Finding escape impracticable, the 
Impetueux ran on shore near 
Cape Henry, where she was de¬ 
stroyed by the Melampus, after 
removing her crew. 

September 15. 

1782. Capture of Aigle. 
—The French 40-gun frigates 
Aigle and Gloire, which had been 







NAVY. 


September 16. 



repulsed on the 5th of September 
in their attack on the 74-gun ship 
Hector, one of the prizes cap¬ 
tured on the 12th of April, were 
chased into the Delaware on the 
15th by a small squadron under 
the Hon. Keith Elphinstone, in 
the Warwick, of 50 guns. The 
Gloire succeeded in getting so 
far up the river that she could 
not he effectually attacked; but 
the Aigle, which was armed with 
24-pounders on her main-deck, 
having grounded, the Vestal, 28, 
and Bonetta, 16, with the Sophie 
of 22 guns (a prize manned by 
the Warwick and Lion), were 
despatched to attempt the cap¬ 
ture of the French frigate. Those 
ships took up positions on either 
quarter of the Aigle so judiciously 
that she could not bring a gun to 
hear on her antagonists, and, 
after receiving a few broadsides, 
surrendered ; but the Aigle’s mast 
had been previously cut away, 
and the ship scuttled. She was, 
however, got off, and added to 
the British navy under the same 
name. 

1795. The Cape of Good Hope 
surrendered to a squadron under 
Vice-Admiral Sir George Keith 
Elphinstone, consisting of the 
Monarch, Victorious, and Arro¬ 
gant, of 74, America and Stately, 
of 64 guns, and two sloops, and 
a large body of troops under 
Gen. Alured Clarke. 

1803. Granville bombarded. 
— An attack was made upon the 
town of Granville by a small 
squadron under Rear-Adm. Sir 
James Saumarez. The bombard¬ 
ment lasted from 5h. until 10h. 
30m. a.m., when the falling of the 
tide compelled the squadron to 
haul off. 

1804. Centurion with Ma¬ 
rengo and Squadron.— The 50- 
gun ship Centurion, Lieut. J. R. 
Philips (Capt. Lind on shore on 


duty), lying in the Vizagapatam 
roads, with two Indiamen in 
company, was attacked by the 
French 74-gun ship Marengo, 
Rear-Admiral Linois, with the 
40-gun frigates Atalante and 
Semillante. On their arriving 
within gun-shot, the Centurion 
cut her cable, and, having stood 
towards the enemy, gallantly 
sustained this unequal contest 
until 10b. 45m., when the Ma¬ 
rengo hauled to the wind, fol¬ 
lowed by the frigates. The 
Centurion shortly afterwards 
anchored in six fathoms, to the 
NE. of the town, when Captain 
Lind joined the ship. At 11 h. 
30m., the French ships made 
another unsuccessful attack upon 
the Centurion; but they carried 
off the Princess Charlotte India- 
man. The Centurion was much 
cut up, and had one man killed 
and nine wounded. Capt. Lind 
obtained the honour of knight¬ 
hood, and a sword of 100 guineas’ 
value from the Patriotic Fund ; 
but the lieutenant who so gal¬ 
lantly commenced the action, and 
repelled the attack, had to wait a 
year for his promotion, although 
presented with a sword of fifty 
guineas’ value by the Patriotic 
Fund. — jHctfal. 

September 16. 

1710 Successful Attack of 
Ribadeo. — On 15th September, 
Captain Robert Johnson, in the 
Weymouth, 60, having the Win¬ 
chester frigate and Dursley galley 
under his orders, learning that 
two Spanish ships of war and a 
merchant vessel were lying in 
the harbour of Ribadeo, about 
sixteen leagues from Cape Or- 
tegal, proceeded thither, where 
they arrived on the 16th. Hav¬ 
ing sent the boats ahead to sound, 
the Weymouth and Winchester 







574 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 17. 


anchored between the Spanish 
ships and a battery of eight guns, 
within musket-shot. In a short 
time the enemy’s fire was silenced 
and a party of men landed to take 
possession of the battery. The 
Spanish men-of-war blew up be¬ 
fore they could be boarded ; but 
the merchant ship was brought off. 
Capt. Johnson received the honour 
of knighthood. 

1812. In the evening, the 74- 
gun ship Eagle, Capt. Charles 
Rowley, having anchored off Cape 
Maistro, near Ancona, Lieutenant 
Augustus Cannon was despatched, 
with three boats, to intercept the 
enemy’s coasting trade. On the 
morning of the 17 th, a convoy of 
23 sail, protected by two gun¬ 
boats, was discovered standing 
towards Goro. As the boats ad¬ 
vanced, the convoy, each vessel 
of which was armed with a long 
6-pounder, drew up in line of 
battle, with the two gun-boats in 
front, supported by a four-gun 
battery, and the beach lined with 
armed people. Notwithstanding 
that the boats, owing to the 
shallowness of the channel, fre¬ 
quently grounded in their advance, 
the largest gun-boat was gallantly 
carried; then, turning her guns 
upon the second gun-boat, also 
captured her, and all the convoy 
but two. Lieut. Colson Festing, 
who had succeeded to the com¬ 
mand, in consequence of Lieut. 
Cannon being mortally wounded, 
burnt six, and brought out the re¬ 
maining seventeen vessels, includ¬ 
ing the two gun-boats. Besides 
Lieut. Cannon mortally wounded, 
two seamen were killed and three 
wounded. 

1813. Swallow at Port 
D’Anzo. — Early in the morning, 
the 18-gun brig Swallow, Capt. 
Edward R. Sibly, being off port 
D’Anzo, discovered a brig and a 
xebec, between herself and that 


harbour. The boats were imme¬ 
diately despatched from the 
Swallow in pursuit of them, under 
the orders of Lieut. Samuel E. 
Cook. After a row of two hours, 
the boats overtook the French 
brig Guerriere, of four guns and 
60 stand of fire-arms, when she 
had arrived close under D’Anzo; 
and, notwithstanding that nu¬ 
merous boats and two gun-ves¬ 
sels gave their assistance, and 
kept the brig in tow until the 
British were alongside, Lieutenant 
Cook and his party gained entire 
possession of her. But, in effect¬ 
ing this, he had two men killed 
and four wounded, in his own 
boat. 

September 17. 

1797. Pelican and Trompeur. 
—The 18-gun brig Pelican, Lieut. 
Thomas White acting commander, 
at 7h. 30m. a.m. was off Cape 
Nicolas’ mole, St. Domingo, 
when a brig was observed stand¬ 
ing towards her on the larboard 
tack, with the wind at east. The 
Pelican made sail in chase, and 
about 9h. a. m. opened her fire 
while crossing the enemy on op¬ 
posite tacks. She then wore round 
under the stern of her opponent, 
and kept up a well-directed fire 
until 9h. 45m. a.m., when the 
stranger, which was the French 
privateer Trompeur, of 12 long 
six-pounders and 78 men, hauled 
on board her larboard tacks and 
made all sail away. As soon as 
the Pelican had repaired her run¬ 
ning rigging, which had been 
very much cut up, she crowded 
all the canvass she could set in 
pursuit of her antagonist. At 
45m. past noon she was again 
alongside the Trompeur, and a 
spirited action was continued on 
both sides until lh. 10m. p. m., 
when the Trompeur blew up abaft; 







September 18. 


NAVY 




575 


and in about five minutes, 
went down by the head. The 
Pelican immediately hoisted out 
the boats, and fortunately, by 
their exertions, 60 of the drowning 
crew, including the captain, were 
saved. The Pelican had one man 
killed and five wounded. 

September 18. 

1810. Capture of Venus.— 
The 38-gun frigate Boadicea, 
Commodore Rowley, with the 
Otter stoop and Staunch gun- 
brig, lying in St. Paul’s bay, Isle 
of Bourbon, discovered, abreast 
of St. Denis, the French 40-gun 
frigate Venus, and Victor cor¬ 
vette, with the late British 32- 
gun frigate Ceylon, which they 
had just captured. The Boa¬ 
dicea and consorts immediately 
weighed, and went in pursuit. 
At 8h. a.m., the Victor took the 
Ceylon in tow; but, at 3h. 30m., 
finding the British gaining rapidly 
upon them, the latter removed her 
men from the prize, and, hauling 
up, made sail towards the Isle of 
France. The Venus then stood 
towards the Boadicea, who, hav¬ 
ing ran her opponent alongside, 
at 4h. 4m. p. m. compelled her to 
surrender, after a defence of ten 
minutes, in which she had nine 
men killed and fifteen wounded; 
the Boadicea having only two 
men wounded. Taking the Venus 
in tow, the Boadicea returned to 
the Isle of Bourbon, where the 
Otter also conducted the Ceylon. 
The Venus, a fine ship of 1100 
tons, was taken into the British 
service, and, to perpetuate the 
ship so heroically defended by 
Capt. W. Willoughby at Grand- 
Port, was called Nereide, — 
j£Utral. 

1811. Reduction of Java- 

The island of Java and its de¬ 
pendencies capitulated on the 


18th September, after a series of 
gallant exploits and numerous 
skirmishes, in which the seamen 
and marines bore ample share. 
The fleet, under Rear-Adm. Robt. 
Stopford, consisting of 74-gun 
ships Scipion, Illustrious, and 
Minden, Lion, 64, Akbar, 44, 
thirteen frigates, and seven sloops, 
together with eight cruisers 
of the Hon. East India Com¬ 
pany’s service, in all 100 sail. 
The troops, 8000 strong, were 
under the command of Major- 
Gen. Wetheral and Col. Robert 
R. Gillespie. The loss sustained 
by the navy amounted to eleven 
seamen and four marines killed; 
Capt. Edward Stopford, Lieut. F. 
Noble, Lieutenants of Marines 
H. Elliott and J. Haswell; Masters 
Mates J. D. Worthy and Robert 
G. Durlop,29 seamen, and 20 ma¬ 
rines wounded,and3missing. The 
loss of the army, 141 killed, 733 
wounded: making a total loss of 
156 killed, 788 wounded, and 
sixteen missing. — JHctral. 

September 19. 

1777. Alert and Lexing¬ 
ton. — The British 10-gun cutter 
Alert, Lieut. John Bazeiey, having 
been despatched off the French 
coast, in order to intercept an 
American vessel of war, got sight 
of a brig off Ushant. At 7h. 
30m. she brought the stranger to 
action, which was continued with 
much spirit until lOh. a.m., when 
the brig wore and endeayoured to 
escape; but the cutter, having re¬ 
paired her damages, was again 
alongside of her antagonist at 
lh. p.m. The engagement was 
then renewed, and continued 
until 2h. p.m., when the brig sur¬ 
rendered. She proved to be the 
Lexington, mounting 16 guns, 
twelve swivels, with a crew of 84 
men; of which number, seven 









576 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 21. 


were killed and eleven wounded. 
The Alert, out of a crew of 60 
men, had two killed and three 
wounded. The gallant conduct 
of Lieut. Bazeley obtained his 
promotion to the rank of com¬ 
mander. 

September 20. 

1799. Defeat of the Pre¬ 
neuse. — On the 20th September, 
the armed store-ship Camel, 
mounting 24 guns, Capt. John 
Lee, and 16-gun sloop Rattle¬ 
snake, Lieut. Samuel Gooch, were 
lying in Algoa bay, with lower 
yards and topmasts down. Capt. 
Lee, having a detachment of sea¬ 
men with him, was serving with 
the army under Gen. Dundas, 
and the iieutenant of the Rattle¬ 
snake was detained on shore by 
the violence of the surf. While 
in this unprepared state, the 
French 36-gun frigate Preneuse, 
Capt. L’Hermite, stood into the 
bay and anchored about 800 yards 
from the Rattlesnake. Lieut. 
William Fothergill conducted 
the defence of the British ships 
in such an able manner, that, after 
an action of three hours’ duration, 
the Preneuse cut her cable and 
made sail out of the bay. The 
Camel was much cut up, and, out 
of a crew of 101 men, had six 
wounded. The Rattlesnake, out 
of ninety-two men, had two killed 
and seven wounded. 

1803. Gallant Defence of 
the Princess Augusta. —At 5h. 
p. m., the hired armed cutter 
Princess Augusta, of eight 4- 
pounders and 26 men, Lieut. 
Isaac W. Scott, being off the 
Texel, was attacked by two Dutch 
schooners. At 6h. 30m., the 
largest, which was the Union, 
mounting 12 guns, with a crew of 
70 men, closed with the cutter to 
windward, and by her first broad¬ 


side killed the gunner and boats¬ 
wain of the cutter, and mortally 
wounded Lieut. Scott. Mean¬ 
while, the other schooner, the 
Wraak, of eight guns and 50 men, 
ranged up on the cutter’s lee, and 
both the enemy’s vessels made 
ineffectual attempts to board. 
After an hours’ engagement, the 
enemy hauled off, and discon¬ 
tinued the action. In his dying 
moments, Lieut. Scott recom¬ 
mended the master to fight the 
cutter bravely, and desired him 
to tell the admiral (Lord Keith) 
that he had done his duty. Mr. 
Joseph Thomas, the master, fully 
acted up to his commander’s in¬ 
junctions ; for it was by the 
heroic determination of himself 
and the few hands about him 
that the Princess Augusta was 
brought off triumphantly. Her 
loss amounted to three killed and 
two wounded. 

September 21. 

1757. Southampton and Eme- 
raude. — The 32-gun frigate 
Southampton, Capt. James Gil¬ 
christ, cruising off Brest, at lh. 
p. m. brought to action the 
French 28-gun frigate Emeraude. 
In consequence of the calm that 
ensued, the ships drifted foul of 
each other, and the French made 
an ineffectual attempt to carry 
the Southampton by boarding; 
but after a severe struggle of a 
quarter of an hour, the Emeraude 
surrendered, having lost her first 
and second captains, and 60 men, 
in killed and wounded. The 
Southampton had her second lieu¬ 
tenant and 19 men killed, all her 
officers (except the captain) and 
28 men wounded. The Eme¬ 
raude was added to the 'Royal 
Navy under the English name, 
Emerald, and continued for many 
years a cruising ship. 







NAVY. 


September 21 . 


1809. Reduction of the Isle 
of Bourbon. — It having been 
determined, by Commodore Josias 
Rowley to make an attack on the 
harbour of St. Paul, Isle of 
Bourbon, on the 16th September, 
a squadron, consisting of the 
Raisonable, 64, frigates Sirius, 
Boadieea, and Nereide, Capts. S. 
Pym, J. Hatley, and Robert 
Corbett, Otter sloop, Capt. N. J. 
Willoughby, and armed schooner 
Wasp, Lieut. Watkins, having on 
board a detachment of 368 troops, 
assembled off port Louis, Isle of 
France, for that purpose. On the 
morning of the 19th, a party of 
seamen and marines, forming, with 
the troops, 604 men, were put 
on board the Nereide, and the 
squadron stood towards Bourbon. 
On the morning of the 21st, the 
detachment landed without op¬ 
position, and being in possession 
of the batteries of Lamboussiere 
and La Centiere, the seamen 
under Captain Willoughby im¬ 
mediately turned the guns on 
the shipping, the fire from which 
had considerably annoyed the 
troops. After defeating the ene¬ 
my in a sharp skirmish, the in¬ 
vaders took the battery of Le 
Neuf; but the French receiving a 
reinforcement from the interior 
and from the Caroline frigate, 
the British spiked the guns of the 
two first-captured batteries, and 
manned the guns at that of Le 
Neuf, which they opened upon the 
French frigate and her consorts. 
The fourth and fifth batteries were 
also taken, and by 8h. 30m. the 
town batteries (mounting together 
117 heavy guns), magazines, eight 
field-pieces, and all the public 
stores, together with many pri¬ 
soners, were in possession of the 
troops under Lieut.-Col. Keating. 
In the meanwhile, the British 
squadron stood into the bay, and 
opened a fire upon the 40-gun 


577 


frigate Caroline and two captured 
Indiarnen (the Streatham and 
Europe), as well as on the bat¬ 
teries. The French ships cut their 
cables and drifted on shore; but 
they were soon got off without 
having sustained material injury. 
By the evening, the demolition of 
the several batteries and of the 
magazines was completed, and 
the whole force re-embarked. 
On the 22nd, in the evening, a 
French force appearing on the 
hills, Captain Willoughby landed 
with a party of seamen, destroyed 
the storehouses and public pro¬ 
perty, and then returned to the 
squadron, without any casualty. 
In this enterprise, the loss sus¬ 
tained by the British amounted 
to two seamen and five marines 
killed, and 19 wounded. Of the 
troops, eight were killed and 40 
wounded. Total, 15 killed, 58 
wounded, and three missing. The 
Caroline was commissioned by 
Capt. Corbett under the name of 
Bourbonnaise, and the gallant 
conduct of Capt. Willoughby was 
rewarded by his appointment to 
the vacancy in the Nereide. 

1811. Capture of Yille de 
Lyon. — A French flotilla, under 
the command of Rear-Admiral 
Baste, consisting of seven prames, 
each mounting 12 guns, with a 
crew of 120 men, and ten brigs, 
each mounting four long 24- 
pounders, at 7h. a.m. stood out 
from under the batteries near 
Boulogne, with the intention of 
attacking the British squadron, 
consisting of the 38-gun frigate 
Naiad, Capt. Philip Carteret, 10- 
gun brigs Rinaldo and Redpole, 
18-gun brig Castilian, and 8-gun 
cutter Viper. At 9h. 30m. a.m., 
the leading praine, bearing the 
admiral’s flag, having tacked in¬ 
shore, the British by signal bore 
up together in chase. The Naiad 
having got within pistol-shot of 


p P 












578 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 24. 


the enemy, opened her fire on 
both sides, but finding it impos¬ 
sible, owing to the shallowness of 
the water, to close with the French 
admiral, she wore round, ran on 
board the Ville de Lyon, and 
carried her, after a gallant resist¬ 
ance, in which the French lost 
above 30 in killed and wounded. 
The Naiad had two men killed 
and twelve wounded. The Cas¬ 
tilian, her first-lieutenant (Charles 
Cobb, killed), and one seaman 
wounded. The Redpole, her pilot 
wounded. 

September 22. 

1795. Sans Culottes, French 
18-gun brig-privateer, destroyed 
by Aimable, 32, Capt. Davis. 

September 23. 

1796. Pelican and Medee.— 
At daybreak, the 18-gun brig 
Pelican, Capt. John Clarke Searle, 
being off the island of Desirade, 
found herself close under the lee 
of the French 40-gun frigate Me¬ 
dee. The Pelican made sail to 
the north-west, and was followed 
by the frigate, rapidly approach¬ 
ing. Some of the crew appeared 
to hesitate about engaging a ship 
of such superior force ; but when 
Capt. Searle recalled to their re¬ 
collection the frequent occasions 
in which they had distinguished 
themselves, and expressed his re¬ 
liance that they would not now 
sully their good reputation, nor 
place less confidence in him than 
hitherto, the noble fellows gave 
three cheers, and expressed their 
determination to do their duty 
while the brig would swim. At 
7h. a.m., the Pelican shortened 
sail, and gallantly awaited the 
approach of her formidable ad¬ 
versary, who opened her fire on 
arriving within gun-shot,—the 


brig reserving hers until her car- 
ronades would reach with effect. 
A close action was then main¬ 
tained on both sides until 8h. 
a.m., when the Medee, in much 
apparent confusion, hauled on 
board her main-tack, and made 
off to the northward under all sail, 
leaving the Pelican so much dis¬ 
abled in sails and rigging as to 
be incapable of immediate pur¬ 
suit ; but with all this damage 
the brig had only one man 
wounded. The Medee, out of a 
crew of 300 men, had 33 killed 
and wounded. The Pelican had 
only 97 men and boys on board 
in the action. 

September 24. 

1758. Caumartin, 16 guns, 
captured by Southampton 32, 
Capt. Gilchrist. 

1797. Indien, 16 guns, cap¬ 
tured off the Roches-bonnes, by 
Phaeton, 32, Capt. Stopford. 

1801. Chance and Limano. 
— The letter-of-marque Chance, 
Capt. William White, mounting 
16 guns, with a crew of fifty men, 
standing in towards the roads of 
Puna in Guayaquil bay, fell in 
with a large Spanish brig, bearing 
a broad pendant, and after some 
distant firing, brought her to close 
action at 5h. p. m. The engage - 
ment had continued upwards of 
two hours and a half, when, after 
endeavouring to make off, the 
brig was compelled to haul down 
her colours. She proved to be 
the Spanish man-of-war brig 
Limano, mounting 18 long six- 
pounders, commanded by Com¬ 
modore Du Philip de Martinez, 
the senior officer on that coast, 
with a crew of 140 men, sent 
from Guayaquil for the express 
purpose of capturing the Chance. 
She had fourteen men killed and 
seven wounded; among the latter, 










NAVY. 


September 25. 


Capt. Martinez, mortally. The 
Chance had two men killed and 
one wounded. 

September 25. 

1778. The United States 32- 
gun frigate Raleigh, Captain J. 
Barry, after being engaged an 
hour and a half with the Experi¬ 
ment, 44, Capt. Sir James Wallace, 
and Unicorn, 32, was driven on 
shore near Boston ; but was got 
off Avithout damage, and added 
to the British navy. 

1805. Calcutta and French 
Squadron. —At noon, the 50-gun 
ship Calcutta, Captain Daniel 
Woodriff, having under convoy 
the Indus East India ship, three 
whalers, and two other ships from 
St. Helena, homeward bound, in 
lat. 46° 30' north, long. 9° west, 
discovered the Rochefort squa¬ 
dron, under Rear-Adm. Allemand, 
consisting of the Majestueux, 120, 
Magnanime, Jemappes, Suffrein, 
and Lion, 74s, Armide, Gloire, 
and Thetis frigates, and two brigs. 
At daylight on the 26th, Capt. 
Woodriff directing the Indus to 
make all sail ahead with the con¬ 
voy, the Calcutta stood towards 
the Armide, then in chase of the 
merchant ships. At 3h. p. m., the 
frigate commenced tiring her stern- 
chasers, and after an hour’s action, 
hauled off to repair damages. 
At 5h. p. m., the Magnanime open¬ 
ed her fire upon the British ship, 
still running under all sail to the 
southward. As the Magnanime 
was far ahead of her consorts, the 
Calcutta was brought close to her 
opponent, and a spirited action 
was maintained for more than 40 
minutes. Being then completely 
unrigged and unmanageable, and 
the remainder of the French squa¬ 
dron rapidly approaching, the 
gallantly defended ship hauled 
down her colours. Out of 343 


579 


men and boys, the Calcutta had 
six men killed, and six wounded. 
The delay, and the direction in 
which Capt. Woodriff’ had pur¬ 
posely drawn the squadron, en¬ 
abled the ships under his charge 
to get clear. 

1806. Capture of four 
French Frigates. — Commodore 
Sir Samuel Hood, in the Centaur, 
74, with the Windsor Castle, 98, 
Achille, Monarch, Revenge, and 
Mars, 74s, and the Atalante brig, 
cruising off Rochefort, at lh. a.m. 
discovered to the leeward, and 
gave chase to, the French 40-gun 
frigates Armide, Gloire, Infati- 
gable, Minerve, and 36-gun frigate 
Themis, with Lynx and Sylphe 
corvettes, who bore up under all 
sail, steering south-west. At 5h. 
a.m., the Monarch commenced 
firing at the Armide. At 6h., the 
Infatigable hauled up to the 
north-east, pursued by the Mars, 
while the Themis with the two 
brigs bore away to the southward, 
and effected their escape. The 
Gloire, Armide, and Minerve, 
kept in close order for mutual 
support ; and at about lOh. a.m. 
the Monarch opened her starboard, 
main and quarter-deck guns upon 
the two rearmost, the swell being 
so heavy as to prevent her open¬ 
ing her lower-deck ports ; conse¬ 
quently she became much cut up. 
At 11 h. a. m., the Centaur arrived 
up, and discharged her larboard 
broadside at the Gloire and Ar¬ 
mide, while the Monarch con¬ 
tinued engaging the Minerve. 
After defending themselves with 
much credit, the Armide struck 
to the Centaur at llh. 45m.; and 
shortly after noon the Minerve 
surrendered to the Monarch. By 
this time the Mars had overtaken 
and captured the Infatigable. 
The Gloire, as a last resource, 
hauled up to the westward, pur¬ 
sued by the Centaur. At 2h. 30m. 


p p 


o 







580 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 27, 


p. m., the Mars, having joined in 
the case, opened her fire, and at 
3h. p. m. compelled the Gloire to 
haul down her colours. The 
Centaur had 3 killed, the com¬ 
modore and 3 wounded. The 
Monarch, 4 killed, 25 wounded. 
The four frigates were added to 
the British navy. The Minerve 
under the name of Alceste, the 
Infatigable that of Immortalite, 
and the Gloire and Armide re¬ 
tained their French names. 

September 26. 

1814. Destruction of the 
General Armstrong. — The 
Plantagenet, 74, Capt. Robert 
Lloyd, 38-gun frigate Rota, Capt. 
Philip Somerville, and 18-gun 
brig Carnation, Capt. George 
Bentham, cruising off the West¬ 
ern Isles, discovered, at anchor in 
Fayal road, the American priva¬ 
teer-schooner General Armstrong, 
of 7 guns, including a long 32- 
pounder, on a traversing carriage, 
and a crew of 90 men. Lieut. 
Robert Faussett was despatched in 
the pinnace of the 74, to ascertain 
the force of the schooner ; but 
owing to the strength of the tide, 
and the schooner getting under 
Avay, the boat became exposed to 
her fire, by which two men were 
killed and seven wounded. As 
the captain of the schooner had 
thus broken the neutrality of the 
port, Capt. Lloyd determined to 
attempt her capture. Accord¬ 
ingly, at 9 p.m., four boats from 
the Plantagenet, and three from 
the Rota, containing about 180 
seamen and marines, under the 
orders of Lieut. Wm. Matterface, 
pulled in towards the road. After 
a fatiguing row against a strong 
wind and current, the boats ar¬ 
rived within hail of the privateer 
at about midnight, and received 
from her, and from a battery 


armed with a portion of her 
guns on the commanding points 
of land, under which she had an¬ 
chored, a heavy fire of canon and 
musketry, which sank two of the 
boats, and killed or disabled two- 
thirds of the party on board of 
them. The remainder returned, 
and at about 10 p.m. on the 27th 
reached the Rota, having sus¬ 
tained a loss of the first and third 
lieutenants of the Roto (William 
Matterface and Charles R. Nor¬ 
man), one midshipman, and 31 
men killed. The Rota’s second- 
lieutenant (Richard Rawle), lieut. 
of marines (Thomas Park), purser 
(W. B. Basden), two midship¬ 
men, and 81 men wounded. Soon 
after daylight the Carnation 
stood in to destroy the privateer, 
but the Americans saved the Bri¬ 
tish that trouble, by setting her on 
fire themselves. 

September 27. 

1806. Capture of Presi- 
dente.— The Dispatch, 18-gun 
brig, Commander Edward Haw¬ 
kins, was in company with a 
squadron under the command of 
Adm. Louis, in the Bay of Biscay, 
when in the afternoon the signal 
was made for “general chase.” 
The wind was light and variable 
during the night, and at daylight 
the Dispatch was ahead of the 
squadron five miles, and had arriv¬ 
ed within musket-shot of La Pre- 
sidente, French 44-gun frigate, 
when it fell calm. An action 
commenced, which continued 
about three-quarters of an hour, 
when the French ship struck her 
colours, and was taken, and kept 
possession of by her daring anta¬ 
gonist, until the barge of the Ca¬ 
nopus arrived up at the end of an 
hour, and took charge of the 
prize. The Dispatch had not a 
man hurt; but was much cut up 







NAVY. 


September 28. 


in sails and rigging, with loss of 
fore-topmast. The Presidente 
was commissioned under her own 
name. 

1810. In the night, the boats 
of the Caledonia, 120, Valiant, 
74, and 38-gun frigate Armide, 
lying at anchor in Basque roads, 
■were detached under the orders 
of Lieutenant Arthur P. Hamil¬ 
ton, to capture or destroy three 
brigs, lying under the protection 
of a battery on Pointe du Che. 
As the enemy had a strong body 
of troops in the immediate vici¬ 
nity of the fort, a detachment of 
130 marines, commanded by Capt. 
Thomas Sherman, were added to 
the division of seamen from the 
three ships. At about 2h. 30m. 
a. 3i. on the 28th, the marines 
having landed under the battery, 
the alarm was immediately given 
by the brigs, and an ineffectual 
fire opened from the enemy’s 
guns. Lieut. John Little, with 
the party of marine artillery un¬ 
der his immediate command, 
pushed forward with the bayonet 
to the assault, quickly carried the 
battery, and spiked the guns. A 
considerable body of the enemy 
had approached from the country 
around, but these were kept in 
check by the fire from the car- 
ronade of the launch and divi¬ 
sions of marines under Capts. 
Sherman and M‘Lachlan. In the 
meantime the boats had effected 
the capture of two brigs and the 
destruction of the third. The 
marines were then re-embarked 
without the loss of a man killed; 
but Lieut. Little, in struggling 
with the French sentinel at the 
entrance of the battery, received 
the contents of the musket into 
his hand, which was so much 
shattered as to render amputa¬ 
tion necessary. One private was 
also wounded. The enemy had 
14 men killed in defending the 


581 


battery upon Pointe du Che.— 

fHcifal. 

1840. Storm of Sidon. — On 
27th September, a British squa¬ 
dron under Commodore Sir Chas. 
Napier, consisting of Thunderer, 
84, Capt. M. F. I'. Berkeley, steam- 
vessels Cyclops, Gorgon, Strom- 
boli, Wasp, and Hydra, with 
Austrian frigate Guerriera, and a 
Turkish corvette, bombarded the 
town of Sidon. At lh. r.M., a 
breach having been effected on 
the sea-wall, the Turkish troops, 
with a battalion of marines, under 
Capt. A. Morrison, and another 
of the same corps, under Captain 
Whylock, pushed for the shore. 
After a short struggle, the Egyp¬ 
tians were driven at all points, 
and 1800 men laid down their 
arms. In five hours from the 
commencement of the bombard¬ 
ment, Sidon was in quiet posses¬ 
sion of the assailants. Lieut. C. 
F. Hockin, of the marines, and 
two seamen, were killed; master’s 
mates W. R. O. Price (Revenge) 
and R. Maquire, (Wasp), and 19 
men wounded. 

September 28. 

1652. Dutch defeated off 
tiie Goodwun. — The Dutch fleet 
consisting of 59 men-of-war, be¬ 
sides many smaller vessels, under 
Adms. De Witte and DeRuyter, 
was discovered near the Goodwin 
sands, by the English fleet, of 
nearly equal force, commanded 
by Adms. Blake and Penn, who 
immediately stood towards them 
with a fresh breeze at W. by N. 
At about 3 p.m., Adm. Blake, in 
the Resolution, being far ahead, 
shortened sail to allow the body 
of the fleet to come up, and at 4 
p.3i. engaged them with great 
effect. The Sovereign, unfortu¬ 
nately, grounded on the shoal 
called the Kentish Knock, but 


p p 3 






582 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. September 28, 


not before she had engaged and 
sunk a Dutch rear-admiral’s ship. 
Several others of the largest 
English ships also grounded on 
this shoal; whilst those of the 
Dutch, drawing less water, went 
over it, and thus escaped being 
captured. Four of the enemy 
were dismasted, but, being taken 
in tow, escaped capture. One rear- 
admiral and two captains were 
among the prisoners. The En¬ 
glish ships had 300 men killed 
and as many wounded, and their 
masts and sails were much dam¬ 
aged; they, nevertheless, pursued 
the enemy on the two following 
days to the mouth of the Texel, 
and then returned into port with 
their prizes. 

1795. Rose and Feluccas.— 
Early in the morning, the hired 
cutter Rose, Lieut. William 
Walker, of eight 4-pounders and 
only 13 men, near Capraria, fell 
in with three French felucca-pri¬ 
vateers, and immediately bore 
away for the largest vessel, which 
was to leeward of the other two. 
Passing so close to the felucca’s 
stern as to carry away her mizen- 
mast, the Rose poured in a treble- 
shotted broadside ; then, shooting 
ahead of her to leeward, tacked 
and crossed the felucca’s bows, 
gave her another broadside, and 
having with her boom carried 
away the privateer’s foreyard, she 
surrendered. Without waiting 
to take possession, Lieut. Walker 
stood after the other vessels, one 
of which he sank, but the third 
escaped. The captured vessel 
mounted one long brass six- 
pounder, four one-pound swivels, 
and 12 musketoons on her sides; 
and had on board, when taken, 
29 men, exclusive of 13 reported 
to have been killed The priva¬ 
teer that was sunk had on board 
56 men, and the one that escaped, 
48, making a total of 146 opposed 


to 14 ! Battening down the pri- • 
vateer’s men in their vessel, and 
then taking her in tow, the cutter 
conducted her to Bastia. The 
Rose had only one man wounded. 

1801. Sylph and Artemise. 

—The 18-gun brig Sylph, Capt. 
Charles Dashwood, having re¬ 
fitted at Plymouth, was about 40 
leagues to the northward of Cape 
Pinas on 28th September, 1801, 
when she discovered and chased 
her old opponent, the French fri¬ 
gate Artemise, of 44 guns and 
350 men. After crossing each 
other three times, exchanging as 
many broadsides, at 7h. 30m. the 
Sylph obtained a position upon 
the frigate’s weather bow. A 
severe conflict continued without 
intermission for two hours and 
five minutes, when the frigate 
wore, and made sail on the oppo¬ 
site tack. The Sylph was so 
much cut up in standing and 
running rigging, that she was 
unable to make sail to renew the 
action; but, strange to say, she 
had only one person wounded, 
Mr. Lionel Carey, midshipman, 
who had been wounded in the 
former action, when the Artemise 
had 20 men killed and 40 wound¬ 
ed. Capt. Dashwood was pro¬ 
moted on 2nd November follow¬ 
ing, for his meritorious conduct 
in both these actions. — 

1810. Capt. Robert Hall, of the 
14 gun-brig Rambler, having 
been detached from Gibraltar 
with some gun-boats, in quest of 
the enemy’s privateers, after a 
pull of twenty hours, effected a 
landing on 28th September, with 
thirty officers and men, near the 
entrance of the river Barbute, 
Tarifa. After traversing the 
sand-hills to get at a large French 
privateer, protected by two 6- 
pounders and thirty dragoons, in 
addition to her own crew, Capt. 
Hall attacked the enemy so 






NAVY. 


September 29. 


vigorously, that they retreated 
with the loss of five dragoons and 
two seamen killed. The privateer 
was brought out. 

September 29. 

1719. Reduction of Vigo. 
— On 29th September, a land 
and sea-force, under the com¬ 
mand of Lord Cobham and Vice- 
Adm. Sir James Mighells, at¬ 
tacked and surprised Vigo, with 
loss of the British of two officers 
and four men killed. The opera¬ 
tions had continued only four 
days, when the place surren¬ 
dered. A great number of brass 
cannon, 8000 muskets, and am¬ 
munition, intended to be em¬ 
ployed against England, were 
seized, and seven ships, including 
three privateers, were captured. 
The troops then moved upon 
Ponte Vedra, which surrendered 
without opposition. The place 
was found to contain a quantity 
of military stores. 

1795. Southampton and 
Vestale. — The 32-gun frigate 
Southampton, Capt. James Mac- 
namara, standing in towards 
Genoa in the afternoon, discover¬ 
ed and chased the French 36-gun 
frigate Vestale, in company with 
the 28-gun corvette Brune and 
two 14-gun brigs. At 10 p. m. the 
Southampton arrived within pis¬ 
tol-shot of the Vestale, and, receiv¬ 
ing no answer to her hail, fired 
her starboard broadside into the 
French frigate’s larboard quarter. 
The Vestale returned the fire, 
but, wishing to avoid an action, 
at lOh. 25m. tacked, and was 
promptly followed by the South¬ 
ampton, who soon brought her 
larboard guns to bear. The Ves¬ 
tale, with the Brune a short dis¬ 
tance ahead of her, made all sail 
to get away. The Southampton 
having repaired her damaged rig- 


583 


ging, was soon in pursuit of the 
enemy, and at 11p. m., just as 
she was getting within point- 
blank range of the Vestale, her 
mizen-mast fell over the side. 
Although the deck was speedily 
cleared, a jury-mast erected, and 
fresh sails bent, the Vestale ef¬ 
fected her escape. Her loss 
amounted to eight men killed 
and nine wounded. 

1803. Rambler, Leda, and 
French Flotilla. — The 36- 
gun frigate Leda, Captain Robert 
Honeyman, drove on shore 
twenty-three sail of gun-vessels, 
which were attempting to escape 
from Calais to Boulogne, and the 
whole were bilged upon the 
rocks. 

1803. Two boats of the Ante¬ 
lope, 50, Commodore Sir Sidney 
Smith, under command of Lieut. 
John H. Hanchett and Midship¬ 
man W. C. C. Dalzell, sent to re¬ 
connoitre the enemy’s fleet in 
the Tcxel, were attacked by two 
schooners and five large gun- 
vessels, Lieut. Hanchett, having 
succeeded in drawing the gun- 
vessels off from the land, and 
out of reach of the schooners, 
sunk one, and killed and wound¬ 
ed many men on board the 
others. 

September 30. 

1780. Capture of the Espe- 
rance. — The 32-gun frigate 
Pearl, Capt. George Montagu, 
cruising off Bermuda, chased and 
captured, after a well-contested 
action, the French merchant fri¬ 
gate Esperance, mounting 28 
guns. The loss on board the Pearl 
amounted to one lieutenant of 
marines (J. Foulke) and five men 
killed, the master (Mr. Dunbar) 
and nine men wounded. Out of 
a creiv of 123 men, the Esperance 
had 20 men killed, 24 wounded. 


r p 4 





584 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 1. 


The prize was added to the British 
navy under the name of Clinton. 

1841. Successful Opera¬ 
tions in China. — Since the 
British forces had been withdrawn 
in February, the Chinese were 
actively engaged in erecting bat¬ 
teries. From the western extre¬ 
mity outside Guard Island to the 
eastern termination of their works, 
there was a continuous line of 
strong batteries on the sea-face, 
principally constructed of mud, 
comprising 267 embrasures, and 
95 guns of various calibre, ac¬ 
tually mounted on different 
points, independently of 41 on the 
ramparts, besides numerous gin- 
gals in every direction. The Mo- 
deste and small vessels anchored 
close to the battery on Guard 
Island, to prevent its occupation, 
while the guns of the Nemesis 
made a considerable breach in 
the walls of the fortified encamp¬ 
ment. The northerly gales pre¬ 
vented the removal of the fleet 
from the anchorage of Just-in- 
the-way before the 29 th Septem¬ 
ber, when the men-of-war and 
part of the transports reached the 
outer harbour of Chusan. The 
Modeste, Blonde, and Jupiter, 
with the Queen steam-vessel, 
proceeded to take up a position 
on the south side of the Maccles¬ 
field and Trumbull islands, to 
cover a party of artillery erecting 
a battery there. The Wellesley 
was moved as close as possible 
to the intended place of landing, 
while the Cruiser and Columbine 
were advanced within 200 yards 
of the beach ; and, by well direct¬ 
ed shot from these vessels and 
shells from the Sesostris, the 
Chinese were completely kept in 
check. The remainder of the 
transports arrived on the 30th ; 
and on the 12th October the dis¬ 
embarkation took place. The 
49th regiment and the battalion 


of marines, together with a body 
of seamen, formed the right co¬ 
lumn under Lieut.-Col. Morris, 
and were to have attacked the 
sea-defences; but as the 49th was 
not landed in time, the marines 
immediately pushed forward in 
support of the 18th regiment. 
The Chinese suffered very consi¬ 
derably and fled in all directions. 
The British troops had only 2 
killed and 27 wounded, and the 
navy 3 men wounded. 

October 1. 

1748. Conquest adore cap¬ 
tured. — A British squadron, 
consisting of the Cornwall, 80, 
Rear-Admiral Charles Knowles, 
Capt. P. Taylor; Lenox, 70, Capt. 
Charles Holmes; Tilbury, 60, 
Capt. Charles Powlett; Strafford, 
60, Capt. David Brodie; War¬ 
wick, 60, Capt. Edward Clarke, 
and Oxfbrd, 50, Capt. Edw. Toll, 
attacked a Spanish squadron of 
seven ships of the line, under 
Vice-Adm. Reggio, when about 
half-way between the Tortugos 
and the Havannah. The Corn¬ 
wall, at 2h. p.m., arrived within 
musket-shot of Vice-Adm. Reg¬ 
gio, in the Africa, 74; but having 
her main topmast and fore-top¬ 
sail-yard shot away, she was com¬ 
pelled to drop astern out of the 
line. The Lenox took the Corn¬ 
wall’s place, and maintained the 
action with great spirit; but her 
situation was rendered very cri¬ 
tical by the Spanish ships closing 
round their admiral, until the 
arrival up of the Canterbury and 
Warwick. The action then be¬ 
came general, and continued un¬ 
til 8h. p.m., when Vice-Adm. Reg¬ 
gio deemed it prudent to attempt 
a retreat. The crew of the Corn¬ 
wall having by great exertion 
refitted their ship, the Conqucst- 
adore, 74, from being much dis- 










NAVY. 


October 2. 


585 


abled, and astern of her squadron, 
became the first object of her 
renewed attack. Having run 
alongside of that ship, the Corn¬ 
wall opened so animated a fire, 
that the Spaniard had her cap¬ 
tain and many of her crew killed, 
and was compelled to haul down 
her colours. Rear- Adm. Knowles 
soon afterwards gave over the 
pursuit. He, however, fell in 
with the Africa, 74, on the second 
day after the action, anchored a 
few leagues distant from the 
Havannah. On the approach of 
the British squadron, the Spa¬ 
niards took to their boats, after 
setting fire to the ship, and she 
blew up before possession could 
be taken. Out of a force of 4150 
men, the captains of the Con- 
questadore, Africa, and Galgo, 
and 86 men were killed; the vice- 
admiral, 14 officers, and 197 
men wounded. The British loss 
amounted to 59 killed and 120 
wounded, out of a total number 
of 2900 men. 

1807. Windsor Castle and 
Jeune Richard. —Windsor Cas¬ 
tle packet, acting Capt. William 
Rogers, on her passage to Bar- 
badoes, was attacked about noon 
by a French privateer, approach¬ 
ing under all sail. The packet, 
finding it impossible to effect her 
escape, made preparation to re¬ 
ceive her opponent. At noon the 
action commenced, and shortly 
afterwards the privateerran along¬ 
side the Windsor Castle, grap¬ 
pled her, and made an attempt to 
board ; but they w r ere beaten 
back with severe loss. The enemy 
now endeavoured to get clear, 
but the mainyard of the packet, 
being locked in the schooner’s 
rigging, held her fast. At 3 p.m., 
when the Frenchmen were pre¬ 
paring for another assault, a nine- 
pounder carronade, loaded with 
double-grape, canister, and 100 


musket-balls, was discharged with 
great effect. Capt. Rogers, with 
five men out of his little crew, 
then sprang upon the schooner’s 
decks, drove the enemy from 
their quarters, and carried the 
Jeune Richard, mounting six 
long 6-pounders, and one long 
18-pounder on a traversing car¬ 
riage, with a complement of 92 
men, of whom 21 were found 
dead on her decks, and 33 wound¬ 
ed. The Windsor Castle mounted 
six long 4-pounders, and two 9- 
pounder carronades, with a crew 
of 28 men and boys, of ivhom 
3 were killed and 10 severely 
wounded. Her mainyard and 
mizen-mast were carried away, 
and her rigging, fore and aft, 
much damaged. 

October 2. 

1758. The 28-gun ship Lizard, 
Capt. Broderick Hartwell, cruising 
off Brest, fell in with the French 
corvettes Heroine and Due d’Han- 
ovre. The Heroine escaped in 
the passage of Fortenoy, but the 
Due d’Hanovre, mounting 14 
guns, was captured. 

1806 . Boats of Minerva.— 
While the 32-gun frigate Minerva, 
Capt. George R. Collier, was lying 
at anchor off Oro island, near 
Porto Novo, on the coast of Spain, 
the cutter and barge of the frigate, 
commanded by Capt. Collier in 
person in the cutter, proceeded 
in search of some Spanish gun¬ 
boats, supposed to be lying at 
Carril. After rowing seven hours, 
the cutter was hailed by a large 
gun-boat, within pistol-shot of 
the shore, accompanied by a 
smaller one, mounting a brass 
4-pounder. The gun-boat was 
immediately boarded on the 
quarter, and carried, as well as 
her attendant, without the loss of 
a man. She was the Spanish 












586 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 5. 


gun-boat No. 2., mounting one 
long 24-poundcr in the bow and 
two shot brass fours, with a com¬ 
plement of 30 men. 

October 3. 

1799. The 14-gun brig Speedy, 
Capt. Jahleel Brenton, while run¬ 
ning through the gut of Gibraltar, 
observed several small vessels 
coming out of Algesiras, which 
proved to be eight Spanish coast¬ 
ers under the protection of a 
cutter and schooner. In a short 
time, two of the coasters having 
taken refuge under the guns of a 
castle, the Speedy stood on in 
chase; and at 4h. p.m., after pass¬ 
ing under the fire of Tarifa 
castle, came up with four others 
as they were entering a bay to 
the eastward of Cape Trafalgar, 
where they anchored under the 
protection of batteries. As it 
blew hard, the Speedy could not 
venture nearer than 900 yards of 
the shore, where, having anchored, 
she opened a fire upon the castle 
and the vessels, which were soon 
abandoned by the Spaniards, af¬ 
ter cutting their cables, that they 
might drift on shore. Lieut. 
Richard William Parker was then 
despatched with the boats to ef¬ 
fect their destruction, but the surf 
broke over their vessels so heavily 
that they soon became complete 
wrecks. 

October 4. 

1797. Alexandrian and Epi- 
charis. —At daybreak, the island 
of Barbadoes bearing west four 
or five leagues, the 6-gun schooner 
Alexandrian, Lieutenant William 
Wood Senhouse, descried a 
schooner on her quarter in chase 
of an American brig to leeward. 
No sooner did the sti anger (which 
was the French privateer Epi- 


charis, of 8 guns) discover the 
Alexandrian to be an armed ves¬ 
sel, than she hauled her wind to 
the northward, and was imme¬ 
diately pursued. At 9h. a.m., 
the Alexandria overtook the Epi- 
charis, and, after an action of 
fifty minutes, compelled her to 
haul down her colours, having 
four men killed and twelve 
wounded, out of a crew of seventy- 
four. The Alexandrian had one 
seaman killed and four wounded. 

October 5. 

1804. Capture op Medea, 
Fama, and Clara. — A squadron, 
consisting of the Indefatigable, 
44, Lively, 38, Medusa, 32, and 
Amphion, 32, Capts. Graham 
Moore, G. E. Hamond, John 
Gore, and John Sutton, at 6h. 
a.m., when off Cape St. Mary, 
discovered and chased the Spa¬ 
nish frigate Medea, 40, Rear- 
Adm. J. Bustamente, and 34-gun 
frigates Fama, Clara, and Mer¬ 
cedes. The strangers formed 
the line of battle ahead, and at 
9h. a.m. the Medusa placed her¬ 
self within pistol-shot of the 
Fama. Shortly afterwards, the 
Indefatigable took a similar sta¬ 
tion by the side of the second 
ship, the Medea; and the Am¬ 
phion and Lively, as they came 
up, ranged alongside the Mer¬ 
cedes and Clara. Capt. Moore 
communicated to the Spanish ad¬ 
miral that he was ordered to de¬ 
tain his squadron; which being 
refused, the Indefatigable, at 9h. 
30m., bore down close upon the 
weather bow of the Medea, and 
the battle instantly commenced. 
In about ten minutes the Mer¬ 
cedes blew up alongside the Am¬ 
phion, with a tremendous ex¬ 
plosion. Shortly afterwards, the 
Fama attempted to make off, 
and was pursued by the Medusa. 








October 6. NA\ 


After sustaining, during 17 mi¬ 
nutes, the heavy broadsides of 
the Indefatigable, and finding a 
new opponent in the Amphion, 
who had advanced on her star¬ 
board quarter, the Medea sur¬ 
rendered. In another five mi¬ 
nutes the Clara also submitted; 
and the Lively immediately made 
sail after the Fama, which at lh. 
15m. struck to the two British 
ships in chase of her. The Lively 
had two men killed and four 
wounded; the Amphion, three 
men wounded. The Medea had 
two killed, 10 wounded; Fama, 
11 killed, 50 wounded; Clara, 
seven killed and 20 wounded; 
and the Mercedes, by the fatal 
explosion, lost the whole of her 
crew (280), except the second 
captain and about 40 men. 

1813. Attack of Port D’An- 
zo.—In the morning, the 74-gun 
ship Edinburgh, Capt. the Hon. 
George Heneage Lawrence Dun- 
das, 36-gun frigates Imperieuse 
and Resistance, sloops Eclair, 
Pylades, and Swallow, attacked 
a convoy of 29 vessels, which had 
assembled in the port of D’Anzo. 
The place was defended by two 
batteries, mounting two heavy 
guns each, on a mole; a tower 
to the northward of this, with one 
gun, and a battery to the south¬ 
ward, with two guns, flanking the 
mole. At lh. 30m. p.m., every¬ 
thing being prepared, the ships 
bore up and took their stations 
as follows:—The Imperieuse and 
Resistance against the mole bat¬ 
teries, the Swallow against the 
tower, the Eclair and Pylades 
against the battery to the south¬ 
ward, and the Edinburgh sup¬ 
porting the two last-named brigs. 
The ships, by signal, opened their 
fire together ; and shortly after¬ 
wards Lieut. Eaton Travers, of 
the Imperieuse, and the marines, 
under Captain Thomas Mitchell, 


TY. 587 


landed in the best order, close 
under the southern battery, which 
was instantly carried, driving the 
French in all directions. In the 
meantime Lieut. David Mapleton 
took possession of the convoy, 
20 of which, laden with timber 
for the arsenal at Toulon, were 
brought out without any loss, — 
all the enemy’s works having pre¬ 
viously been destroyed. 

October 6. 

1762. Expedition to Ma¬ 
nilla. — Vice-Adm. Samuel E. 
Cornish, with a squadron of 7 
sail of the line, a 50-gun ship, and 
three frigates, conveying an army 
of 2330 men under Gen. Draper, 
composed in great part of Caffres, 
Topasses and Lascars, anchored 
in Manilla bay on 23rd Sep¬ 
tember, and effected a landing at 
Malata on the 24th. On the 6th 
October, Manilla and the Philip¬ 
pine islands were surrendered, 
together with a quantity of ord¬ 
nance and naval stores, and a 
large amount of treasure. Ma¬ 
nilla was saved from plunder 
upon a promise of a ransom of 
one million sterling; which terms 
were, however, negatived by the 
king of Spain, peace having oc¬ 
curred in the interim of the ne¬ 
gotiations. 

1779. Quebec and Surveil- 
lante. —The 12-pounder 32-gun 
frigate Quebec, Captain George 
Farmer, whilst cruising off Brest, 
in company with the Rambler 
cutter, Lieut. George, chased the 
French 18-pounder 40-gun fri¬ 
gate Surveillante, which at 9h. 
a.m. commenced firing at the 
Quebec; and, the latter having 
closed, both ships, running off 
the wind, became warmly en¬ 
gaged. At 1 lh. A.M., the Ram¬ 
bler brought to action the 16- 
gun cutter Expedition, and after 





588 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 3. 


engaging for three hours, the 
enemy made off towards the 
French coast. The frigates con¬ 
tinued furiously engaged until 
2h. p. m., by which time they were 
both dismasted, and alongside of 
each other. Unfortunately, the 
Quebec, by firing through the 
sails which were lying over the 
muzzles of the guns, took fire; 
and the ship continued to burn 
with unremitting fury until 6h. 
p.m., when she blew up with her 
colours flying. By the exertions 
of the boats of the Rambler, as 
well as those of the French fri¬ 
gate, Lieutenant Francis Roberts, 
Lieutenant of Marines A. J. Field, 
the surgeon, one master’s mate, 
two midshipmen, and 36 of the 
crew were saved. Previously to 
this lamentable conclusion, Capt. 
Farmer and about 80 of his crew 
had been killed or wounded. 
The Surveillante was reduced to 
a sinking state, and it was with 
much difficulty that she reached 
a French port. The great in¬ 
feriority of the British frigate 
and the gallant manner in which 
the action was fought shed a 
lustre on the fame of her lamented 
commander. The king, to mark 
his sense of his distinguished ser¬ 
vices, conferred a baronetcy upon 
Capt. Farmer’s eldest son; and 
Lieut. Roberts was deservedly 
promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander. 

October 7. 

1760. Rear-Admiral Stevens, 
blockading Pondicherry, in the 
night of 7th October sent the 
boats of the fleet, formed in two 
divisions, commanded by Capt. 
Newsom and Lieut. Isaac Ourry, 
to cut out the French frigates 
Hermione and Baleine, moored 
close to the town, protected by 
several batteries. This service 
was executed with the greatest 


skill and gallantry, — the British 
resolutely boarding the frigates 
and towing them off in triumph, 
in spite of a determined resist¬ 
ance and a destructive fire from 
the batteries, mounting nearly 
one hundred pieces of cannon. 

1807. Boats or Porcupine — 
In the evening, the 22-gun ship 
Porcupine, Captain Hon. Henry 
Duncan, cruising in the Adriatic, 
having chased a trabacculo into 
Zupano, despatched two boats, 
commanded by Lieuts. George 
Price and Francis Smith, to bring 
her out. As they rounded a 
point near the harbour’s mouth, 
a gun-boat, under the Italian 
flag, opened a fire of round and 
grape upon them, which Captain 
Duncan observing, he recalled the 
boats; but at night they were 
again despatched on the same 
service. Having on this second 
occasion captured the guard-boat, 
mounting one 4-pounder swivel 
and manned with French soldiers, 
the boats pushed on for the gun- 
vessel, which, prepared for the 
attack, was moored close to the 
shore with four cables. In the 
face of a heavy fire of grape and 
musketry, Lieut. Price and his 
party gallantly boarded and car¬ 
ried the vessel, which proved to 
be the Venetian gun-boat Safo, 
armed with one long 24-poundcr 
and several swivels, with a crew 
of 50 men. In accomplishing 
this enterprise, only two men 
were wounded. 

October 8. 

1746. Capt. Hugh Palliser, in 
command of the Weasel sloop-of- 
war, of 12 guns, engaged two 
privateers, one mounting six guns 
and six swivels and 48 men, the 
other 10 guns, 10 swivels, and 
95 men, both of which he cap¬ 
tured. 









October 9. 


NAVY. 


589 


1747. Capture of Glorioso. 
—The 80-gun ship Russell, Capt. 
Buckle, and 50-gun ship Dart¬ 
mouth, Captain Hamilton, fell in 
with the Spanish 70-gun ship 
Glorioso near Cadiz; and at lh. 
p.m. the Dartmouth brought her 
to close action. Both ships con¬ 
tinued to engage with great spirit 
until 3h. 30m., when the Dart¬ 
mouth unfortunately, by some 
accident, blew up, and all on 
board perished, excepting Lieut. 
O'Brien and eleven seamen, who 
were taken up by the boats of a 
British privateer. The Russell did 
not arrive up with the Glorioso 
till lh. a.m. on the 9th. A warm 
engagement then ensued; and 
the Spanish ship having lost her 
main-topmast, and twenty-five 
men killed, and a great many 
wounded, surrendered. The Rus¬ 
sell had twelve men killed and 
twenty wounded. 

1800. Gipsy and Quidpro- 
quo. —At 8h. a. m., the Gipsy 
schooner, of 10 long 4-pounders 
and 42 men (tender to the Levi¬ 
athan, 74, bearing the flag of 
Rear-Admiral Duckworth), com¬ 
manded by Lieutenant Coryndon 
Boger, when cruising off the 
north end of Guadaloupe, brought 
to action a French armed sloop. 
During one hour and a half the 
two vessels continued closely en¬ 
gaged, when the Gipsy, receiving 
great annoyance from the mus¬ 
ketry of her opponent, hauled a 
little further off, and then, keep¬ 
ing up a smart fire of round and 
grape, at lOh. 30m. compelled 
her opponent to haul down her 
colours. She proved to be the 
Quidproquo, of eight guns, 4- and 
8-pounders, with a crew of 98 
men, 80 of whom were Guada- 
loupe chasseurs. The Gipsy had 
three men killed, and nine, in¬ 
cluding Lieut. Boger, wounded. 
The captain of the Quidproquo, 


and four men, were killed, and 
eleven wounded. 

1808. The 36-gun frigate Mo- 
deste, Captain the Hon. George 
Elliott, cruising off the Sand- 
Heads in the Bay of Bengal, cap¬ 
tured, after a chase of nine hours 
and a running fight of fifty mi¬ 
nutes, the 18-gun corvette Jena, 
which, although much disabled 
in sails and rigging, had not a 
man hurt. The Modeste had her 
master (Wm. Donovan) killed, 
and one seaman wounded. The 
prize was added to the British 
navy, and named the Victor. 

October 9. 

1803. The 18-gun brig Ata- 
lante, Captain J. O. Mansfield, 
having driven on shore three 
French merchant vessels under 
the battery of St. Gildas, at the 
entrance of the river Pennerf, in 
the Morbihan, the boats were 
despatched under Lieut. John 
Hawkins, who succeeded in 
boarding the vessels, in spite of 
much resistance from a party of 
soldiers ; but, being light and of 
no value, their cables were cut, 
and they drifted on the rocks. 
The boats had one man killed 
and two wounded. 

1805. Recapture of Cyane. 
—The 36-gun frigate Princess 
Charlotte, Captain George To¬ 
bin, cruising near the island of 
Tobago, discovered, at a great 
distance to windward, two sus¬ 
picious-looking vessels, a ship 
and a brig. Capt. Tobin imme¬ 
diately disguised the frigate as 
much as possible; and in a short 
time the strangers bore down. 
1 hose, which were the late British 
sloop-ship Cyane, mounting 26 
guns and 190 men, and the brig- 
corvette Naiade, of sixteen long 
12-pounders, four 2-pounder brass 
swivels, and 170 men, did not 







590 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 11 


discover tlieir mistake until the 
Cyane was within gun-shot of 
the frigate; but she did not sur¬ 
render until she had made a 
gallant defence, and, besides be¬ 
ing greatly damaged, had her 
first - lieutenant and two men 
killed, and nine wounded. The 
French commodore, by superior 
sailing, effected his escape. A 
week afterwards, the Naiade, after 
a nine hours’ chase, and some 
partial firing of 15 minutes’ dura¬ 
tion, was captured by the 32-gun 
frigate Jason. 

1806. Boats of Galatea.— 
Three boats of the 32-gun frigate 
Galatea, Captain George Sayer, 
under the orders of Lieutenant 
Richard Gettings, were sent to 
cut out some vessels at anchor 
near Barcelona. In spite of a 
heavy fire from the batteries, and 
musketry from the beach, to 
which the vessels were moored 
head and stern, three schooners 
were boarded and brought out 
without the British incurring any 
loss. 

1813. Thunder and Nep¬ 
tune. — At 8h. 30m. a. m., the 
Thunder bomb, Capt. W. O. Pell, 
observing a large lugger to wind¬ 
ward, hauled in for the land, to 
decoy her down. The stranger, 
which was the 16-gun lugger- 
privateer Neptune, of Dunkirk, 
having a crew of 65 men, taking 
the Thunder for a merchant ship, 
bore up, and, at lOh. 30m. ar¬ 
riving within hail, ordered her to 
surrender, at the same time put¬ 
ting her helm up to lay her on 
board. The British ship, at the 
same time, putting her helm 
down, discharged her four car- 
ronadcs, Avith a volley of mus¬ 
ketry. The lugger having fallen 
on board, a party of British in¬ 
stantly jumped on the privateer’s 
deck, and, after a short struggle, 
gained entire possession. The 


Thunder had only two men 
wounded; but the Neptune had 
lour killed and ten wounded. 

October lO. 

1782. Capture of San Mi¬ 
guel.— In the night, the com¬ 
bined French and Spanish fleets 
in Algesiras bay suffered material 
damage in a violent storm from 
the south-Avest. A ship of the 
line and a frigate Avere driven on 
shore near the Orange Grove; 
and two others, forced from their 
anchors, ran to the eastward of 
Gibraltar. A French ship of the 
line lost her foremast and bow¬ 
sprit ; and many others Avere 
driven over towards the garrison. 
The San Miguel, a fine Spanish 
72-gun ship, with a crew of 650 
men, commanded by Commodore 
Juan Moreno, Avas driven close 
under the fortifications of the 
rock ; and after a few shots being 
fired at her, she struck her co¬ 
lours. The confusion on board 
her Avas so great that she took 
the ground, and remained in that 
situation three or four hours, 
when, by the active exertions of 
Captain Curtis and the seamen 
under his directions, the Spanish 
ship Avas got off Avith no further 
damage than the loss of her 
mizen-mast, notAvithstanding the 
incessant fire kept up upon her 
from the enemy’s batteries, by 
Avhich a feAv men Avere killed. 

October 11. 

1746. The Nottingham, 60 
guns, Captain Philip Saumarez, 
being off Cape Clear, fell in with 
the French 64-gun ship Mars, 
having a creAv of 550 men. After 
a AA r ell-contested action, Avhich 
continued for two hours, the 
Mars, having had 40 of her crew 
killed and Avounded, struck her 










October 11. 


NAVY. 


591 


colours. The Nottingham’s loss 
amounted to only three or four 
men killed and wounded. 

1797. Battle of Camper- 
down. —The fleet under Admiral 
Duncan was lying in Yarmouth 
roads on the 9th of October, 
when, early in the morning of 
that day, the Active cutter ap¬ 
peared with the signal flying for 
an enemy. Before noon, the ad¬ 
miral with nine ships of the line 
were steering a course for the 
Texel. On the same day the 
Powerful and Agincourt joined ; 
and on the 10th the Russell, 
Adamant, and Beaulieu were seen 
with signal flying for “ an enemy 
to leeward.” At 8h. 30m., the 
Dutch fleet, consisting of the fol¬ 
lowing 21 ships, were seen formed 
in a close line, hove to : — Be- 
schermer, 50; Gelykheid, 64 
(taken) ; Hercules, 64 (taken) ; 
Devries, 64 (taken) ; Vryheid, 74, 
Adm. De Winter (taken) ; States 
General, 74, Rear-Adm. Storey ; 
Wassenaer, 64 (taken) ; Batavier, 
60; Brutus, 74, Rear-Admiral 
Bloys; Leyden, 64 ; Mars, 44 ; 
Cerberus, 64 ; Jupiter, 74, Vice- 
Adm. Reyntjes (taken)', Haerlem, 
64 (taken) ; Alkmaan, 50 ; Delft, 
50 (taken) ; Monnikendam, 40 
(taken) ; Ambuscade, 32 (taken) ; 
Heldin, 32 ; whilst nine frigates 
and 6 corvettes were as an inner 
line, forming the intervals in the 
outer one. 

British Fleet. 
Starboard Division :— 


Killed. Wounded- 


Venerable 74 guns. 

, 15 

62 

Triumph - 74 

99 

29 

55 

Ardent - 64 

99 

41 

107 

Bedford - 74 

99 

30 

41 

Lancaster- 64 

99 

3 

18 

Belliqueux 64 

99 

25 

78 

Adamant - 50 

99 

0 

0 

Isis - - 50 

99 

2 

21 



145 

•382 


Killed. Wounded. 


Starboard Division, 

145 

382 

Larboard Division 
Monarch - 74 guns 

36 

100 

Russell - 74 „ 

0 

7 

Director - 64 „ 

0 

7 

Montagu - 74 „ 

3 

5 

Veteran - 64 „ 

4 

21 

Powerful - 74 „ 

10 

78 

Monmouth 64 „ 

5 

22 

Agincourt 64 „ 

0 

0 


Total - - 203 622 

At llh. 10m. A.M., Adm. Duncan 
made the signal for each ship to 
engage her opponent in the ene¬ 
my’s line—to bear up and sail 
large, and for the van to attack 
the enemy’s rear. At llh. 30m., 
the centre of the Dutch line 
bearing south-east, distant about 
four miles, the British fleet bore 
down ; but they were not formed 
in any regular order of battle, and, 
while they were pushing on for 
the thickest of the fight, some 
seemed in doubt where to place 
themselves. At llh. 53m. Ad¬ 
miral Duncan made the signal 
to pass through the enemy’s line, 
and engage to leeward. At 
about half-past noon, Vice-A dm. 
Onslow, in the Monarch, leading 
the larboard division, cut through 
the Dutch line, between the Ju¬ 
piter and the Haerlem, then luffed 
up close alongside the Jupiter. 
The remaining ships of the lar¬ 
board division, more especially 
the Monmouth and Russell, were 
soon in action with the Dutch 
rear ships. It was a quarter of 
an hour after the Monarch had 
broken the Dutch line, that the 
Venerable passed under the stern 
o f the States General, and the 
Triumph found an opponent in 
the Wassenaer, her second astern. 
In the meanwhile the Venerable 
ranged up close under the lee of 
her first-intended antagonist, the 







592 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 12. 


Vryheid, with whom, on the 
opposite side, the Ardent was 
warmly engaged. In front, the 
Bedford, as she cut through the 
line astern of the Devries, also 
engaged the Vryheid. The Bru¬ 
tus, Leyden, and Mars, not being 
pressed upon by opponents, ad¬ 
vanced to the succour of their 
admiral, and did considerable 
damage to the Venerable and 
other British ships around her. 
The Hercules, after having caught 
fire, surrendered. At length, from 
the united fire of the Venerable, 
Triumph, Ardent, and Director, 
the three masts of the Vryheid 
fell over the side, and that 
gallantly-fought ship struck her 
colours." With the surrender of 
Admiral De Winter’s ship, _ the 
action ceased; and the British 
found themselves in possession 
of two ships of 74 guns, five of 
64 guns, one of 50 guns, and two 
frigates. The remaining ships of 
the enemy bore away for the 
Texel, and were not pursued, in 
consequence of the proximity to 
the shore, the land near Cam- 
perdown being only five miles 
distant. The Dutch admiral and 
both rear-admirals were wounded, 
the captains of the Wassenaer 
and Vryheid were killed, and 
their total loss amounted to 540 
killed, and 620 wounded. 


Comparative Force of tiie 
Two Fleets 


Number of ships 

British. 

16 

Dutch. 

16 

Broadside guns — 

Number 

575 

517 

Pounds - 

11,501 

9,857 

Crews, aggregate 

number - 

8,221 

7,157 

Tons 

23,601 

20,937 


—jHctfaT. 

1799. French privateer Borde¬ 
lais, of 24 guns, captured on 
coast of Ireland by 38-gun frigate 


Revolutionnaire, Capt. Thomas 
Twysden, after a run of 114 hours. 

1811. Boats of Imperieuse fri¬ 
gate, under Lieut. E. Travers, 
carried a fort mounting 24- 
pounders, at Positano, in gulf of 
Salerno, and brought off two gun¬ 
boats, with no greater loss than 
one man killed and two wounded. 

October 12. 

1702. Reduction of Vigo.— 
Adm. Sir George Rooke, with 15 
English, and 10 Dutch men-of- 
Avar, and some fire-ships, at¬ 
tacked the combined French and 
Spanish fleet, moored in the har¬ 
bour of "Vigo, protected by a 
strong boom, Avith a ship of the 
line at each extremity; andAvithin 
the boom Avere five ships of from 
60 to 70 guns, Avith their broad¬ 
sides bearing upon the entrance. 
Vice-Adm. Hopson, in the Torbay, 
led the attack, and, having broke 
the boom, was instantly betAveen 
the tAvo ships placed to defend the 
entrance of the harbour. The other 
ships had at length found a Avay 
through the same passage. The 
Torbay, from her exposed situa¬ 
tion, suffered most severely, hav¬ 
ing 115 men killed, besides many 
Avounded; and she Avas so much 
disabled that Vice-Adm. Hobson 
shifted his flag into the Mon¬ 
mouth. The land forces having 
gained possession of the toAvn, the 
French admiral gave orders to set 
fire to the ships of his fleet. The 
following is a summary of the 
French loss : — 

Ships. Guns. Men. 

Burnt and otherwise 
destroyed - - 7 334 2,0,30 

Taken by the English 4 284 1,750 

„ Dutch - 6 342 2,043 

Total loss to the},- n , n r co , 
French - - j 17 960 5 ’ 823 

Three Spanish men-of-war, carry¬ 
ing 178 guns, were destroyed; 
and of the 15 galleons, four were 







NAVY. 


October 13. 


taken by the English, five by the 
Dutch, and four destroyed. The 
gold and silver on board this fleet 
were computed at 20 millions of 
pieces-of-eight, but only six mil¬ 
lions were on board the galleons 
at the time of the attack. 

1798. Warren’s Action.— A 
British squadron, consisting of 
the Canada, 74, Commodore Sir 
J. B. Warren, Bart., Robust, 74, 
Captain Edward Thornborough, 
Eoudroyant, 74, Capt. Sir Thomas 
Byard, Magnanime, 44, Captain 
Hon. M. De Courcy, Ethalion, 38, 
Capt. George Countess, Anson, 
44, Capt. P. C. H. Durham, Me- 
lampus, 36, Capt. Graham Moore, 
and Amelia, 38, Captain Hon. 
Charles Herbert, when off Tory 
island, coast of Ireland, at 6h. 
a.m. discovered the French squa¬ 
dron of Commodore Bompart, 
consisting of the Hoche, 74, Im- 
mortalite, Romaine, and Loire, 
46, Bellone, Coquille, Embuscade, 
Resolue, and Semillante, of 36 
guns. At 7h. a. m., the British 
ships, having formed in line astern 
of the Robust, bore down upon 
the enemy, who had formed a line 
ahead, the commodore, in the 
Hoche, being the fourth ship from 
the rear. At 7h. 45m., the Robust 
having passed under the stern of 
the Coquille, ranged up under 
. the lee of the Hoche. The Ma¬ 
gnanime passing on, engaged the 
Loire, Immortalite, and Bellone; 
but these ships, after receiving a 
few broadsides, made sail to lee¬ 
ward. The Magnanime then 
placed herself across the bows of 
the Hoche, and at lOh. 50m. a.m. 
that ship was so entirely disabled 
that she hauled down her colours. 
The Embuscade also surrendered; 
but the Coquille made sail after 
her companions, whose object was 
to cross the bows of the Foud- 
royant, still on the starboard tack. 
In" this, the Loire and Immor- 


593 


talite succeeded; but the Bellone, 
unable to effect it, was compelled 
to haul up to windward of the 
of the Foudroyant. After re¬ 
ceiving the heavy fire of that ship, 
she became engaged with the 
Melampus, whose masts she dis¬ 
abled, and keeping up a running 
fight of one hour and fifty mi¬ 
nutes with the Ethalion, the Bel¬ 
lone was at length compelled to 
haul down her colours, with loss 
of 20 killed and 45 wounded. 
The Coquille also surrendered, 
and was taken possession of by 
the Magnanime. The Robust had 
10 men killed and 43 wounded. 
The loss on board the other ships 
was but trifling, for the total only 
amounted to 13 killed and 75 
wounded. The French loss 
amounted to 462 killed and 
wounded. — iHetaL 

October 13. 

1795. Capture of Republi- 
caine. — The 32-gun frigate 
Mermaid, Capt. H. Warre, cruis¬ 
ing off Grenada, captured the 
French 18-gun corvette Republi- 
caine, after a running fight of 
some hours, and a close action of 
ten minutes, in which the Mer¬ 
maid had one man killed and 
three wounded. The corvette, 20 
killed and wounded. 

1796. Terpsichore and Ma- 
honesa. — The 32-gun frigate 
Terpsichore, Captain Richard 
Bowen, cruising off Carthagena, 
captured the Spanish 34-gun fri¬ 
gate Mahonesa, after an action, 
within hail, which lasted from9h. 
30m. a.m. until lOh. 20m., when 
the Mahonesa endeavoured to 
make off'; but the Terpsichore 
having quickly refitted her rigging, 
was again alongside the enemy. 
In a short time the Mahonesa was 
compelled to haul down her co¬ 
lours, having, out of a crew of 





594 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 14. 


275, 30 men killed and 30 
wounded; whilst the Terpsichore, 
whose crew amounted to no more 
than 182 men, had only four 
wounded. Lieut. J. F. Devon¬ 
shire was promoted to the rank 
of commander. — iHctfal. 

1813. Telegraph and Fli¬ 
bustier. — At daylight, the Te¬ 
legraph schooner, mounting twelve 
12-pounder carronades, Lieut. 
Timothy Scriven, being off the 
entrance of the Bayonne river, 
discovered the French 16-gun 
brig Flibustier, Lieut. Daniel, 
lying becalmed under the land. 
At this time the 18-gun brig 
Challenger and Constant gun- 
brig were more than six miles 
distant, in the offing. Favoured 
by a light breeze, the Telegraph 
approached the Flibustier, which 
had anchored under the distant 
protection of a battery. At 6h. 
45in., the Telegraph, having taken 
up a raking position ahead, 
opened her fire, which was re¬ 
turned by the brig with the guns 
she could bring to bear. At 7h. 
p.m., finding that the two British 
brigs in the offing were rapidly 
approaching, the Flibustier was 
set on fire bv her own crew, who 
immediately took to their boats; 
and at 8h. 10m. the brig blew up. 
The Telegraph had not a man 
hurt, nor did she sustain any da¬ 
mage. Lieut. Scriven was pro¬ 
moted to the rank of commander, 

. and continued in the Telegraph. 
—iHctfal. 

October 14. 

1798. Capture or Resolue. 
— The French 46-gun frigate 
Immortalite and 36-gun frigate 
Resolue, which had escaped from 
the action on 12th October, were 
chased; and the Resolue being 
overtaken by the Melampus, 36, 
Captain Graham Moore, after a 


feeble resistance, surrendered; the 
Immortalite making no effort to 
succour her consort. 

1803. The 18-gun brig Racoon, 
Capt. Austen Bissell, being off 
Cumberland harbour, island of 
Cuba, at daylight chased some 
vessels under the land; and having 
arrived within gun-shot of a brig 
which had 180 troops on board, 
compelled her to haul down her 
colours. A schooner and a cutter 
were then seen standing towards 
the Racoon. When they had ar¬ 
rived within pistol-shot, the Ra¬ 
coon fired her broadside at the 
cutter, then, wearing round, dis¬ 
charged the other at the schooner, 
and continued in this manner to 
manoeuvre so effectually as to 
prevent the two vessels, whose 
decks were crowded with troops, 
from executing their project of 
boarding. After engaging an 
hour, the cutter, Amelie, carrying 
4 guns, several swivels, and up¬ 
wards of 70 troops, being reduced 
to a sinking state, surrendered. 
Having taken possession of the 
cutter, the Racoon crowded sail 
after the schooner, the Jeune 
Adcle, carrying six guns and 80 
troops, which surrendered without 
further resistance. No loss was 
sustained by the Racoon, but the 
enemy had 40 men killed and 
wounded. 

1810 . Briseis and Sans Souci. 
—The 10-gun brig Briseis Acting* 
Capt. George Bentham, in the 
North Sea, after a run of eight 
hours and an action of fifty-five 
minutes, captured the French 
14-gun schooner- privateer Sans 
Souci, having 8 men killed and 
19 wounded. The Briseis had 4 
killed and 11 wounded.—JHftfal. 

1813. At lh. p.m., the 36-gun 
frigate Furieuse, running along the 
coast towards the island of Ponza, 
observed in the port of Marinello, 
about six miles from Civita-Vee- 














NAVY. 


October 15. 


chia, a convoy of vessels, protected 
by two gun-boats, a fort of two 
long 24-pounders, a fortified 
tower, and a castle. The boats 
were immediately despatched with 
a party of seamen and marines, 
under the orders of Lieut. Walter 
Croker, who landed and stormed 
the fort on the land side. After 
a few broadsides from the Fu- 
rieuse, the battery was also car¬ 
ried, and the guns spiked. The 
French troops, having retreated to 
the castle, kept up a galling fire of 
musketry from loop-holes; not¬ 
withstanding which, 16 vessels 
were captured: two of these were 
sunk, and the remaining 14, 
deeply laden, brought out. The 
British sustained a loss of two 
men killed and ten wounded. 

October 15. 

1795. Capture of Eveillee. 
—In the morning, the 36-gun 
frigates Melampus, Captain Sir 
Richard Strachan, and Latona, 
Capt. A. K. Legge, off the isle of 
Groix, gave chase to the French 
36-gun frigates Tortue and Ne- 
reide and 18-gun brig Eveillee, 
but owing to the inability of the 
pilot to take the ships within the 
Barges d’Olonne, the frigates 
entered the Pertuis Breton in 
safety, but the Eveillee was cap¬ 
tured by the Thunderer, 74, Capt. 
A. Bertie. 

1799. On the 14th October, 
the 16-gun sloop Echo, Capt. R. 
Philpot, having chased a brig 
into Laguadille bay, Porto Rico, 
on the following day despatched 
two boats under Lieut. Napier, 
who captured a Spanish brig from 
Camana, on the main, bound to 
Old Spain, laden, and armed with 
two 4-pounders and 20 men. 


595 


October 16. 

1798. Mermaid and Loire. 
—On 15th October, the twelve- 
pounder 32-gun frigate Mermaid, 
Capt. J. N. Newman, in company 
with 18-gun brig Kangaroo, Capt. 
Edward Brace, chased the French 
40-gun frigate Loire; and on the 
16th, at 3h. p.m.,, the brig, being 
far advanced in the chase, suc¬ 
ceeded in bringing the enemy to 
action in the most gallant manner 
until her fore-topmast was shot 
away. At daybreak on the 17th, 
the Mermaid, having outsailed 
the brig, closed with the Loire, 
and both ships going nearly before 
the wind, steering north-east, be¬ 
came warmly engaged. After 
defeating the enemy’s attempt 
to board, the Mermaid, having 
gained a position on the larboard 
bow of her opponent, shot away 
her fore-topmast and cross-jack- 
yard; and at 9h. 15m. the main- 
topsail-yard. Soon afterwards, 
the main-topsail-yard of the Mer¬ 
maid came down, and as she was 
luffing across the hawse of the 
Loire, her mizen-mast and main- 
topmast went over the side. 
Leaving her antagonist thus crip¬ 
pled, the Loire put before the 
wind and was soon out of sight. 
The Mermaid had only three 
men killed and 13 wounded. 

1799. Capture of Thetis 
and Sta. Brigida. —In the morn¬ 
ing, the 38-gun frigate Naiad, 
Capt. William Pierrepoint, being 
in lat. 44° N., long. 12° 30' W., 
chased the Spanish 34-gun fri¬ 
gates Thetis and Santa Brigida. 
The pursuit continued until 3h. 
30m. a. m. on the 16th, when the 
Ethalion, 38, Capt. James Young, 
joined in the pursuit. At day¬ 
break, the 32-gun frigates Triton 
and Alcmene, Capts. John Gore 
and Henry Digby, hove in sight, 
the former astern and the latter 


Q Q 2 






596 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 17. 


to the westward. At ,7h. 30m., 
the Spanish ships separated; and 
the Ethalion, having pursued the 
Thetis, brought her to action, 
and, after a short resistance, 
compelled her to haul down her 
colours. The Santa Brigida bore 
up under all sail, steering for 
Corunna, closely pursued by the 
Triton and Alcmene. On the 
17th, at 5h. a. m., the Brigida 
passed so near the rocks of Monte 
Lora, that the Triton, following 
her, struck heavily, and sustained 
some damage ; but fortunately 
got off, and soon afterwards 
opened her tire upon the chase. 
The Alcmene being also close at 
hand, the Brigida surrendered. 
For this valuable capture, the 
captains received 40,730/. 18s.; 
lieutenants, 5091/. 7s. 3d.; war¬ 
rant officers, 2468/. 10s. 9c?.; petty 
officers, 791/. 17s. ; seamen and 
marines, 182/. 4s. 9 d. 

October 17. 

1782. A British squadron, con¬ 
sisting of Torbay, 74, Capt. J. L. 
Gidoin, London, 98, Capt. James 
Kempthorne, and Badger sloop, 
cruising off the east end of St. 
Domingo, discovered to leeward 
of them the French 74-gun ship 
Scipion, and the 40-gun frigate 
Sybille. The enemy bore away, 
pursued by the British ships. 
At 8h. p. m., the London, after 
some firing, ran alongside to lee¬ 
ward of the Scipion, and a close 
action continued for 40 minutes, 
the Sybille keeping up a galling 
fire under the bows of the Lon¬ 
don. The London, in endeavour¬ 
ing to get athwart her hawse, fell 
on board her opponent, the lar¬ 
board cat-head of the Scipion 
being abreast of the London’s 
starboard gangway. In this po¬ 
sition the action was continued 
with increased fury; but, after a 
short time, the Scipion backed 


« 

clear of the London, and, bearing 
up under her stern, raked her; 
but the latter again closed with 
the Scipion, and both ships con¬ 
tinued engaging until lOh. 20m. 
p.m., when the Sybille made all 
sail away. The London, being 
much disabled, was unable to 
close the Scipion to take pos¬ 
session, but the Torbay arriving 
up at 3h. 30m. p. m. on the 18th, 
the French ship bore up and ran 
into English Harbour, where she 
struck upon a rock and was totally 
lost. Her captain, the Chevalier 
Grimouard, was wounded, and 
her total loss amounted to 15 
killed and 46 wounded. The 
London had 11 killed and 75 
wounded. 

1809. In the morning, the 
boats of the 18-gun brigs Hazard 
and Pelorus, Capts. Hugh Ca¬ 
meron and Thomas Huskisson, 
were despatched, under the orders 
of Lieut. James Robertson, to 
attack a privateer moored under 
the batteries of St. Marie, Gua- 
daloupe. Although they were for 
some time exposed to a heavy 
fire of grape and musketry, the 
schooner was gallantly boarded 
and carried; but being moored 
to the shore by chains, she was 
set on fire, and soon afterwards 
blew up. Six men were killed, 
Lieut. Flinn and 8 wounded. 

1854. Bombardment of Se¬ 
bastopol. —On the night of the 
16th October, it was determined 
by the commanders-in-chief of 
the allied forces that the bom¬ 
bardment of Sebastopol should 
take effect on the following day, 
and that the combined fleet should, 
at the same time, attack the bat¬ 
teries at the entrance of the port. 
At about half-past six, volumes 
of smoke and flashes of fire broke 
out simultaneously from every 
part of our lines, which the enemy 
instantly returned with vigour, 








October 17. NAVY. 


597 


not only from their extensive in- 
trenchments, but on every height 
and ridge guns of heavy calibre 
were placed in battery; and the 
deafening roar of 120 pieces of 
cannon on the part of the allies, 
and above 130 on the Russian 
batteries, continued with little ces¬ 
sation until evening. As soon as 
the first guns were heard, the 
greatest activity prevailed on 
board the fleet. At 9 o’clock the 
steamers got under way, and paired 
off with the liners, to which they 
were respectively lashed. 



Guns. 



Queen, 

116 \ 

' starboard ] 
side of J 

^ Vesuvius 

Vengeance, 

84 

99 

Highflyer 

Albion, 

90 

99 

Fi rebrand 

Britannia, 

120 

99 

Furious 

(V.-Ad.Dundas) 



London, 

90 

>9 

Niger 

Arethusa, 

50 

99 

Triton 

Bellerophon, 78 

99 

Cyclops 

Rodney, 

Trafalgar, 

90 

99 

Spiteful 

120 

99 

Retribu¬ 



tion. 


Whilst the steamers Agamemnon, 
91, Rear-Adm. Lyons, Sanspareil, 
81, Terrible, 21, Sampson, 6, and 
Sphinx, were left on detached 
service. 


Ville de Paris, 


( V.-Ad. Hamelin) 
Valmy, 120 

Friedland, 120 

Montebello, 120 

Henri IV., 100 

Jupiter,(screw), 90 


Guns. 

120 alongside Primauget 


Napoleon, 
Charlemagne, 
Bayard, 

Jean Bart, 
Suffren, 

Ville de Mar¬ 
seilles, 

Alger, 

Marengo, 


90 

90 

90 

90 

90 

80 

80 

80 


(steamer) 

Canada 

Pomone 

Mogador 

Albatross 


alongside Labrador 


Christophe 
Coloinbe 
Plu ton 
(screw). 


Making a total of 24 sail of the 
line, a ship of 50 guns, and above 


twenty steamers. 

The French squadron, led by 
the Napoleon, first took their 
stations, at about half-past 12 
o’clock, on the southern side of 
the harbour, attacking forts Alex¬ 
ander and Paul, mounting, re¬ 


spectively, 180 and 200 guns; 
whilst the English assailed fort 
Constantine, of 300, another of 
150, with three minor batteries, 
of 10, 20, and 30 guns each. The 
firing soon became terrific, and 
the weather being calm, the smoke 
hung heavily about both ships 
and batteries, and frequently pre¬ 
vented anything being seen on 
either side. The body of the 
fleet was at the distance of from 
1200 to 1500 yards, whilst the 
Agamemnon, Sanspareil, London, 
Albion, Terrible, Tribune, and 
Sampson, were within 800 yards 
of fort Constantine. The British 
moved to the attack in three 
divisions, the Queen at the head 
of the right, the Britannia of the 
centre, and the detached ships, 
under Adm. Lyons, on the left. 
Owing to some misconception of 
the order of battle, the French 
and Turks approached too far 
north, and consequently the in¬ 
tended line could not be kept. 
The Queen, Capt. F. T. Michell, 
being impeded from taking her 
intended station, gallantly stood 
aAvay for and joined the inshore 
ships, and her approach was 
greeted by a signal from the 
Rear-A dm. “Well done, Queen;” 
but this noble ship having been 
set on fire by a red-hot shot, was 
obliged to retire. Towards dusk 
the Rodney joined the Agamem¬ 
non ; but about this time the 
whole fleet took their departure 
towards the offing. The ships 
which suffered most were the 
Albion, 10 killed, 71 Avounded ; 
Sanspariel, 11 killed, 59 A\ T ound- 
ed ; Agamemnon, 4 killed, 25 
wounded; Arethusa, 4 killed, 15 
wounded. 

The total loss amounting to 

Killed. Wounded. 

44 296 

Which, with the French 32 180 

Gives a total of 76 346 


Q Q 3 







593 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 19. 


October 18. 

1798. Capture of Loire.— 
In the morning, the French 40- 
gun frigate Loire, with loss of 
fore and main topmasts, was dis¬ 
covered to leeward by the 44- 
gun frigate Anson, Capt. P. C. H. 
Durham, and the 18-gun brig 
Kangaroo, Caj)t.Brace; the former 
without her mizen-mast, main- 
yard, and main cross-trees, which 
had been carried away in a squall 
on the 11th October. At lOh. 
30m. a.m., the Anson bore down 
and engaged the Loire until llh. 
45m., when both ships were much 
disabled. As the Anson dropped 
astern, the Kangaroo gallantly 
ranged up alongside the enemy’s 
frigate, whose mizen-mast falling 
over the side, carried with it her 
colours, and the Loire surren¬ 
dered. The Anson had two men 
killed and 13 wounded The loss 
on board the Loire amounted to 
48 killed and 70 wounded. 

1806. Caroline and Maria. 
—The 18-pounder, 36-gun frigate 
Caroline, Capt. Peter Rainier, 
attacked the Dutch 12-pounder 
36-gun frigate Maria Riggers- 
bergen, a 14-gun corvette-brig, 
and an armed ship of 18 guns, 
which were lying at anchor at 
Batavia roads. The Caroline an¬ 
chored within pistol-shot of the 
frigate, and, after an action of 30 
minutes, compelled her to sur¬ 
render. The British frigate sus¬ 
tained very little damage, and 
her loss amounted to 4 killed and 
17 men wounded. The Maria 
had 50 killed and wounded. 

1854. Defeat of Chinese 
Pirates.— Lieut. Wray Palliser, 
assisted by Lieut, of Marines E. 
G. Stokes, with three boats of the 
Spartan, 26, containing 85 sea¬ 
men and marines, on the 17th 
October, proceeded in company 
with the Ann steamer, Lieut. 


Morrell, to rescue a French lady, 
held in captivity by some Chinese 
pirates; and in the evening an¬ 
chored in Coulan bay. On the 
following morning the boats gave 
chase to three junks, which made 
for the shore, whose crew, after 
throwing the guns overboard, es¬ 
caped into the jungle. The French 
lady, together with a Chinese 
merchant, were, however, fortu¬ 
nately recovered, and sent to the 
steamer. The three junks being 
destroyed, the boats pulled to the 
village of Coo-choo-mee, which, 
with two other hamlets, were 
burnt. Lieut. Palliser then at¬ 
tacked a village in an adjacent 
valley, defended by four guns, 
five wall-pieces, and by large 
stones thrown from a height. In 
spite of this opposition, the bat¬ 
tery was speedily cleared, and 
the Chinese, not killed or wound¬ 
ed, hastily fled. Having burnt 
the village and 17 boats on the 
beach, the party returned to the 
Ann, without sustaining any loss. 

October 19. 

1760. Capture of Sirene.— 
On 17th October, the 50-gun ship 
Hampshire, Capt. Charles Nor- 
bury, 2 8-gun ship Boreas, Capt. 
Samuel Uvedale, and 20-gun ship 
Lively, Capt. the Hon. Frederick 
Maitland, off Cape Nicolas, chased 
five French frigates. The Boreas, 
at midnight, arrived up with the 
32-gun frigate Sirene, Commodore 
M‘Cartie, but in a short time was 
so disabled as to drop astern. 
Having repaired her damages, 
she again closed with the Sirene 
at 2h. a.m. on the 18th, and, 
after two hours’ close action, 
compelled her to surrender, with 
loss ot 80 killed and wounded, 
out of a crew of 280. Boreas, 
one killed and one wounded. 
The remaining four ships, were 












October 20. 


NAYY. 


599 


pursued by Hampshire and Lively. 
The latter was enabled to bring 
the sternmost to action at a little 
before eight, and, after a contest 
of two hours, compelled her to 
haul down her colours, having 
38 killed and 24 wounded. The 
Hampshire followed the remain¬ 
ing three frigates, and at 3h. 30m. 
p.ar. attacked the Due de Choi- 
seul; but the latter effected her 
escape into Port-au-Paix. The 
Prince Edward and Fleur de Lys 
ran on shore, and, being set on 
fire by their crews, blew up. 

October 20. 

1793. Crescent and Reunion. 
—The 18-pounder 36-gun frigate 
Crescent, with a crew of 257 men, 
Capt. James Saumarez, being off 
Cape Barfleur, as the day dawned 
on the 20th discovered the French 
12-pounder 36-gun frigate Re¬ 
union, Capt. F. A. Denian, and a 
cutter. The Crescent immediately 
edged away with a commanding 
breeze, and in a short time ran 
alongside her opponent. A spi¬ 
rited action ensued, in the early 
part of which the Crescent had 
her fore-topsail-yard and fore-top¬ 
mast shot away. She then came 
roxmd on the opposite tack, and 
brought her lax-board guns to bear 
upon the Rexxnion’s stern and 
quarter. Having also her fore¬ 
yard and mizen-topmast knocked 
away, the French frigate became 
exposed to the raking fire of the 
Crescent, and, after a gallant re¬ 
sistance of two houi’s and ten 
minutes, she struck her colours. 
The Circe, 28, Capt. J. S. Yorke, 
which had been becalmed about 
three leagues off, was now fast 
approaching. The Reunion, out 
of a crew of 300 men, had 33 
killed and 48 severely wounded; 
whilst the Crescent had not a 
man hurt by the enemy’s shot, 


and the only person injui'ed had 
his leg broken by the recoil of a 
gun. — iHctral. 

1798. Fisgard and Immor- 
talite. — The 38-gun frigate 
Fisgard, Capt. Thomas Byam 
Martin, crxxising to the westward, 
discovered the French 40-gun 
frigate Immortalite to windward, 
steering free with the wind 
WSW. At llh. 30m., the two 
frigates commenced fii-ing their 
chase guns; and, at half-past noon, 
the Fisgard having got close 
alongside, a spii'ited action was 
maintained until lh. p.m., when 
the Fisgard, being much cut up, 
dropped astern. The French fri¬ 
gate endeavoxxred to make off, 
but in less than half an hour the 
Fisgard was again in action with 
her antagonist. Both ships were 
warmly engaged until 3h. p. m., 
by xvhich time the Immortalite, 
having her mizen-mast shot away, 
her other masts badly wounded, 
and her captain, several officers, 
and 54 men killed, and 61 wound¬ 
ed, hauled down her colours. 
The loss of the Fisgard amounted 
to ten men killed and 26 wounded. 
—jFUtfal. 

1827. Battle of Navarino.— 
On 15th October the combined 
British, French, and Russian 
squadrons were assembled before 
Navarino. Various attempts to 
communicate with Ibrahim hav¬ 
ing failed, it was decided on the 
18th that the combined squadron 
should enter the harbour, and 
thence renew the negotiations. 
On the evening of the 19th, the 
vice-admiral issued instrxxctions 
for anchoring each division. At 
about lh. 30m. p.m., on the 20th 
October, the signal was made by 
the Asia to prepare for action; 
and the combined fleet, consisting 
of the following ships, imme¬ 
diately weighed, and stood into 
the harbour of Navarino. 


Q Q 4 












600 CALENDAR OE VICTOKY. October 20. 


Guns. 


British Squadron. 

Killed. Wnded. 


80 Asia, V.-A. Sir E. 
Codrington, Cap¬ 



tain Edward Cur- 
zon, K. C.B. 

19 

57 

74 Genoa, Commo. W. 
Bathurst (killed) 

26 

33 

74 Albion, Capt. John 
Ommaney 

10 

50 

46 Dartmouth, Capt. 
Thos. Fellowes . - 

6 

8 

50 Glasgow, Captain 
Hon. J. A. Maude 


2 

48 Cambrian, Captain 
G. W. Hamilton 

1 

1 


28 Talbot, Capt. Hon. 

Fred. Spencer 
10 Philomel, Captain 
Visct. Ingestrie - 
18 Rose, Capt. Lewis 
Davies 

10 Brisk, Capt. Hon. 
W. Anson 

10 Mosquito, Captain 
George B. Martin 
6 Hind cutter, Lieut. 
J. Robb - 


15 


Total - - 85 197 

French. 

Guns. 

60 Sirfcne, Rear-Admiral de Rigny. 

80 Trident. 

78 Scipion. 

80 Breslau. 

76 Annide. 

16 Alcyone. 

Daphne. 

Kussian. 

Guns. 

80 AzofF, Rear-Adm. Count Heiden. 

76 Gorgoute. 

76 Ezekiel. 

76 Newsky. 

46 Provernoy. 

48 Constantine. 

46 Elena. 

46 Castor. 

The Turkish and Egyptian ships 
were moored in the form of a 
crescent, consisting of one ship of 
84, and two of 74 guns each, 
mounting on their lower deck 
four guns of 10-inch bore, for 
throwing marble-shot of 120 lbs., 
weight, two of 64, two of 60, two 
of 50, fifteen 48-gun frigates, 26 
large corvettes, eleven brigs, and 
five fire-ships; making, with about 
40 transports, a total of above a 
hundred sail, mounting together 
2000 guns. At about 2h. p. m., 
the Asia passed unmolested with¬ 


in pistol-shot of the heavy battery 
on the starboard hand, and an¬ 
chored close alongside of a ship 
of the line, bearing the flag of the 
Captain Bey, and on the larboard, 
or inner quarter of a double- 
banked frigate, with the flag uf 
Moharem Bey, commanding tne 
Egyptian squadron.* The Genoa, 
closely following, brought up 
abreast of a double-banked fri¬ 
gate astern of the admiral, and 
the Albion anchored astern of 
the Genoa. Four ships of the 
Egyptian squadron, to windward 
of the fleet, were entrusted to the 
Kussian admiral, and those to 
leeward in the bight of the cres¬ 
cent were to mark the stations 
of the whole Kussian squadron; 
the ships of the line closing those 
of the British, and being followed 
up by their frigates. The French 
frigate Armide was directed to 
place herself alongside the outer¬ 
most frigate on the left hand side 
on entering the harbour, and the 
Cambrian, Glasgow, and Talbot, 
next to her, and abreast of the 
Asia, Genoa, and Albion. The 
Dartmouth, with the Rose, Wasp, 
Philomel, and Mosquito, were 
ordered to watch the movements 
of the six fire-ships stationed at 
the entrance of the harbour. The 
British ships of the line were 
suffered to anchor without a 
shot being fired, and the Dart¬ 
mouth following them, had also 
anchored, when Capt. Fellowes, 
perceiving some activity on board 
the fire-ships, sent a boat, com¬ 
manded by Lieut. George W. H. 
Fitzroy, to desire that the fire¬ 
ships should quit the line occu¬ 
pied by the allies. A fire was 
opened upon the boat, which 
killed the lieutenant and several 
of the crew. The Sirene and 
Dartmouth instantly opened a 
fire of musketry upon the Turk¬ 
ish vessels, to cover the boat’s 






NAVY. 


October 21. 


return. A shot from the Turkish 
admiral having been fired, the 
whole of the allied ships in posi¬ 
tion immediately opened their 
broadsides upon the Turks. The 
action then becoming general, the 
fire-ships were soon in flames: 
one blew up, and another was 
sunk. The forts, especially that 
of Navarino, committed much 
havoc on board the ships. In a 
short time the two opponents of 
the Asia were so effectually beat¬ 
en, that they dropped to leeward 
complete wrecks. She then be¬ 
came exposed to a destructive 
fire from the ships of the inner 
lines, by which her mizen-mast 
was shot away. The Genoa also 
suffered severely. Capt. Bathurst 
was mortally wounded by a grape- 
shot. The Albion was exposed 
to a cluster of ships, but her prin¬ 
cipal opponents were a ship of 
74, and two of 64 guns. One of 
these fell foul of the Albion 
and made an attempt to board, 
but the assailants were repulsed 
with heavy loss, and the Turkish 
ship was in turn boarded, and 
carried by a party of men led by 
Lieut. John Drake. Shortly after¬ 
wards she caught fire, and having 
drifted to leeward, exploded; and 
the two other opponents of the 
Albion met the same fate. The 
Rose, Philomel, and Talbot, were 
also greatly distinguished ; and 
the conduct of Lieut. Robb, in 
the Hind cutter, elicited the ad¬ 
miration of the fleets. The French 
ships behaved nobly, and the 
Russians also well maintained 
the honour of their flag. 


Summary. 



Killed. 

Wounded. 

Total killed 
and 

British 

75 

197 

wounded. 

272 

French 

43 

144 

187 

Russians 

59 

139 

198 

Total 

I W 

480 

657 




601 


October 21. 

1757. Capt. Arthur Forrest, in 
the Augusta, 60, with Edinburgh, 
Capt. William Langdon, and 
Dreadnought, 60, Capt. Maurice 
Suckling, cruising off Cape Fran¬ 
cois, at 7h. a.m. discovered a 
French squadron under M. de 
Kersaint, consisting of Intrepide 
and Sceptre, 74s, Opinatre, 64, 
Greenwich, 50, Outarde. 44, and 
Sauvage and Licorne, of 32 guns, 
At 3h. 20m. p.m., the three Bri¬ 
tish ships formed in line ahead: 
the Dreadnought leading, attacked 
the Intrepide; and the action was 
maintained with much spirit, until 
the French ships dropped astern, 
and fell foul of the Greenwich, 
producing so much confusion that 
the British were enabled to en¬ 
gage them with great effect, with¬ 
out experiencing any injury in 
return. The action had lasted 
two hours, when the French com¬ 
modore in the Intrepide was 
towed out of action by one of 
the frigates, and the whole of the 
enemy’s squadron then made off 
to leeward. The British ships 
suffered so much in their sails 
and rigging as to be incapable of 
pursuit. The Augusta had her 
first lieutenant and 8 men killed, 
and 39 wounded ; Dreadnought, 
9 killed and 30 wounded ; Edin¬ 
burgh, 5 killed and 30 wounded. 
The French squadron lost about 
600 in killed and wounded. 

1794. Capture of Revolu- 
tionnaire. — The 38- gun frigate 
Artois, Capt. Edmund Nagle 
being in company with the fri¬ 
gates, Arethusa, Diamond, and 
Galatea, gave chase to the 
French 40-gun frigate, Revolu- 
tionnaire. The Artois took the 
lead in the pursuit, and engaged 
the enemy for forty minutes; 
when the Diamond arriving up, 







602 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 21. 

the French frigate surrendered, 
having eight men killed, her cap¬ 
tain and four men wounded.— 

iHctttl. 

1805. Battle of Trafalgar. 
—On 19th October, a British 
fleet of twenty-seven ships of the 
line and four frigates, under Vice- 
Adm. Lord Nelson, was cruising 
before Cadiz. On that day, and 
on the 20th, the combined French 
and Spanish fleet of 33 ships of 
the line and 5 frigates put to sea. 
On Monday the 21st, at 6h. a.m., 
Cape Trafalgar bearing east by 
south, distant seven leagues, the 
combined fleet was discovered 
about ten miles to leeward. The 
British soon after boro up, and 
formed the order of sailing in 
two columns. At 8h. 30m. the 
enemy wore and formed in line 
on the larboard tack. Owing to 
the lightness of the wind and the 
heavy swell, it was near 1 Oh. a.m. 
before the manoeuvre was com¬ 
pleted, and then the line was so 
very irregularly formed, that it 
was nearly in the shape of a cres¬ 
cent, particularly towards the 
rear. The Victory leading the 
weather, and the Royal Sovereign 
the lee column of the British 
fleet, Lord Nelson telegraphed to 
Lord Collingwood, “ I intend to 
pass through the van of the 
enemy’s line, to prevent him from 
getting into Cadiz.” The signal 
was next made, “ Prepare to an¬ 
chor after close of day;” and 
shortly afterwards, that emphatic 
injunction was telegraphed to the 
fleet, “ England expects every 
man will do his duty.” 

It was just at noon, the wind very 
light, the sea smooth, with a heavy 
swell setting from the westward, 
when the Fougueux, the ship next 
astern to the Santa Ana, opened 
her fire upon the Royal Sovereign, 
as did other ships as they brought 
their guns to bear. At ten mi- 

nutes past noon, the Royal Sove¬ 
reign passed close astern of the 
Santa Ana, and ranged close 
alongside of the three-decker, to 
leeward. The Sovereign was also 
exposed to the fire of the San 
Leandro, San J usto, and Indompt- 
able, within 300 yards on her 
starboard bow and quarter. Just 
at this time the mizen-topmast of 
the Spanish three-decker was 
shot away ; by lh. p.m., her three 
masts had fallen over the s dc; 
and after a severe contest of little 
more than two hours, the Santa 
Ana struck her colours. At this 
period the mizen-mast of the 
Royal Sovereign came down, and 
shortly afterwards her main-mast 
fell over the side ; whilst the tot¬ 
tering foremast was so crippled, 
that the British ship was almost 
as much disabled as the one she 
had so gallantly captured. 

After sustaining the fire of the 
centre and part of the rear of the 
combined line, for more than 
twenty minutes, the Belleisle, at 

30 minutes past noon, discharged 
a broadside into the stern of the 
Santa Ana, and with her star¬ 
board guns exchanged some shot 
with the Fougueux. She then 
steered for the stern of the In- 
domptable; but the latter, after 
the exchange of some broadsides, 
bore away to the south-east. At 
lh. p.m., the Fougueux ranged 
up on the starboard side, but in 
a quarter of an hour, hauled to 
the northward and ran on board 
the Temeraire. At this time, as 
the Belleisle lay with main-top¬ 
mast and mizen-mast shot away, 
the French Achille stationed her¬ 
self on the larboard quarter, 
while the Aigle engaged her dis¬ 
tantly on the starboard side, as 
did the San Leandro and Justo, 
as they passed ahead towards the 
rear of the line. At 3h. 15m., the 
Belleisle was lying totally dismast- 










NAVY. 


October 21. 


603 


ed, when the Swiftsure passed 
under her stern, and soon gave 
full occupation to the French 
Achille. 

The Mars, as she broke through 
the line, became engaged with the 
Pluton (from which ship Capt. 
Duff was killed); and she also 
found opponents in the Monarca 
and the Algesiras; but the Tonnant 
arriving up, passed under the stern 
of the Spanish ship, and so®n 
compelled her to haul down her 
colours. She then ran the Alge- 
‘siras on board, being at the same 
time engaged by the San Juan 
on her larboard bow, and the 
Monarca, who had re-hoisted her 
colours, on her quarter. The 
French ship now made a serious 
attempt to board, but the assail¬ 
ants were repulsed with great loss; 
and at 2h. 15m. she struck her 
colours, having 200 men killed 
and wounded, including Rcar- 
Adm. Magon, mortally wounded. 

The Bellerophon, passing under 
the stern of the Monarca, at 50 
minutes past noon, ran foul of 
the Aigle. Whilst engaging that 
ship, the Bellerophon sustained 
the fire of the Monarca and Mon¬ 
tanez to windward, and the Ba¬ 
hama and Swiftsure to leeward. 
At. lh. p.m., her main and mizen 
topmasts fell over the starboard 
side, and shortly afterwards Capt. 
Cooke was killed; and at lh. 40m. 
P.M., the Aigle, after several in¬ 
effectual attempts to board, 
dropped astern. 

At about lh. p.m., the Colossus 
ran on board the larboard side of 
the Argonaute, and in about a 
quarter of an hour the French 
ship dropped astern. After en¬ 
gaging the Swiftsure, the Colossus, 
directing her entire attention to 
the Bahama, compelled her to sur¬ 
render ; and then renewed her 
contest with the Swiftsure, who 
lost her mizen-mast just as Belle¬ 


rophon brought down her main¬ 
mast, and the French ship sur¬ 
rendered. The Colossus lost her 
mizen-mast, and the mainmast 
went during the night. 

The Achille, following closely 
after the Colossus, passed under 
the stern of the Montanez; but in 
a short time the Spanish ship 
sheered off. The Achille then 
stood away to succour the Belle- 
isle, which was lying partly 
dismasted, with three ships upon 
her, and engaged the Argonaute 
until she compelled her to strike 
her colours. The Achille soon 
found fresh opponents in the 
French Achille and the Berwick. 
The two ships were warmly en¬ 
gaged for upwards of an lioTir, 
when the Berwick hauled down 
her colours. 

At 2h. 20m., the Dreadnought 
ran on board of and captured the 
San Juan, which, having been 
previously engaged by the Ton¬ 
nant, Bellerophon, and some other 
ships, was nearly in a defenceless 
state. The Dreadnought then 
stood on towards the Principe de 
Asturias; but, after two or three 
broadsides, the Spanish three- 
decker with several other ships 
effected their escape. 

About 3h. 25m., the Swiftsure 
opened her fire upon the French 
Achille, as the latter passed 
along the larboard beam of the 
Belleisle. The Polyphemus, after 
receiving the heavy fire of the 
French Neptune in passing be¬ 
tween that ship and the Belleisle, 
advanced upon the A chi lie’s wea¬ 
ther quarter; but in a short time, 
the French ship having taken fire, 
she ceased to engage; and the 
Prince bore down in time to 
assist in silencing that gallantly 
defended ship. The Polyphemus 
then stood away towards the De¬ 
fence, which was engaged with 
the San Ildefonso; but the Spanish 





604 CALENDAR 


colours were hauled down before 
the Polyphemus could take part 
in the action. 

The Revenge passed close ahead 
of the Aigle, and whilst hauling 
up on the larboard tack, received 
a destructive fire into her lee 
quarter from the Principe de 
Asturias, which, in conjunction 
with the ships around her, con¬ 
tinued to cannonade the Revenge, 
until the Dreadnought and Thun¬ 
derer took off the fire of the 
Spanish three-decker. 

The Defence commenced en¬ 
gaging the Berwick at 2h. 30m. 
r.M., but in less than half an hour 
the French ship hauled off. The 
San Ildefonso was the next oppo¬ 
nent of the Defence, and after 
engaging her for upwards of an 
hour, the Spanish ship struck her 
colours. 

The Thunderer, after raking 
the Principe de Asturias, was 
engaged with the French Neptune 
for a short time. 

The Defiance, at 3h. p.m., closed 
with the Aigle, and boarded her 
with little resistance, but the as¬ 
sailants were soon driven back 
to their ship. After contending 
for twenty minutes within pistol- 
shot, the Aigle surrendered. 

Returning to the starboard divi¬ 
sion, the Victory, atlh. p.m., pass¬ 
ing under the stern of the Bucen- 
taure, became exposed to the rak¬ 
ing fire of the French Neptune, as 
she ran foul of the Redoutable, 
and in a few minutes the Victory 
dropped along that ship’s star¬ 
board side. At lh. 25m. p.m., 
Lord Nelson was mortally 
wounded by a musket-ball. The 
two ships continued warmly en¬ 
gaged, when the Temeraire, ar¬ 
riving quickly up, received a sharp 
fire from the starboard guns of 
the Redoutable, and she suffered 
severely from being raked by the 
French Neptune, which brought 


OF VICTORY. October 21. 


down her fore-yard and. main-top¬ 
mast. At that moment, about 
lh. 40m. p.m., the Redoutable, 
with the Victory on her larboard 
side, fell on board the Temeraire. 
That ship having dropped along¬ 
side, the heroically-fought Re¬ 
doutable, after several resolute 
attempts to board her opponents, 
was at length overpowered, and 
taken possession of at lb. 55m., 
having 300 killed and 222 wound¬ 
ed, out of a crew of 643 men. 
Just as the Victory was booming 
herself off, the Fougueux, which 
had been engaged with the Belle- 
isle and other ships of the lar¬ 
board column, ran alongside the 
Temeraire. Lieut. Kennedy, with 
30 followers, then boarded and 
carried the Fougueux. 

It was intended that the Levia¬ 
than should have preceded the 
Victory, but the head of the 
column was now too far advanced 
to render this change practicable. 
The Neptune having shortened 
sail, to facilitate the endeavours of 
the Leviathan to pass ahead to 
her newly allotted station, at 
lh. 45m. the latter passing un¬ 
der the stern of the Bucentaure, 
brought down the French ad¬ 
miral’s main and mizen masts. 
The Neptune was soon close 
under the stern of the Santissima 
Trinidada, whose main and mizen 
masts went by the board just as 
the Leviathan opened her fire. 
The Conqueror, following the 
Leviathan, having brought down 
the Bucentaure’s foremast, then 
directed her fire at the San¬ 
tissima from to windward, while 
the Neptune engaged her to lee¬ 
ward ; and at 2h. 30m. the 
foremast of this huge ship fell 
over her bows, as she lay an un- 
manageable hulk upon the water. 
The Leviathan then hauled up 
for the ships in the enemy’s van; 
and at 3h. p.m., as the San Au- 








October 21. 


NAVY. 


605 


gustin endeavoured to pass ahead, 
a well-directed broadside brought 
down her mizen-mast, and with 
it the Spanish colours, as she fell 
on board the Leviathan. Lieut. 
Eyles Mounsheer, at the head of 
a party of men, then boarded and 
carried her without further op¬ 
position. The Africa brought 
the Intrepide to close action at 
about 3h. 30m. p.m., and notwith¬ 
standing her inferiority of force, 
continued the contest for nearly 
three-quarters of an hour; at 
which time the Orion came up, 
and, after a defence of 30 minutes, 
the Intrepide, with loss of main 
and mizen masts, struck her co¬ 
lours, having 200 killed and 
| wounded. 

Of the ten van ships of the 
enemy, four French and one 
Spanish, under Rear-Adm. Du- 
manoir, hauled their wind, and 
the remaining five kept away to¬ 
wards Cadiz. The Britannia, 
after engaging the San Francisco 
d’Asis, became opposed to the 
Rayo. The Agamemnon also ex¬ 
changed a few broadsides with 
some of the ships that bore up. 

The Formidable, Duguay 
Trouin, Mont Blanc, Scipion and 
Neptuno, as they passed to wind¬ 
ward, at about 3h. 15m. became 
engaged with the Minotaur and 
Spartiate, lying hove to on the 
larboard tack. At 4h. p.m., the 
two British 74s wore round, and 
closed with the Neptuno, who, 
after a gallant defence, surren¬ 
dered at about 5h. 10m. p.m., 
with loss of her mizen-mast and 
fore and main topmasts. Of the 
19 ships composing the rear of 
the combined line, eleven were 
captured, and seven, which bore 
away towards Cadiz, escaped. The 
Achille, at about 5h. 45m., still hav¬ 
ing her colours flying, exploded. 

The following is a statement of 
the ships in both fleets : — 


British Fleet. 
Weather Division. 


Guns. 

Killed 

. Wnded. 

100 Victory, Vice-A. 

Ld. Nelson,K.B. 57 

102 

98 Temeraire 

47 

76 

98 Neptune 

10 

34 

74 Leviathan - 

4 

22 

74 Conqueror 

3 

9 

100 Britannia, Rear- 
Adm. Earl of 

Northesk 

10 

42 

74 Agamemnon 

2 

7 

64 Africa 

18 

44 

74 Ajax 

2 

9 

„ Orion - 

1 

23 

„ Minotaur 

3 

22 

„ Spartiate 

3 

20 

Lee Division. 


Killed. 

Wnded. 

100 Royal Sovereign, 

Vice-A. Col- 

lingwood 

47 

94 

74 Belleisle 

33 

93 

74 Mars 

29 

69 

80 Tonnant 

26 

50 

74 Bellerophon 

27 

123 

„ Colossus 

40 

160 

„ Achille - 

13 

59 

98 Dreadnought 

7 

26 

64 Polyphemus 

2 

4 

74 Revenge 

28 

51 

„ Swiftsure 

9 

8 

„ Defiance 

17 

53 

„ Thunderer 

4 

12 

„ Defence 

7 

29 

98 Prince - 

— 

— 

Total 

449 

1241 


Frigates, Euryalus, Naiad, Phoebe, 
Sirius. Cutter Entreprenant. 
Schooner Pickle. 


Combined Fleet. 

Guns. 

80 Neptuno (taken).* 

74 Scipion. 

74 Intrepide (taken). 

100 Rayo. 

80 Formidable. 

74 Duguay Trouin, Rear-Adm. 

Dumanoir. 

„ Mont Blanc. 

* The Spanish ships are in italic. 
















606 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. October 23. 


Guns. 

74 San Francisco de Asis. 

„ San Augustin (taken). 

„ Heros. 

130 Santissima Trinidada , Rear- 
Adm. Cisneros (taken). 

74 Bucentaure,Vice-Adm.Ville- 
neuve (taken). 

80 Neptune. 

64 San Leandro. 

74 Redoubtable (taken). 

80 San Justo. 

„ Indomptable. 

112 Santa Ana, Vice-Admiral 
D’Alava (taken). 

74 Fougueux (taken). 

„ Monarca (taken). 

„ Pluton. 

„ Algesiras, Rear-Adm. Magon 
(killed), (taken). 

„ Bahama (taken). 

„ Aigle (taken). 

„ Swiftsure (taken). 

„ Argonaute. 

„ Montanez. 

80 Argonauta (taken). 

74 Berwick (taken). 

„ San Juan Nepomuceno 
(taken). 

„ San Ildefonso (taken). 

,, Achille (burnt). 

112 Principe de Asturias, Adm. 
Gravina. 

French frigates, Cornelie, Her- 
mione, Hortense, Rhin, Themis. 
Brigs, Argus and Furet. 

—jHctfal. 1 

1813. The Franco-Batavian 40- 
gun frigate Weser, with the loss 
of her main and mizen masts and 
fore-topmast, after resisting the 
attack of Scylla and Royalist, 18- 
gun brigs, for two days, with loss 
of 4 men killed and 15 wounded, 
was captured by Rippon, 74, Capt. 
C. Cole, on 21st October. 

October 22. 

1793. Agamemnon and French 
Squadron. — At 2h. a.m., the 64- 
gun ship Agamemnon, Captain 
Horatio Nelson, being olf Sar¬ 


dinia, on her way to .join Com¬ 
modore Linzee, fell in with a 
French squadron of five frigates, 
under Commodore Perree, which 
at 2h. a. m. were seen close on 
awind, standing to the north¬ 
west, across the bows of the Aga¬ 
memnon ; but, on observing the 
latter, they fired rockets and 
tacked. At 4li., the Agamemnon 
having hailed a frigate, and re¬ 
ceiving no reply, a shot was fired 
ahead of her; whereupon the 
stranger made all sail, steering 
two points free, followed by the 
British 64. At daylight the 
chase hoisted French colours, and 
commenced firing her stern- 
chasers, and occasionally, from 
her superiority of sailing, was 
enabled to yaw and discharge 
her broadside. The other four 
ships were under all sail on 
the Agamemnon’s weather quar¬ 
ter ; and at 9h. a. m. were gain¬ 
ing very fast. The British ship 
being nearly becalmed, the fri¬ 
gate to leeward, which was the 
Melpomene, then hauled up to 
rejoin her consorts. The Aga¬ 
memnon, having her masts badly 
wounded, and sails and rigging 
much cut, was not in a condition 
to haul to the wind in chase; 
but the French squadron had the 
option of bringing the 64 to action 
during the whole day. They did 
not, however, make the attempt, 
but pursued their route. Out of 
a crew of 345 men, the Agamem¬ 
non had one man killed and six 
wounded. 

October 23. 

1813. Capture of Trave.— 
On 21st October the 40-gun 
frigate Trave (consort of the We¬ 
ser, captured on same day by 
Rippon, 74, and also dismasted) 
was fallen in with by the 16-gun 
brig Achates, Capt. J. II. Morri¬ 
son, standing to the south-east, 











October 24. NAVY. 607 


with the wind at south-west. The 
brig, being to leeward, made sail 
in chase, and at 7h. 50m., having 
opened her fire in passing, re¬ 
ceived in return the broadside of 
the frigate. At noon, the Achates 
again exchanged shots with the 
enemy’s ship, and continued en¬ 
gaging in an advantageous posi¬ 
tion on her quarter until 8h. p. m., 
when dark and squally weather 
hid the Trave from her view. 
The French frigate, without fur¬ 
ther interruption, continued her 
course until the afternoon of the 
23rd, when the 38-gun frigate 
Andromache hove in sight. At 
3h. 30m. p. m., the Trave com¬ 
menced firing her stern-chasers, 
but the Andromache made no 
return to it until 4h. 15m., by 
which time she had gained a po¬ 
sition on the French frigate’s 
weather quarter. The fire of the 
Andromache was so close and 
well directed, that in a quarter of 
an hour the Trave hauled down 
her colours ; having, out of a 
complement of 321, one man kill¬ 
ed, her captain and 27 wounded. 
The senior lieutenant of the An¬ 
dromache, Thomas Dickinson, 
was severely, and one seaman 
slightly wounded. 

October 24. 

1779. The French 32-gun fri¬ 
gate Alcmene, captured by the 
squadron under Capt. Richard 
Edwards, cruising off Martinico. 

1793. Thames and Uranie.— 
The 32-gun frigate Thames, Capt. 
James Cotes, cruising to the west¬ 
ward of Ushant, at lOh. a. m. dis¬ 
covered the French 40-gun frigate 
Uranie standing towards her. On 
arriving abreast of the Thames, 
the enemy filed her broadside, 
then, wearing round, hauled up on 
the British ship’s weather quarter. 
A spirited action was maintained 


until 2h. 30m. p. m., when the 
Uranie bore up and raked her 
opponent. She then hauled up, 
and attempted to board her on 
the starboard quarter; but finding 
herself repulsed by the well-di¬ 
rected fire of the Thames, she 
threw all aback and hauled off, 
the crew of the British frigate 
giving three cheers at parting. 
Out of a crew of 184, the Thames 
had eleven men killed ; one lieu¬ 
tenant (George Robinson), her 
master (George Norris), master’s 
mate (David Valentine), Mid¬ 
shipman James Dale, and 23 
wounded. The Thames was only 
650 tons, whilst her opponent 
was a first-class 40-gun frigate, 
with a crew of 320 men. While 
the British frigate was repairing 
her damages, four French ships 
hove in sight, and to one of these 
the Thames surrendered. 

1798. Sirius and Furie.— -In 
the forenoon, the 36-gun frigate 
Sirius, Capt. Richard King, off 
the Texel, fell in with the Dutch 
36-gun frigate Furie and 24-gun 
corvette Waakzaamheid. After 
firing a broadside at the frigate 
as she passed, the Sirius hauled 
up for the corvette, which at 9h. 
a. m., on receiving the fire of her 
opponent, hauled down her co¬ 
lours. The Furie, on seeing the 
fate of her consort, bore up and 
made sail to escape ; but the 
Sirius, after taking possession of 
the corvette, overtook the Dutch 
frigate at 5h. p. m., and, after an 
hour’s engagement, compelled 
her to surrender. Her loss, out 
of a crew of 328, including 165 
soldiers, amounted to eight killed 
and 14 wounded. The Sirius had 
onlv one man wounded. 

October 25. 

1799. Capture of the Her- 
mione.— The 28-gun frigate Sur- 












608 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. 


October 26. 


prise, Capt. Edward Hamilton, 
arrived off the harbour of Puerto 
Cabello on the 21st October, 
when she discovered the Her- 
mione (late British), now mount¬ 
ing 44 guns, with a crew of 321 
men. moored head and stern be¬ 
tween two strong batteries, at 
the entrance of the harbour, said 
to mount between them nearly 
200 guns. On the evening of the 
24th, Capt. Hamilton acquainted 
the ship’s company with his in¬ 
tention to lead them in an attempt 
to cut out the Hermione by the 
boats; which at 8h. p.m., con¬ 
taining 100 men, pulled towards 
the Spanish frigate. About mid¬ 
night a guard-boat gave the 
alarm, and the Hermione dis¬ 
charged the bow-guns on her 
main-deck and forecastle. The 
British, nothing daunted, dashed 
boldly forward. Captain Ha¬ 
milton, with Mr. John Maxwell 
the gunner, and eight or ten men 
from his boat, boarded the Spa¬ 
nish frigate, and took possession 
of the forecastle, without much 
resistance. The gig, under the 
command of Mr. John M'Mullen 
the surgeon, boarded on the lar¬ 
board bow, and the men imme¬ 
diately joined the captain’s party. 
In the meanwhile the two cutters, 
commanded by the ffrst lieu¬ 
tenant and boatswain, had each 
been beaten off from the gang¬ 
ways. The second lieutenant, in 
the launch, had been directed to 
cut the bower, and the carpenter, 
in the jolly boat, the stern cable ; 
and then both boats, after re¬ 
inforcing the boarders, were to 
go ahead and tow the ship. Leav¬ 
ing the gunner with 12 men in 
possession of the starboard gang¬ 
way, Captain Hamilton, with the 
surgeon’s party, proceeded along 
the larboard side to the quarter¬ 
deck, where the Spanish officers 
had taken their station, which 


they obstinately defended. A 
dreadful carnage ensued among 
the Spaniards, nor did the British 
escape with impunity, — Captain 
Hamilton, the gunner, and several 
of the men being badly wounded. 
At this moment the first lieu¬ 
tenant, and acting lieutenant of 
marines, M. de la Tour du Pin, 
had boarded with their respective 
parties; and the cables being cut, 
the boats under the direction of the 
second lieutenant pulled ahead, 
and took the ship in tow, whilst 
hands went aloft and loosed the 
fore and mizen topsails. Follow¬ 
ing up their success, the officer 
of marines and the surgeon pur¬ 
sued the Spaniards on the main- 
deck so quickly that they tvere 
incapable of making a regular 
defence, and soon compelled to 
cry for quarter. The batteries 
did not open their fire until the 
Hermione was fairly under way ; 
nevertheless she was struck by 
several shot; but by 2h. a.m. the 
prize was out of reach of the bat¬ 
teries. In effecting this unparal¬ 
leled enterprise, the British sus¬ 
tained so comparatively slight a 
loss as 12 wounded, including 
Captain Hamilton by several 
contusions, and Mr. Maxell the 
gunner, dangerously and in se¬ 
veral places. Out of a crew of 
3G5, the Hermione had 119 killed 
and 97 wounded. — iHctral. 

1810. The 10-gun brig Cal¬ 
liope, Captain John M‘Kerlie, in 
the North Sea, captured the 
French schooner-privateer Com- 
tesse d’Hambourg, of 14 guns and 
51 men, after a chase of two hours 
and a smart running fight. The 
Calliope had three men wounded. 

October 26. 

1803. Capture of Resource. 
—Three boats of the 18-gun brig 
Osprey, under the command of 







October 27. 


NAVY. 


609 


Lieut. Robert Henderson, pro¬ 
ceeded in chase of the French 
privateer Resource, of four 4- 
pounders and 73 men, being un¬ 
der the land of Trinidad. The 
boat of the lieutenant being 
considerably in advance of the 
other two, that gallant officer 
dashed alongside the privateer, 
and, although exposed to a heavy 
fire from her guns and musketry, 
boarded and carried the schooner, 
which had two men killed and 
12 wounded. Lieut. Henderson 
and four seamen were wounded. 

1807. Boats of Herald.— 
In the night of 25th October, the 
boats of the 18-gun sloop Herald, 
Captain George M. Honey, com¬ 
manded by Lieut. Walter Fore¬ 
man, were sent to attack a vessel 
lying moored under the fortress 
of Otranto. Early on the morn¬ 
ing of the 26th, the boats dashed 
alongside of the French privateer 
Cesar, mounting four long 6- 
pounders, and carried her with 
the loss of only one man wounded. 

1809. The French 80-gun ship 
Robuste and 74-gun ship Lion, 
belonging to the squadron of 
Rear-Adm. Baudin, which had 
escaped from Toulon with Adm. 
Gantheaume, were driven on 
shore near Frontignan, in the 
gulf of Lyons, by a squadron of 
six sail of the line under Rear- 
Admiral George Martin. The 
French ships were set on fire by 
their own crews, and at lOh. 30m. 
p. 3 i. blew up with a tremendous 
explosion. 

October 27. 

1800. Capture of the San 
Josef. — In the evening, the 
boats of the 38-gun frigate Phae¬ 
ton, under the orders of Lieut. 
Francis Beaufort, proceeded to 
attack the Spanish polacre-ship 
San Josef, mounting two long 


24-pounders in the bow, two 
long 18-pounders for stern-chasers, 
and four 12- and six 4-pound¬ 
ers, all brass, on her sides, having 
on board 34 seamen and 22 sol¬ 
diers, lying moored under the 
protection of five guns, mounted 
on the fortress of Fuengirola, 
near Malaga. At 5h. a.m. on 
the 28th, in face of an obsti¬ 
nate resistance, the three boats 
boarded, carried, and brought 
out the polacre. In this gallant 
affair, one seaman was killed. 
Lieut. Beaufort was wounded in 
the head, and afterwards received 
several slugs in his left arm and 
in his body. Lieutenant Duncan 
Campbell received several sabre 
wounds, and Mr. Hamilton was 
shot through the thigh whilst in 
the boat; notwithstanding which 
he gallantly boarded with the 
rest : one seaman was also 
wounded, making the total Bri¬ 
tish loss one killed and four 
wounded. 

1810. Orestes and Loup- 
Garou. — At daylight, lat. 48° 
30' N., long. 8° 56' W., the 16- 
gun brig Orestes, 95 men and 
boys, Capt. John Richard Lape- 
notiere, after an hour’s chase and 
a close action of thirty minutes, 
captured the French brig-pri¬ 
vateer Loup-Garou, of 16 guns, 
and 100 men and boys. Her loss 
amounted to only 4 men wound¬ 
ed. The Orestes had not a man 
hurt. 

October 28. 

1801. Pasley and Polacre. 
—The hired armed 14-gun brig 
Pasley, Lieut. William Woold¬ 
ridge, when about twenty leagues 
from Cape de Gatt, was chased 
by Spanish polacre-ship Virgin 
del Rosario, pierced for 20, but 
mounting only ten guns, eight of 
which were long twelve-pounders 


R R 









610 CALENDAR 


and two long twenty-fours, with 
a crew of 94 men. After an 
hour’s engagement, the Pasley, 
being disabled in her rigging and 
having her gaff shot away, in order 
to prevent her adversary’s escape, 
ran the polacre athwart hawse, 
lashing the Spaniard’s bowsprit 
to the Pasley’s capstan. The 
British crew then jumped on 
board, and after a sharp struggle 
of 15 minutes, carried the po¬ 
lacre; but not until her captain, 
six officers, and 15 seamen were 
killed, and 13 wounded. On 
board the Pasley, the gunner and 
two seamen were killed; her 
commander shot through the left 
shoulder, her master, Ambrose 
Lyons (mortally), master’s mate 
(George Davies), and five seamen 
wounded. Lieut. Wooldridge 
was promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander, for the bravery evinced 
on this and on former occasions. 
—iHctral. 

October 29. 

1704. In the month of October, 
the Spaniards having formed a 
plan for the attack of Gibraltar, 
the Prince of Hesse applied to 
Sir John Leake, who was then 
at Lisbon with his fleet, for suc¬ 
cour. On the 25th of the month, 
the admiral sailed to its relief, 
and on the 29th entered the bav, 
where he surprised and captured 
three French frigates, a corvette, 
and a store-ship. The English 
fleet arrived very opportunely, 
for the Spaniards intended to 
have stormed the fortress that 
night. 

October 30. 

1794. Jacobin, 24, captured in 
West Indies by squadron under 
Capt. Truscott. 


OF VICTORY. October 31. 


1805. Prudente, 12, captured at 
the Cape of Good Hope by squa¬ 
dron under Sir Home Popham. 

1809. Milan, 18, taken off 
Ushant by Surveillante, 38, Capt. 
Sir George Collier. 

October 31. 

1803. At 9h. a. m., while the 
Leda frigate, Capt. Robert Honey- 
man, with the Lark and Harpy 
brigs, were off Etaples, working 
towards the shore, with a strong 
breeze at ESE., a brig mounting 
12 long 24-pounders, with six 
vessels under convoy, was ob¬ 
served coming out of port. The 
hired armed cutter Admiral 
Mitchell, of 12 carronades, 12- 
pounders, with a crew of 35 men 
and boys, Lieut. Alexander Ship- 
pard, being close off Boulogne, 
gallantly stood after them. At 
lOh. a. m., he brought them to 
action under the batteries of Por- 
tet, and, after engaging them up¬ 
wards of two hours, drove the 
brig and one of the sloops ashore. 
The Admiral Mitchell was much 
cut up in her masts and rigging, 
but her loss did not amount to 
more than two men wounded. 

1808. Circe and Palinure. 
—At daylight, the 32-gun frigate 
Circe, Capt. Hugh Pigot, cruising 
off fort Royal, Martinique, dis¬ 
covered the French 16-gun brig 
Palinure, under jury-masts, com¬ 
ing down before the wind, and, 
hauling close round the Diamond 
rock, by the aid of her sweeps, 
got under the protection of a 
battery on Pointe Salomon. The 
Circe opened her fire as soon as 
her guns would bear with effect, 
and, after an action of 15 minutes, 
the Palinure, having seven men 
killed and eight wounded, hauled 
down her colours. The Circe 
had one man killed and one 
wounded. 






NAVY. 


November 1. 


611 


1809. Gallant Boat Attack 
in Bay of Rosas. —On 31st 
October, the boats of the Tigre 
and Cumberland, 74s, Volontaire, 
Apollo, and Topaze frigates, 
Scout and Tuscan brigs, under 
the orders of Lieut. John Tailour, 
after dark, proceeded to attempt 
the capture or destruction of 
the 16-gun French store-ship 
Lamproie, the two armed vessels 
Victoire and Grondeur, and the 
armed xebec Normande, with 
seven merchant vessels, which 
had taken shelter under the for¬ 
midable batteries in the bay of 
Rosas. The boats moved for¬ 
ward in perfect order, and, as 
they approached the harbour, the 
alarm-gun was fired. This pro¬ 
duced a general cheer from the 
British as they dashed on to their 
allotted stations. The Lamproie 
was boarded at all points, and, 
spite of a very resolute resistance, 
carried in a few minutes. The 
Victoire, Grondeur, Normande, 
and a felucca armed with mus¬ 
ketry, shared the same fate ; and 
this was effected in the face of a 
heavy fire from the castle of Ro¬ 
sas, fort Trinidad, several other 
batteries, and of repeated volleys 
of musketry from the troops on 
the beach. By daylight on the 
1st November, every French ves¬ 
sel of the eleven was either 
brought out or destroyed. This 
gallant exploit was not performed 
without severe loss. Lieut. Dal- 
housie Tait, and Master’s Mate 
James Caldwell, ten seamen, and 
three marines, were killed. Lieuts. 
John Tailour and John Forster, 
Midshipman Dey Richard Syer, 
and one marine, severely; Lieuts. 
Richard Stuart, Hon. J. A. Maude, 
James Begbie, and Midshipmen 
H. Brady, John Webster, and 
John Armstead, 28 seamen, and 
5 marines, slightly wounded. 
Total, 15 killed, 55 wounded. 


Lieut. Tailour was immediately 
promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander, and Mr. Syer to the 
rank of lieutenant.—JHftfal. 

November 1. 

1806. The boats of the 36-gun 
frigate Pique, Capt. Charles B. 
If. Ross, under the orders of 
Lieut. Christopher Bell, cut out 
of Cabaret bay, Porto Rico, a 
Spanish brig pierced for 12 guns, 
after having destroyed a 3-gun 
battery. No loss was sustained 
by the British. 

1808. Cruiser and Flotilla. 
—The 18-gun brig Cruiser, act¬ 
ing commander Lieut. Thos. Wells, 
being off the entrance to Gotten- 
burg, fell in with about 20 sail 
of armed cutters, luggers, and 
row-boats, which she attacked, 
and succeeded in capturing a 
schuyt mounting ten 4-pounders 
and 32 men. Lieut. Wells was 
promoted.— jFl CtfaL 

1811. Attack on Palinuro. 
—An attack was made upon the 
harbour of Palinuro by a detach¬ 
ment of 250 men of the 62nd 
regiment, under Major Darby, 
acting with a party of seamen, 
under Lieut. Eaton Travers, and 
the detachment of marines of the 
Imperieuse and Thames frigates, 
under Lieut. Pipon; the whole 
commanded by Captain Charles 
Napier, of the Thames. The 
British, landing at the back of 
the harbour, immediately ascend¬ 
ed and carried the heights, under 
a heavy fire from the enemy, as¬ 
sembled in great force, and who 
soon after dark made an unsuc¬ 
cessful attempt to recover their 
position. On the morning of the 
2nd, Captain Duncan, finding it 
impossible to dislodge the enemy 
from a strong tower, recalled 
Capt. Napier, and as soon as the 
sea-breeze set in, the two frigates 


R R 2 













612 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 3. 


ran close inshore, sank two gun¬ 
boats, and compelled eight others 
to surrender; then, anchoring, 
opened their fire upon the fort, 
which in less than fifteen minutes 
hauled down its colours. The 
fort was immediately taken pos¬ 
session of by Lieut. Travers, the 
guns of which were thrown into 
the sea, and the walls and ram¬ 
parts blown up. Six gun-boats, 
22 laden feluccas, and 20 large 
spars, were brought off. Lieut. 
Kay, of the 62nd, and four men 
were killed ; Lieut. Pipon, of the 
marines, and two men wounded. 

1813. The 16-gun brig Snap, 
Capt. W. B. Dashwood, being off 
St. Valery, fell in with five French 
luggers. At 9h. a. m., the Snap 
bore away in chase of the two 
leewardmost, and after an action 
of ten minutes captured the Lion 
of Boulogne, mounting sixteen 
guns, with a crew of sixty-nine 
men, four of whom were killed 
and six wounded. The British 
did not sustain any loss. 

November 2. 

1757. Capture op Melampe. 
— The 28-gun frigate Tartar, 
Capt. Lockhart, cruising in the 
Channel, gave chase to the Me¬ 
lampe privateer, of 700 tons, and 
mounting twenty-six long 12- 
pounders and ten 6-pounders, 
with a crew of 330 men. After 
a pursuit of thirty hours, and a 
running fight of three hours, in 
which the Melampe sustained a 
loss of twelve men killed and 
twenty-six wounded, the priva¬ 
teer surrendered. The Tartar, 
had four men killed. The prize 
was added to the navy under her 
own name, and long continued a 
favourite ship as a 36-gun frigate. 

1757. Unicorn and Hermione. 
•— The British 9-pounder 28-gun 
frigate Unicorn, Capt. Matthew 


Moore, cruising in the Channel, 
captured the 12-pounder 38-gun 
French frigate Hermione, after 
an action of five hours. 

1758. Antelope and Belli- 
queux. — The 50-gun ship An¬ 
telope, Capt. Thomas Saumarez, 
captured, off Lundy island, the 
French 64-gun ship Belliqueux, 
from Quebec, having on board a 
great quantity of merchandise. 
At the same time the Rhinoceros, 
36, was captured by the Isis, 50, 
Capt. Edward Wheeler. 

1789. Zephyr and Senegal. 
—The 14-gun brig Zephyr, Capt. 
John Inglis, captured, after a 
gallant action, the French 18-gun 
ship Senegal (late British Race¬ 
horse), lying with some prizes in 
the river Gambia. The Senegal 
sustained a loss of twelve men 
killed and twenty-two wounded ; 
and the Zephyr, two killed and 
four wounded. On the 22nd 
November, the Senegal, preparing 
for the homeward voyage, took 
fire and blew up. Lieut George 
Crofts, and twenty-two officers 
and men perished. 

1806. Lieut. Philip H. Baker, 
in the launch of the 36-gtm fri¬ 
gate Pique, drove on shore, upon 
the reef of Cape Roxo, West In¬ 
dies, a French felucca-rigged pri¬ 
vateer, mounting two guns and 
four swivels, with a crew of 
twenty-six men. The felucca was 
completely wrecked. 

November 3. 

1757. On 3rd November, the 
50-gun ship Antelope, Captain 
Thomas Saumarez, cruising in 
the Channel, captured the French 
22-gun privateer Moras, having a 
crew of 285 men. The Antelope, 
had two men killed and sixteen 
wounded. 

1762. Capture of Marigny. 
— The 26-gun frigate Terpsi- 







November 3. NAVY. 613 


chore, Captain the Hon. John 
Ruthven, cruising off the French 
coast, captured the French letter- 
of-marque Marquis de Marigny, 
after an action of 15 minutes, in 
which she had 9 men killed and 
18 wounded. Terpsichore, 5 killed, 
Captain Ruthven and fifteen 
wounded. 

1778. Maidstone and Lion. 
— The 9 -pounder 28-gun frigate 
Maidstone, Capt. Alan Gardner, 
cruising off the Chesapeake, dis¬ 
covered and chased the French 
12-pounder 36-gun frigate Lion. 
At 3h. 30m. a.m , she succeeded 
in getting close alongside, and an 
action was maintained with great 
spirit for upwards of an hour, 
when the Maidstone had received 
so much injury to her sails and 
rigging as to be compelled to 
heave to, to repair damages. At 
noon on the 4th, Capt. Gardner 
again brought the enemy to ac¬ 
tion, and at lh. p.m. compelled her 
to surrender. Out of a crew of 
216, she had 8 men killed and 18 
wounded. On board the Maid¬ 
stone 4 were killed, Capt. Gardner 
and 8 men wounded. 

1840. Bombardment of Acre. 
—On 2nd November, a squadron 
under Adm. Stopford, consisting 
of Princess Charlotte, 104, Power¬ 
ful, 84, Bellerophon, 78, Thun¬ 
derer, 84, Revenge, 74, Edinburgh, 
72, Benbow, 72, Pique, 36, Castor, 
36, Carysfort, 26, Hazard and 
Talbot sloops; steamers Gorgon, 
Phoenix, Stromboli; Austrian fri¬ 
gates, Medea, Guerriera and Ve¬ 
suvius, also a Turkish 74-gun ship 
bearing a rear-admiral’s flag, ar¬ 
rived in the bay of Acre. On the 
sea batteries 147 guns were mount¬ 
ed, besides five 13-inch mortars; 
and the place had ammunition in 
abundance. On the 3rd, at lh. 
r. m., the sea-breeze having set 
in, the ships bore up for their 
respective stations, the admiral 


being on board the Phoenix, in 
order the better to observe the pro¬ 
ceedings. The Powerful, closely 
followed by Princess Charlotte, 
Thunderer, and Bellerophon, stood 
to the northward, and then steered 
for the batteries. At 2h. 17m., 
just as Commodore Napier’s di¬ 
vision had anchored and opened 
fire upon the western line of bat¬ 
teries, the Castor and Talbot, 
gallantly leading the division 
(consisting of Edinburgh, Benbow, 
Carysfort, Hazard, and Wasp), 
appointed to act against the 
southern face, dropped anchor in 
less than four fathoms water, 
within about 700 yards of the 
fort, and opened a spirited fire. 
The remaining ships took up po¬ 
sitions as most convenient, whilst 
the Turkish admiral anchored to 
the eastward, and the Austrian 
ships to the westward. At 2h. 
30m. p.m., when the action be¬ 
came general, the Revenge, which 
had been ordered to keep under 
way, anchored by signal ahead of 
the Powerful, and the Pique 
brought up to the northward of 
the whole. The cannonade con¬ 
tinued until 4h. p.m., when the 
whole fortress w r as illumined by 
an instant blaze of light,— the 
principal magazine, containing 
some thousand barrels of powder, 
had exploded. The firing, which 
had for a second been stayed, was 
succeeded by a loud cheer, which 
resounded from ship to ship. The 
action continued until near sun¬ 
set, when the admiral made the 
signal to discontinue the bom¬ 
bardment. It would be impos¬ 
sible to describe the devastating 
effects of the British fire combined 
with the explosion. Embrasures 
were beaten into one, and the pa¬ 
rapets, throughout, so much da¬ 
maged as to be nearly useless. 
Total British loss, 12 killed, 32 
wounded; Austrian, 2 killed and 6 


R R 3 








CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 4. 


614 


wounded; Turkish, 4 killed and 3 
wounded. 

November 4. 

1805. Strachan’s Action.— 
The 36-gun frigate Phoenix, Capt. 
T. Baker, off Cape Finisterre on 
2nd November, being chased by 
the French squadron under Rear- 
Admiral Dumanoir, consisting of 
the 80-gun ship Formidable, 
Mont Blanc, Scipion, and Duguay 
Trouin, 74 guns, which had es¬ 
caped from the battle of Tra¬ 
falgar, shaped her course to¬ 
wards a British squadron, under 
Captain Sir Richard Strachan, 
cruising off Ferrol. At llh. p.m., 
Sir Richard, apprised of the ene¬ 
my being near at hand, bore away 
in the Caesar, 80, under all sail, fol¬ 
lowed, at no great distance, by the 
Hero, Courageux, 74s, and Aeolus, 
32; and in a short time the light of 
the moon discovered to them the 
enemy in the ENE., under a 
press of canvass. At 9h. a.m. on 
the 3rd, the French ships were 
again seen, and immediately 
pursued by the British squadron 
under all sail. At daylight on 
the 4th, the enemy were not more 
than six miles distant, and at 5h. 
45m. a.m. the Santa Margarita, 36, 
commenced firing her foremost 
starboard guns at the Scipion, 
who soon afterwards returned the 
fire with effect. At 9h. 30m., the 
Phoenix arrived up, and opened 
her larboard guns upon the Sci- 
pion’s starboard quarter. In this 
way the two frigates continued 
to harass the French rear. Mean¬ 
while, the Cresar, Hero, and 
Courageux were rapidly advanc¬ 
ing in line ahead. At llh. 50m., 
the French ships, by signal, 
shortened sail, and hauled to the 
wind of the larboard tack, in the 
following orderDuguay Trouin, 
Formidable, Mont Blanc, Scipion. 


It was about 15 minutes past 
noon when the Cmsar opened her 
larboard guns upon the Formid¬ 
able, then, as well as her three 
companions, under topsails and 
topgallant-sails, with the wind a 
point abaft the starboard beam. 
Within a few minutes, the Hero 
and Courageux, in quick succes¬ 
sion, discharged their broadsides 
into the Mont Blanc and Scipion, 
and a spirited action ensued. At 
about 1 h. p.m., the Duguay Trouin, 
luffing up to rake the Csesar, went 
in stays, and having come round 
on the larboard tack, passed under 
the lee, successively, of the Cassar 
and Hero, receiving from each of 
them a destructive fire. The 
French admiral, m order to sup¬ 
port the Duguay Trouin, tacked, 
and was followed in this ma¬ 
noeuvre by the two ships in his 
wake; but the Formidable was so 
slow in getting round, that she 
did not regain her station ; con¬ 
sequently, the line was thus formed 
on the larboard tack : — Duguay 
Trouin, Mont Blanc, Formidable, 
Scipion. The British ships got 
round in pursuit, as soon as the 
disabled state of their rigging 
would admit. The Namur, 74, had 
now arrived up, and her signal 
was made to attack the enemy’s 
van, and, at the same time, to the 
Hero, to lead on the larboard 
tack. The squadron then edged 
away, and, at 2h. p.m. the Hero 
opened her starboard guns upon 
the Scipion. Having brought 
down her mainmast, she dropped 
astern and became engaged by the 
Courageux to windward, and by 
theRevolutionnaire, 38, to leeward. 
The Hero then advanced upon 
the weather beam of the Formi¬ 
dable until she gained a position 
on the French ship’s larboard 
bow. At 2h. 45m. p. m., the 
Namur having placed herself 
abreast of the Formidable, the 






NAVY. 


November 5. 


Hero pushed on for the Mont 
Blanc. At 3h. 5m. p.m., the Caesar 
was about to renew her fire on the 
Formidable, when that ship, hav¬ 
ing had her mizen-topmast shot 
away, being otherwise much cut 
up, and having lost 200 men in 
killed and wounded, struck her 
colours, and was taken possession 
of by the Namur. At 3h. 10m., 
just as the Duguay Trouin and 
Mont Blanc had bore up to form 
a line ahead of the Scipion, the 
latter ship having had her fore¬ 
topmast, main and mizen masts 
shot away, and having lost 200 
in killed and wounded, struck her 
colours. The Duguay Trouin 
and Mont Blanc now endeavoured 
to make off, but they were soon 
brought to close action by the 
Hero and Caesar. After a de¬ 
fence of about 20 minutes, both 
the French ships, being reduced 
to a shattered state, one with the 
loss of 150, and the other 180 in 
killed and wounded, at about 3h. 
35m. p.m. hauled down their co¬ 
lours. The total British loss 
amounted to 24 killed and 111 
wounded. That of the French 
squadron, above 700 killed and 
wounded. — jfHcthlL 


November 5. 

1803. On the evening of the 
4th, Lieut. Edward Nicolls, of 
the marines, with 12 men in the 
cutter of the 36-gun frigate 
Blanche, proceeded to the attack 
of the French cutter Albion, 
mounting two 4-pounders, 6 
swivels, with 43 men, lying close 
under the guns of Monte Christi, 
St. Domingo. At 3h. 30m. a.m. 
on the 5th, having arrived within 
pistol-shot, the cutter hailed. Re¬ 
plying to the hail with three 
hearty cheers, the British dashed 
alongside, under a sharp fire of 


615 


musketry, which wounded three 
men. After a short resistance, 
in which their captain was killed 
and five men wounded, the Al¬ 
bion surrendered. Lieut. Nicolls 
was severely wounded by a mus¬ 
ket-ball, which passed round the 
belly and lodged in his right 
arm. Hitherto not a shot had 
been discharged from the bat¬ 
teries, and, in order to keep up 
the delusion that the victory was 
undecided, Lieut. Nicolls directed 
the marines to load and fire as 
fast as possible, while the seamen 
were busily engaged in getting 
the cutter under way. The ves¬ 
sel was nearly under sail, when 
the barge came alongside, and 
Lieutenant Lake took command. 
The marines having discontinued 
firing, the battery immediately 
opened, by which two of the 
Blanche’s crew were killed. For¬ 
tunately, the breeze freshened off 
the land, and the cutter was 
brought out without further loss. 
On the same morning, the launch 
of the Blanche, with twenty-eight 
men, under the command of Mas¬ 
ter’s Mate John Smith, attacked 
a French schooner, mounting one 
long 8-pounder, and having a 
crew of thirty men, as she was 
coming out of the Caracol pas¬ 
sage, and, after an obstinate re¬ 
sistance, carried her, after she 
had sustained the loss of one 
man killed and five wounded. 
The launch had one man killed 
and two wounded. Mr. Smith 
having been promoted for this 
exploit, the naval medal has been 
granted to the survivors of his 
boat’s crew ; but no such mark 
of distinction has been conferred 
on Lieut. Nicolls and his gallant 
followers for the capture of the 
Albion. 

1813. Skirmish off Toulon. 
— A partial engagement took 
place off Cape Sepet, between 


rr4 















616 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 8. 


the squadron under Vice-Admi¬ 
ral Sir Edward Pellew and the 
French fleet of 13 sail of the 
line, under Comte Emeriau. A 
change of wind at noon having 
separated 5 ships of the line and 
4 frigates from the main body of 
the fleet of 13 sail, under Comte 
Emeriau, off Sepet, a gallant, 
though unsuccessful, attempt was 
made to cut them off 1 . The Cale¬ 
donia, 120, bearing Sir Edward 
Pellew’s flag, received several 
shot in her hull, and had three 
men wounded; and the San Josef, 
110, bearing the flag of Rear- 
Admiral Sir Richard King, had 
four wounded, including Lieut, 
of Marines William Clarke, and 
Midshipman William Cappage, 
each of whom lost a leg by the 
same shot. The Boyne, 98, and 
Scipion, 74, Captains George 
Burlton and Henry Heathcote, 
had each one man wounded ; the 
Pembroke, 74, Capt. James Bris¬ 
bane, three men, and Pompee, 
74, two men wounded. The 
French squadron was much cut 
up in sails and rigging, and had 
seventeen men wounded. 

November 6. 

1807. In the night of the 6th 
November, the boats of the 36- 
gun frigate Renommee, Capt. Sir 
Thomas Livingstone, and 18-gun 
brig Grasshopper, Capt. Thomas 
Searle, cruising off Carthagena, 
were sent,under the orders of Lieut. 
Wm. Webster, to cut out some 
vessels lying at anchor under the 
Tower of Estacio. The boats 
gained possession of a Spanish 
brig and a French tartan, each 
mounting six guns ; but the cur¬ 
rent being strong, with only a 
light air of wind, both vessels ran 
aground. As there were a number 
of women and children on board, 
Lieut. Webster, from motives of 


humanity, did not destroy the 
prizes, and they were abandoned. 
Mr. Thomas Bustin, purser of 
the Grasshopper, and one seaman, 
were wounded. 

November 7. 

1803. Midshipman Edward 
Henry A’Court, in a cutter of 
the 36-gun frigate Blanche, cruis¬ 
ing off St. Domingo, was sent 
with seven seamen and marines 
to obtain sand for the use of the 
ship. In the evening the boat 
fell in with a schooner lying 
nearly becalmed, and, apprehen¬ 
sive that the stranger was a pri¬ 
vateer, kept cautiously in her’ 
wake. As they got under the 
vessel’s stern a discharge of mus¬ 
ketry mortally wounded one, and 
severely another, of the boat’s 
crew. Mr. A’Court, nevertheless, 
gallantly pulled up alongside, 
and, with his five remaining men, 
boarded and carried the schooner, 
although she had among Tier pas¬ 
sengers a French colonel and 
thirty soldiers. 

November 8. 

1709. The Defiance, 50, Capt. 
John Evans, and Centurion, 50, 
Capt. James Mighells, fell in with 
two French ships, of equal force, 
off Malaga. After an action, 
which lasted from 8h. A. M. until 
noon, the enemy made sail away; 
and, although pursued by their 
opponents, effected their escape. 
They arrived at Malaga in a 
shattered state, with the loss of 
100 men. The Defiance had 25 
men killed and 60 wounded, in¬ 
cluding among the latter Cap¬ 
tain Evans ; the Centurion had 
twenty-one, including Lieutenant 
Thomas, and the chaplain, the 
Rev. Robert Williams, killed, 
and forty men wounded. 






xrovember 9. NAVY. 617 


1810. The boats of Quebec, 32, 
under Lieut. Stephen Popham, 
boarded and carried the French 
schooner-privateer Jeune Louise, 
of 14 guns and 35 men, at anchor 
within the Ylie stroom, in the 
Texel. Previous to the attack, 
the boats unfortunately grounded 
on the sand within pistol-shot of 
the schooner ; and, in that si¬ 
tuation, received some broadsides 
and musketry. The British loss 
amounted to two men killed and 
one wounded. Besides the French 
captain, who fell in personal con¬ 
flict with Lieutenant Yates, the 
schooner had one man killed and 
one wounded. 

1813. At 8h. 30m. p.m., the 
boats of the 74-gun ship Revenge, 
Capt. Sir John Gore, under the 
orders of Lieut. William Richards, 
were sent into the harbour of 
Palamos to cut out a French 
felucca-privateer. At llh. p.m., 
Lieut. Richards and his party 
boarded and carried the felucca, 
without having a man hurt; and 
by 111 . a. m. on the 9th, the prize 
was alongside the Revenge. 


xrovember 9. 

1813. Port Nouveele. — The 
boats of the 38-gun frigate Un¬ 
daunted, Capt. Thomas Ussher, 
commanded by Lieut. Thomas 
Hastings, assisted by Lieut, of 
Marines Harry Hunt, and the 
boats of the 18-gun brig Guada- 
loupe, under Lieut. George Hurst, 
landed at Port Nouvclle, and 
stormed the batteries in a very 
gallant manner. Two vessels 
were captured and five destroyed; 
and this service was achieved 
without any loss to the British. 


STovember 2.0. 

1808. Amethyst and Thetis. 
—The 36-gun frigate Amethyst, 
Captain Michael Seymour, was 
standing in towards the isle of 
Groix, with the wind at ENE., 
when at 7h. p.m. a sail was ob¬ 
served astern, running to the 

westward. The Amethvst im- 

•/ 

mediately went in chase, and at 
9h. p.m. got within a quarter of 
a mile of the French 40-gun 
frigate Thetis, Capt. T. Pinsun, 
bound to Martinique, with troops 
and 1000 barrels of flour. At 
9h. 15m., the Thetis, then going 
nine knots, luffed to, on the star¬ 
board tack, to rake her opponent. 
This the Amethyst avoided, and, 
passing just clear of the French 
ship’s starboard quarter, shot up 
in the wind, right abreast of her 
to windward. In this way, a 
close and furious action was 
maintained by the two frigates 
as they fell round off and stood 
to the westward. At 9h. 40m., 
the Thetis attempted to cross her 
opponent’s stern, but not having 
room, run her jib-boom between 
the Amethyst’s main and mizen 
rigging. In a few minutes the 
ships separated, and again bore 
up, w'armly engaging. At lOh. 
5m. p.m. , the Amethyst, crossing 
her opponent’s hawse, placed her¬ 
self a little before her starboard 
beam. At lOh. 20m., the mizen- 
mast of the Amethyst came down, 
and, falling in-board, encumbered 
the whole quarter-deck. Within 
a few minutes, the mizen-mast of 
the French frigate fell over the 
side. At llh. p.m., the Thetis 
ran the Amethyst on board, and 
the ships meeting at the bows, 
dropped alongside. In this way 
the action continued until about 
20 minutes past midnight, when 
the fire of the Thetis being com¬ 
pletely silenced, the Amethyst 






618 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 12. 


boarded and carried her. Shortly 
after the ships got clear, the fore 
and main-masts of the French 
frigate went over the side. About 
lh. 15m. a.m. on the 11th, the 
Triumph, 74, came up under a 
press of sail; and in another 
quarter of an hour, the 38-gun 
frigate Shannon joined, from the 
westward, and took the prize in 
tow. Out of a crew of 261 men 
and boys, the Amethyst had her 
second lieutenant of marines 
(Bernard Kendall) and 18 men 
killed, and 49 wounded. The 
Thetis, of a crew of 436 men and 
boys, had her captain and 134 
men killed, and 102 wounded. 
Lieut. G. Blenerhasset was pro¬ 
moted to the rank of commander. 
—JHchaL 

1811. Defeat of French 
Flotilla. — The 16 - gun brig 
Skylark, Captain James Boxer, 
and 12-gun brig Locust, Lieut. 
John Gedge, gave chase to twelve 
French gun-vessels, one of which 
was driven on shore near Calais, 
and one, mounting four 24-pound¬ 
ers and sixty men, captured, 
immediately under the enemy’s 
batteries. Lieut. Gedge was pro¬ 
moted. — jHcirat. 

1841. Reduction of Ciiing- 
iiae. — On the evening of 9th 
Nov., the British fleet anchored off 
Chinghae, and at an early hour 
on the 10th the troops under 
Major-General Gough moved to 
the points of debarkation. The 
Wellesley, 24, was towed to an 
excellent position, and anchored 
within 1300 yards from the citadel 
and town wall. The Blenheim, 
74, also anchored, whilst the 
Blonde frigate and Modeste sloop 
took their stations under sail. 
The troops carried all before 
them. From 1200 to 1500 of 
the enemy were driven down the 
heights into the river, and many 
were drowned, and 500 taken 


prisoners. The right column, 
consisting of the seamen, a de¬ 
tachment of royal artillery, and 
50 sappers, with the battalion of 
marines under Capt. Ellis, and 
the whole commanded by Capt. 
Herbert, of the Blenheim, landed 
at llh. 15m. a.m. In a short 
time, the Union Jack was dis¬ 
played on the Joss-house walls. 
Thus, the city of Chinghae, and 
the several fortifications on the 
right bank of the river, fell into 
the possession of the British. 

November 11. 

1780. Capture of Santa 
Margaritta.— The Spanish 34- 
gun frigate Santa Margaritta was 
captured off Cape Finisterre by 
the 28-gun ship Tartar, Capt. A. 
Graune, belonging to the squadron 
of Commodore George Johnstone, 
after a short defence, and loss of 
one man killed and three wound¬ 
ed. The Tartar sustained no 
loss. 

November 12. 

1806. Boats of Galatea.— 
In the morning, the Galatea, 36, 
Capt. Sayer, cruising off the is¬ 
land of Guadaloupe, gave chase 
to a suspicious looking schooner 
in the north-west. After a few 
hours’ pursuit, and when getting 
near to the schooner, it fell calm. 
The boats were immediately des¬ 
patched under the orders of Licuts 
Gittins and Walker, and just as 
they had arrived near enough to 
return the fire of musketry, and 
were on the point of laying her on 
board, the schooner hauled down 
the French colours. She proved 
to be the Reunion, a fine copper- 
bottomed vessel of 10 guns, from 
La Guayra, bound to Martinique. 
No loss was sustained by the 
boats. 







NAVY. 


November 13. 


1854. Martello Tower de¬ 
stroyed. — In the forenoon of 
Sunday, 12th November, the steam 
frigate Tribune, Capt. Carnegie, 
with Highflyer and Lynx, whilst 
standing in towards the coast of 
Circassia, about ten miles to the 
NW. of Anapa, were fired at by 
a martello tower, mounting two 
guns. The ships having anchored 
at a distance of 500 yards from 
the beach, opened a fire, which 
soon compelled the enemy to 
abandon the place. A party of 
seamen and marines were imme¬ 
diately landed, and completed 
the destruction of the tower. Capt. 
Moore, of the Highflyer, and 
Lieut. Smithett, of the Tribune, 
wounded by the explosion, was 
the only loss sustained by the 
British. 

November 13. 

1800. Milbrook and Bel- 
lone. —Early in the morning, the 
Milbrook schooner, mounting 16 
carronades, 18-pounders, on the 
non-recoil principle, Lieut. Mat¬ 
thew Smith, lying becalmed off 
Oporto, with two brigs under his 
convoy, discovered a ship, appa¬ 
rently a frigate. The Milbrook 
immediately swept towards the 
stranger, and at 8h. a.m. received 
a broadside from the French pri¬ 
vateer Bellone, of Bordeaux, 
mounting 24 long 8-pounders, 
and six brass 36-pounder car¬ 
ronades. Before the enemy could 
bring her second broadside to 
bear, the Milbrook had fired three 
broadsides; and by the time the 
ship had discharged her third, 
the schooner had fired her guns 
eleven times. At about lOh. a.m., 
the ship’s colours came down. 
Not having a rope left wherewith 
to hoist out a boat, one was 
launched over the gunwale; but 
she was so pierced with shot, 


619 


that she soon filled with water. 
At this time the Milbrook lay 
quite unmanageable; ten of her 
guns disabled, and her sweeps 
cut to pieces. A light air spring¬ 
ing 'up, the Bellone crowded all 
sail, and sought safety in flight. 
Out of a crew of 47 men, the 
Milbrook had nine severely, and 
three slightly wounded. The 
Bellone put into Yigo, when it 
was ascertained that her loss 
amounted to 20 killed, her cap¬ 
tain and 45 wounded, out of a 
crew of 250 men. 

1809. The town of Ras-al- 
Khyma, in the Persian Gulf, hav¬ 
ing been for some time a nest for 
numerous desperate pirates, a 
squadron, consisting of Chiffone, 
36, Capt. John Wainwright, Caro¬ 
line, 36, Capt. Charles Gordon, 
and H. E. I. Company’s cruisers 
Mornington, Aurora, Nautilus, 
Prince of Wales, Fury, and Ariel, 
conveying a body of troops un¬ 
der Lieut.-Col. Smith, proceeded 
thither; and on 13th November 
burnt the town and above fifty 
vessels. The squadron next visited 
Linga, where twenty large pira¬ 
tical vessels were destroyed; and 
on the 27th, eleven vessels of the 
same character at the town of 
Luft, and the sea defences of both 
places levelled with the ground. 
The pirates made a desperate 
defence at both places, and the 
loss of the British amounted to 
five killed and thirty-four wounded. 

November 14. 

1755. A squadron under Ad¬ 
miral the Hon. John Byng, cruis¬ 
ing in the Channel, captured the 
French 74-gun ship Esperance ; 
which being greatly damaged, 
and bad weather coming on, was 
set on fire and destroyed. 

1803. Capture of IIarmonie. 
—A detachment of seamen and 







620 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 16. 


marines, numbering 134 men, 
under Capt. William Ferris, of 
the 14-gun brig Drake, with 
Lieuts. Thomas Cole and Thomas 
Furber, of the 74-gun ship Blen¬ 
heim, and Captain of Marines 
Thomas Graves, and Lieuts. Wal¬ 
ter S. Boyd and George Beatty, 
accompanied by the Swift cutter, 
proceeded off Marine Harbour, 
Martinique, to attack the French 
schooner Harmonie, at anchor in 
the port. The marines landed, 
surprised the fort, taking fifteen 
prisoners; and, having dismounted 
and spiked the guns, blew up the 
magazine. The boats attacked 
the schooner under a sharp fire; 
but she was gallantly boarded, 
and in a few minutes carried. 
The Harmonie mounted eight 
guns, and, out of a crew of sixty- 
six men, had two killed and four¬ 
teen wounded. The British loss 
amounted to one man killed and 
five wounded. 

1808. Capture or Colibri. 
—At 8h. 30m. a.m., the 64-gun 
ship Polyphemus, Capt. William 
Pryce Cumby, cruising off* the 
city of San Domingo, despatched 
her boats in chase of the French 
national schooner Colibri, of three 
carriage guns and 63 men, which 
was attempting to enter the roads. 
At 9h. 20m., Lieut. Joseph Daly, 
assisted by Lieut, of Marines 
James Irvine Willes, in the face 
of a heavy fire of grape and mus¬ 
ketry, boarded and carried the 
schooner. In accomplishing this 
gallant service, the British had 
one marine killed; and the enemy, 
in defending their vessel, had one 
man killed and five wounded. 

November 15. 

1799. Capture of Galgo.— 
The 36-gun frigate Crescent and 
16-gun sloop Calypso, off Porto 
Rico, when in charge of a convoy 


bound to Jamaica, fell in with 
the Spanish 64-gun ship Asia, 
40-gun frigate Amfitrite, and 16- 
gun ship-corvette Galgo. Order¬ 
ing the convoy to disperse, the 
Crescent hauled her wind and 
carried off the Galgo, without 
any resistance on the part of the 
corvette. 

1808. Gallant Defence of 
Fort Trinidad. — At 8h. a.m., a 
resolute but unsuccessful assault 
was made upon Fort Trinidad, 
one of the defences of Rosas, by 
a body of 200 French troops, 
with a reserve of 2000 men. 
The garrison of the fort at this 
time consisted of 25 marines, un¬ 
der Lieut. Thomas How, and the 
same number of Spaniards. In a 
second assault the enemy came 
on with equal determination; but 
not a shot was fired from the fort, 
until the outer gate was forced; 
and then such a steady and well- 
directed fire of musketiy and 
hand-grenades was opened upon 
them by the marines, that they 
were again compelled to retreat, 
leaving their leader, a chef-de¬ 
brigade, and several officers and 
men dead under the walls. Ex¬ 
pecting a third assault, Capt. 
West, of the Excellent, 74, by 
the means of a rope ladder, threw 
in a reinforcement, consisting of 
Captain James Nicholson, with 
Lieut. George Pattoun and 30 
rank and file ; and although the 
party had bravely entered the fort 
under an incessant lire of mus¬ 
ketry from the besiegers, only 
one was slightly wounded. 

November 16. 

1703. The French 52-gun ship 
Hazardous, Capt. De la Rue, after 
a gallant defence, was captured 
by the Orford, Warspite, and 
Litchfield, belonging to the fleet 
of Sir Cloudesley Shovel. 







NAVY. 


November 17. 


1810. Phipps and Barbier de 
Seville.— The 14-gun brig-sloop 
Phipps, Capt. Christopher Bell, 
being off Calais at 5h. a.m., dis¬ 
covered and chased the French 
lugger Barbier dc Seville, mount¬ 
ing 16 guns, with a crew of 60 
men. For a quarter of an hour 
the lugger maintained a sharp 
fire of musketry, and appeared 
determined to run on shore. As 
the only means of frustrating this 
design, especially as the brig 
was already in three and a half 
fathoms water, the Phipps ran 
the lugger alongside, and dis¬ 
charged her guns with destructive 
effect. Undercover of the smoke, 
Lieut. Robert Tryon, assisted by 
Master’s Mate Patrick Wright, 
and Mr. Peter Geddes, the boat¬ 
swain, at the head of a party of 
seamen, sprang upon her decks, 
and in a few minutes carried the 
privateer, with a loss of six of her 
men killed and eleven wounded. 
Of the British, one seaman was 
killed, and Lieut. Tryon mortally 
wounded. 

November 17. 

1800. Destruction of Reo- 
laise.— The boats of the 74-gun 
ship Captain, Magicienne frigate, 
and Nile lugger, under the orders 
of Lieut. William Hennah, as¬ 
sisted by Lieuts. Charles Clyde, 
Richard William Clarke, George 
Skottowe, and the Hon. Edward 
Rodney, were despatched to at¬ 
tempt the destruction of the 
French corvette Reolaise, lying 
in the harbour of Port Navalo, 
in the Morbihan. The enterprise 
was conducted with great judg¬ 
ment and gallantry; and notwith¬ 
standing a heavy fire from the 
shore on all sides, the Reolaise 
was boarded and destroyed. The 
British had one man killed and 
seven wounded. 


621 


TJovemfoer 18. 

1693. Bombardment of St. 
Malo. — Early in November, 
Commodore John Benbow, with 
twelve ships of the line, 4 bomb- 
vessels, ten brigantines, and se¬ 
veral smaller vessels, proceeded 
to the French coast with the in¬ 
tention of bombarding St. Malo. 
On the 16th, in the afternoon, 
the fleet anchored at the entrance 
of the harbour, near the unfinished 
work of Quince fort, situated on 
the Conchal island; and, when 
the tide permitted, three mortar- 
vessels and brigantines took po¬ 
sitions to bombard the town. The 
cannonade was repeated for se¬ 
veral days, the vessels withdraw¬ 
ing at the falling of the tide. On 
the 18th, a party landed on the 
island of Sezelmere, and destroyed 
a convent; and on the following 
day an extraordinary description 
of fire-ship was towed in. In the 
lower part of this vessel were 
placed 100 barrels of powder, 
covered with combustibles; over 
these, a row of thick planks with 
holes to communicate the fire 
from above, and upon them were 
placed 340 carcasses filled with 
grenades and various other de¬ 
structive missiles. It was in¬ 
tended to have placed this engine 
of destruction near the wall of 
the town; but it grounded on a 
rock at some distance; never¬ 
theless the explosion shook the 
whole city, blew down a part of 
the town wall, and damaged every 
house in the place. This, with 
the demolition of Quince fort and 
making eighty prisoners, was the 
extent of the injury sustained by 
the French. 

November 19. 

1779. In the evening, the 
Hussar, 28, Captain Elliot Salter, 
being in company with the Chat- 








622 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 20. 


ham, 50, convoy to the home¬ 
ward-bound trade from Lisbon, 
gave chase to a large ship, which 
proving to be a two-decker, the 
Hussar kept close to her until 
daylight, when the stranger hoist¬ 
ed Spanish colours and com¬ 
menced tiring. After the action 
had lasted forty-five minutes, she 
hauled down her colours, and 
proved to be the Nostra Senora 
del Bueno Consejo, of eleven hun¬ 
dred tons, pierced for 64 guns, 
but mounting only twenty-six 12- 
pounders, with a crew of 120 
men, of whom 27 were killed and 
eight wounded. The Hussar had 
four killed and ten wounded. 

aiovemTber 20. 

1759. French Fleet defeat¬ 
ed.— The Channel fleet, of 23 
sail of the line and 11 frigates, 
under A dm. Sir Edward Hawke, 
put to sea from Torbay on 14th 
November, and on the same day 
Adm. Conflans, with 20 ships of 
the line and six frigates, sailed 
from Brest. On the 20th, at 8h. 
30m. a. m., the enemy was dis¬ 
covered near Belleisle, standing 
in for the land, with a fresh gale 
from the north-west. At 2h. 
30m., the advanced ships arrived 
up with the French rear, and the 
action became very animated. 
The Formidable, 80, Rear-Adm. 
Verger, after nobly defending 
herself against several ships, and 
having 200 of her crew killed, 
surrendered at 4h. p.m. to the 
Resolution, 74. The Magnanime, 
74, Capt. Viscount Howe, be¬ 
came closely engaged with the 
Thesee, 74 ; but the latter being 
disabled, dropped astern, and 
was engaged with the Torbay, 
74, Capt. Hon. A. Keppel, whilst 
Lord Howe pushed on in search 
of a fresh opponent, which he 
found in the Heros, 74. The 


Thesee, in endeavouring to fight 
her lower-deck guns, shipped so 
much water that she filled and 
sank. The Superbe, 70, overset 
in the squall, and also sank. At 
5h., the Heros surrendered to the 
Magnanime, and came to an 
anchor, but the sea ran too high 
to take possession of her. Night 
coming on, Sir Edward Hawke 
ordered the fleet to anchor, the 
island of Dumet bearing from 
the Royal George about east, 
distant three miles. The admiral’s 
signal to anchor was not gene¬ 
rally understood, consequently 
many of his ships stood out to 
sea; and one ship, the Resolution, 
74, Capt. Henry Speke, got on 
shore on the Four reef, and was 
totally lost. At daylight on the 
21st, the Heros was discovered 
aground, and the dismasted Soleil 
Royal, 80, cut and run on shore. 
The Essex also got on shore on 
the Four, and was wrecked, but 
her crew were saved. The two 
French ships were set on fire 
during the day, and destroyed. 
The loss of the British, amounting 
to 50 killed and 250 wounded, 
was borne by the leading ships 
of the fleet. 

1791. Phcenix and Resolue. 
—Captain Sir Richard Strachan, 
oft' Mangalore, in the 36-gun 
frigate Phoenix, insisting upon 
searching two merchant vessels 
in company with the French 32- 
gun frigate Resolue, an action 
took place, and, after engaging 
twenty-five minutes, the Resolue 
hauled down her colours, having 

sustained a loss of twentv-five 

</ 

men killed, her captain (danger¬ 
ously) and 40 wounded. The 
loss on board the Phoenix amount¬ 
ed to six killed and eleven 
wounded. The French captain, 
refusing to resume the command 
of his ship, the Resolue, was con¬ 
ducted to Mahe roads. 








NAVY. 


November 21." 


623 


1806. Boats or Success. — 
The 32-gun frigate Success, Capt. 
John Ayscough, being off Cum¬ 
berland harbour, isle of Cuba, 
sent her barge and pinnace, under 
Lieut. William Duke, to attempt 
the capture of a felucca in Hidden 
Port. As the boats approached, 
a fire was opened upon them from 
a neighbouring hill, where the 
crew of the felucca had taken 
post, and the first volley killed 
Lieut. Duke. After a vain at¬ 
tempt to dislodge the privateer’s 
men from the hill, Lieut. Spence, 
with the additional loss of seven 
wounded, including Lieutenant 
O’Reilly, was unable to do more 
than to take possession of the 
abandoned felucca, which proved 
to be the French privateer Ven- 
geur, from San Domingo. Dur¬ 
ing the same night, while the 
32-gun frigate Orpheus, Captain 
Thomas Briggs, was cruising in 
the bay of Cam peachy, her barge, 
commanded by Lieut. George 
Ballard Vine, boarded and car¬ 
ried without loss the Spanish 
schooner Dolores, mounting one 
long nine- and two four-pounder 
guns, and four swivels, with 34 
men. This vessel had just been 
sent out from Campeachy for the 
express purpose of attacking the 
frigate’s boats. 

November 21. 

1739. Reduction of Porto 
Bello. —On the 20th November, 
a squadron consisting of the fol¬ 
lowing ships came in sight of 
Porto Bello . — 

Guns. 

Burford - - - 70 Vice-Admiral Edw. 

Vernon, Captain 
Thos. Watson. 

Hampton Court 70 Com. Chas. Brown, 
Capt.Digby Dent. 
Worcester - - 70 Capt. Perry Mayne. 
Strafford - - 60 „ Thos. Trevor. 
Princess Louise 60 „ Thos. Water- 

house. 

Norwich - - 50 „ Rich. Herbert. 


On the 21st, the squadron worked 
up to the harbour, and, at 2h. 
p.m., the Hampton Court an¬ 
chored close under the Iron 
Castle, mounting 78 guns, with 
a battery of 22 guns nearly level 
with the water. The Norwich 
and Worcester next took up a 
position, and the united fire of 
those ships soon silenced the fort. 
Vice-Adm. Vernon arriving up 
about this time, and observing 
the slackness of the enemy’s fire, 
ordered the boats to assemble 
near him. The Spaniards now 
re-opened their fire ; but the 
Burford adding to the cannon¬ 
ade, again compelled them to 
desist, and the soldiers in the 
lower battery were driven from 
their guns by the small-arm men 
stationed in the ships’ tops. 
Upon this, the boats commanded 
by Lieut. Thomas Broderick put 
off, and in a short space of time 
the seamen, clambering up the 
face of the rampart by the aid 
of each other’s head and shoulders, 
made themselves masters of the 
castle, and then advanced towards 
the town. The Spaniards fled 
in all directions; and as rein¬ 
forcements arrived from the squa¬ 
dron, all appearance of opposition 
ceased, and a white flag was soon 
held out from the walls of the 
town. The castles of Gloria and 
Jeronimo still held out; but, after 
some negotiation, both surrender¬ 
ed on the following day. Gloria 
castle, consisting of two regular 
bastions towards the bay, mount¬ 
ed 92 guns, besides a line of eight 
guns pointing towards the an¬ 
chorage. Above this castle, on 
a sandy point running into the 
bay, stood fort St. Jeronimo, a 
quadrangular redoubt mounting 
twenty guns. These two castles 
commanded the anchorage, and, 
together with the Iron Castle, 
rendered access to the harbour 







G24 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 25. 


most hazardous. The town of 
Porto Bello, built along the shore 
in the form of a crescent, stood 
at the bottom of the bay. The 
loss of the British was but slight : 
the Burford and Worcester had 
each 3 men killed and 5 wounded, 
and on board the Hampton Court 
only one man was wounded. By 
the 6th December, the whole of 
the formidable fortifications, un¬ 
der the direction of Capt. Charles 
Knowles and Captain Boscawen, 
were levelled to the ground. 

November 22. 

1799. The 32-gun frigate Sole- 
bay, Capt. Stephen Poyntz, cruis¬ 
ing off St. Domingo, discovered 
at daybreak a French squadron, 
consisting .of the 12-pounder 
20-gun frigate-built store-ship 
Egyptienne, 18-gun corvette Eole, 
12-gun brig Levrier, and 8-gun 
schooner Vengeur. At 6h. a.m., 
the Egyptienne, on ascertaining 
the force and character of the 
Solebay, made all sail to escape; 
but at 2h. p.m. the squadron was 
lying nearly becalmed, while the 
Solebay, with a light breeze was 
enabled to bring the Egyptienne 
and brig to action, and after a 
short resistance compelled them 
to surrender. The Solebay then 
attacked the other two, which 
■were also captured. The aggre¬ 
gate force of this squadron was 
58 guns and 481 men, so that 
the conquest was by no means 
an insignificant triumph. 

November 23. 

1758. Destruction op Al¬ 
cyone. — The 28-gun frigate 
Hussar, Capt. John Elliot, and 
24-gun ship Dolphin, Capt. Ben¬ 
jamin Marlow, gave chase to a 
large ship. The Hussar closed 
with the stranger at 8h. p.m., and 


! commenced the action, in which 
she was shortly joined by the 
Dolphin. At lOh. p.m., the 
French ship, being entirely dis¬ 
masted, went down with her co¬ 
lours flying. The ill-fated vessel 
was supposed to have been the 
French 50-gun ship Alcyone, 
armee en flute . The Hussar was 
so much damaged that she had 
not a boat that would swim ; the 
Dolphin, however, lent assistance, 
but unfortunately did not succeed 
in rescuing any of the devoted 
French crew. 

1799. Courier andGuerrier. 
—The hired armed cutter Courier, 
Lieut. Thomas Searle, cruising oft' 
Flushing, discovered a sail to 
windward, and after an anxious 
chase of twelve hours , came up 
with the French privateer-cutter 
Guerrier, of fourteen long 4- 
pounders, and forty-four men, 
Capt. Felix L’Allemand ; and 
after an action of fifty minutes 
compelled her to surrender. Mr. 
Stephen Marsh, the master of the 
cutter, w r as killed early in the 
action, and two seamen were 
wounded. The Guerrier had four 
killed and six wounded. Lieut. 
Searle was promoted.— JHcttaL 

November 24. 

1758. The French 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Bien Acquis, was captured 
by the 70-gun ship Chichester, 
Capt. S. W. Willett, and 24-gun 
ship Shcerness, Capt. Thomas 
Graves. 

November 25. 

1757. The 60-gun ship Au¬ 
gusta, Capt. Arthur Forrest, pro¬ 
ceeding between the islands of 
Gonaive and Hispaniola, with a 
view to cut oft' a valuable fleet, 
under convoy of two armed mer- 
[ chant-frigates, stood inshore, un- 






NAVY. 


November 26. 


dcr Dutch colours. At lOh. p.m., 
two ships were seen, and one 
having tired a gun, the other 
made sail for Leogane bay. The 
Augusta now closed with the 
strange ship, and, throwing off all 
disguise by opening her lower- 
deck ports, cautioned the captain, 
on pain of being sunk, not to give 
any alarm. The ship submitted 
without opposition, and Captain, 
Forrest having put a lieutenant 
and thirty-five men into the prize, 
with directions for her to stand 
into Petit Guave, to intercept any 
ships making for that port, the 
Augusta made sail after the con¬ 
voy, and by dawn of day was in 
the midst of them, firing at all in 
turn. The French ships returned 
an ineffectual fire; and three of 
the largest, having surrendered, 
were employed to pursue the re¬ 
mainder. Only one small snow 
escaped; and thus, by the able 
measures adopted, this valuable 
convoy, consisting of nine ships, 
the united tonnage of which 
amounted to 3070, carrying 112 
guns and 415 men, fell into the 
hands of Capt. Forrest. 

1793. Capture of Incon¬ 
stante. —At 111. A.M., the 12- 
pounder 32-gun frigates Pene¬ 
lope and Iphigenia, Capts. B. S. 
Rowley and Patrick Sinclair, in 
the bay of Leogane, St. Domingo, 
chased the French 36-gun frigate 
Inconstante. At lh. 30m., the 
Penelope closed with the enemy, 
and a smart action was main¬ 
tained on both sides until the 
Iphigenia joined in the contest, 
when the Inconstante struck her 
colours, having, out of 300 men, 
had her first lieutenant and six 
men killed, and her captain and 
twenty men wounded. On board 
the Penelope one seaman was 
killed and seven wounded. The 
prize was purchased into the 
navy under her own name. 


625 


November 26. 

1796. Capture of Decius.— 
The 28-gun frigate Lapwing, 
Capt. Robert Barton, being off 
Anguilla, at noon, brought to 
action the French 20-gun ship 
Decius and 6-gun brig Vaillante, 
having on board 200 troops. 
After an hour’s contest, the brig 
bore away, and in less than 
twenty minutes the Decius sur¬ 
rendered. The Lapwing then 
pursued the brig, which she drove 
on shore, and completely de¬ 
stroyed. The Lapwing had one 
man killed and six wounded. 
The Decius, out of 336 men, in¬ 
cluding troops, lost eighty killed 
and forty wounded. On the fol¬ 
lowing day, the Lapwing being 
pursued by French frigates Thetis 
and Pensee, Capt. Barton set the 
prize on.fire.- iHftfal. 

1813. Capture of Charle¬ 
magne.— The 74-gun ship Swift- 
sure, Capt. Edward S. Dickson, 
being off Cape Rousse, Corsica, 
despatched her boats, under com¬ 
mand of Lieut. William Smith, 
(4.), in pursuit of the French pri¬ 
vateer schooner Charlemagne, of 
8 guns and 93 men. The schooner 
was boarded in face of a heavy 
fire, and after a sharp struggle 
carried; though not without a 
heavy loss. Midshipman Joseph 
Douglas and four men were 
killed; Lieufs. R. II. Fuller and 
John Harvey (the latter mor¬ 
tally), Lieut, of Marines J. R. 
Thompson, Midshipman J. Field, 
and eleven seamen wounded. 

November 27. 

1710. The 40-gun ship Win¬ 
chester, Capt. Robert Hughes, 
chased a large privateer belong¬ 
ing to Flushing. At 8h. p.m., 
arriving within hail, she opened 
her fire; and after a short action, in 






626 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. November 29. 


which the Dutch captain was 
killed, the crew of the privateer 
called for quarter. 

1811. The 74-gun ship Eagle, 
Capt. Charles Rowley, cruising in 
the Adriatic, chased the 40-gun 
frigate Uranie,Corceyere en flute, 
and brig Scemplone, from Trieste, 
hound to Corfu. At 7h. 30m. 
p.m., the Corceyere, having lost 
her main-topmast, surrendered. 
The Uranie and the brig escaped. 

November 23. 

1808. Boats of Heureux, 
at Mahaut.— On the 28th No¬ 
vember, the 16-gun brig Heu¬ 
reux, Captain William Coombe, 
was cruising off the north side of 
Guadaloupe, when information 
was received of seven vessels 
being in the harbour of Mahaut. 
In the evening three boats pushed 
off from the brig, led by Captain 
Coombe, and, after rowing six 
hours, lay upon their oars to wait 
the setting of the moon. At 4h. 
a.m. on the 29th, they pushed 
forward, and after a few minutes 
of desperate fighting, Captain 
Coombe, with 19 men, boarded 
and carried a schooner of 2 
guns, with a crew of 39 men. 
In the meanwhile, Lieut. Daniel 
Laurence, assisted by Mr. Robert 
Daly, the purser, with the re¬ 
mainder of the attacking party, 
amounting to 44 officers and 
men, had landed and spiked the 
two 24-pounders upon the near¬ 
est battery. They then boarded 
a brig; but before either of the 
captured vessels could be got off, 
the shore was lined with mus¬ 
ketry, and three field-pieces were 
brought to bear upon the brigand 
schooner. In their way out, these 
vessels unfortunately grounded, 
and thus became fixed objects for 
the enemy’s fire, which was pre¬ 
sently increased by the 24-pound¬ 


er in the other battery. Finding 
it impossible to get the vessels 
afloat, and daylight appearing, 
Capt. Coombe was in the act of 
giving orders to abandon them, 
when a 24-pound shot struck him 
in the left side, and he instantly 
expired, exclaiming, “I die con¬ 
tented—I die for my country ! ” 
Lieutenant Laurence, who was 
wounded by a musket-ball in the 
arm, succeeded, by 6h. a.m., in 
getting the three boats beyond 
the reach of shot, without sustain¬ 
ing any further loss.—iHcUal. 

November 29. 

1652. In the morning, Adm. 
Blake was lying in the Dover 
roads with 40 ships, when the 
Dutch fleet of 80 large ships, and 
small vessels, numbering altoge¬ 
ther 92, under Van Tromp, were 
discovered lying two leagues to 
leeward. Blake immediately got 
under way to meet the enemy, 
who had also weighed anchor. 
The fleets met off the Ness, and 
an obstinate battle ensued. The 
Garland and Bonaventure frigates 
were captured; and the English 
fleet being much cut up in main¬ 
taining a fight against a force so 
superior, returned to Dover roads. 
In consequence of this success, 
Van Tromp hoisted a broom at 
his mast-head, intimating his de¬ 
termination to sweep the narrow 
seas of the English. 

1805. On the 28th Nov., the 16- 
gun ship-sloop Serpent, Captain 
John Waller, cruising in the bay 
of Honduras, observed two suspi¬ 
cious vessels ; and believing them 
bound to Truxillo, the Serpent pro¬ 
ceeded thither, and on the 29th she 
regained sight of them entering 
the bay. Two boats were then 
despatched, in charge of Lieut. 
Patfull, which, in face of great 
guns and musketry, boarded, and, 












NAVY. 


November 30. 


without sustaining any loss, car- j 
ricd, a Spanish guarda-costa 
schooner, mounting one long 18- 
pounder and six smaller guns, 
with a crew of forty men. 

1811. Capture of Pomone 
and Persanne.— The 38-gun 
frigate Alceste, Capt. Murray 
Maxwell, Active, 38, Capt. James 
Alexander Gordon, and Unite, 
32, Capt. Edwin Henry Cham- 
bcrlayne, were off the isle of 
Augusta, in the Adriatic, at 
9h. 20m. a.m., when three sail 
were discovered, and chased. 
These were the French 40-gun 
frigates Pauline and Pomone, and 
frigate-built store ship Persanne, 
of 26-guns. At about, llh. a.m., 
the Persanne stood away to the 
north-east, and the Unite was 
detached in pursuit of her. 
At 30 minutes past noon, the 
Unite and Persanne commenced 
firing their chase-guns ; but 
it was not until lh. 20m. that 
the Alceste, then going above 
nine knots with the wind on the 
larboard quarter, was enabled to 
fire with effect at the Pomone. 
Pressing forward under a crowd 
of sail to attack the French Com¬ 
modore, the Alceste, when abeam 
of the Pomone, exchanged broad¬ 
sides, and a shot from that ship 
carried away her main-topmast. 
The Alceste dropped astern; but 
the Active, at 2h. p.m., having 
gained a position on the starboard 
and lee quarter of the Pomone, 
brought her to close action. At 
about 2h. 20m., the Pauline tacked 
and stood for the weather beam 
of the Alceste; and those ships 
became closely engaged until 
3h. 5m. p.m. , when the 18-gun 
brig Kingfisher approaching fast, 
the French commodore set all sail, 
and stood to the westward. At 
about 3h. 40m., just as the Al¬ 
ceste was about to open her fire 
upon the Pomone, the French 


627 


ship’s main and mizen masts 
came down by the board, and she 
immediately surrendered. Nei¬ 
ther of the British frigates being 
in a condition to pursue the Pau¬ 
line, the French commodore es¬ 
caped. Out of a crew of 218, 
the Alceste had one midshipman 
(Charles Nourse) and six seamen 
killed, one lieutenant (Andrew 
Wilson) and 12 men wounded. 
The active lost one midshipman 
(George Osborne) and 7 men 
killed; her captain (leg ampu¬ 
tated), two lieutenants, William 
Bateman Dashwood (arm ampu¬ 
tated) and George Haye, and 25 
men wounded. Out of a crew of 
332, the Pomone had 50 killed 
and W'ounded, including Capt. 
Rosamel among the latter. The 
Unite had only one man wounded, 
in effecting the capture of the 
Persanne, which ship had two 
men killed and four wounded.— 

November 30. 

1803. On this day, the French 
squadron, with the troops under 
Gen. Rochambeau, evacuated 
Cape Francis, St. Domingo; 
and by the terms of the capitula¬ 
tion, the ships in that port were to 
be surrendered to the British 
squadron as soon as they had 
quitted the harbour. The 40-gun 
frigate Surveillante was accord¬ 
ingly taken possession of, but the 
40-gun frigate Clorinde ground¬ 
ed on the rocks, and, but for the 
extraordinary exertions and per¬ 
severance of Lieut. N. J. Wil¬ 
loughby, would have been wreck¬ 
ed, and above 800 persons on 
board her perished. Both prizes 
were added to the British navy. 

1808. Defence of Trinidad. 
—A division of the French army, 
amounting to about 5000 men, 
occupied the heights around the 


S S 2 






628 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 2. 


bay of Rosas, and had approach¬ 
ed close to the town. On the 
22nd November, both the fort of 
Trinidad and the citadel of Rosas 
were more than half invested, and 
a breach nearly effected in Trini¬ 
dad. The Spanish garrisons 
were also in such a deplorable 
condition, that it was considered 
expedient, on the 23rd, to with¬ 
draw the marines. On the 25th, 
the Imperieuse frigate, Capt. Lord 
Cochrane, arrived in the bay, 
where she joined the Lucifer and 
Meteor homb-vessels. His lord- 
ship, finding that the garrison of 
fort Trinidad, composed of 80 
Spaniards, was on the point of 
surrendering, threw himself into 
the fort with 50 seamen and 30 
marines from the Imperieuse. 
Lord Cochrane’s active mind soon 
found resources to place the forti¬ 
fications in a state of defence : 
sand-bags, with barrels and pali- 
sadoes, supplied the place of walls 
and ditches, so that the French, 
when, on the 30th, they assaulted 
the castle with 1000 picked men, 
were repulsed with the loss of 
their commanding officer, their 
storming equipage, and all who 
had ventured to mount the breach. 
This daring and important ser¬ 
vice was effected without any loss 
to the British. The citadel of 
Rosas having capitulated on the 
5th of December, Lord Cochrane 
considered that further resistance 
of fort Trinidad was impracti¬ 
cable ; he therefore fired the trains 
for exploding the magazines, and 
then re-embarked his men. 

December 1. 

1652. Recapture of Phoenix. 
— The Phoenix frigate, recently 
captured by the Dutch squadron, 
under Commodore Bodley, was 
lying in Leghorn roads, com¬ 
manded by Capt. Van Tromp, 


whose ship had been disabled in 
the action; and the crew, thinking 
themselves perfectly secure from 
any attempt, spent their time in 
mirth and jollity. It having been 
determined by Commodore Ap¬ 
pleton to attempt the ship’s re¬ 
capture, three boats were prepared, 
with thirty men in each, who, in 
addition to their weapons, were 
severally provided with a bag of 
meal to throw into the eyes of 
the Dutchmen. On St. Andrew’s 
Day, in the evening, the boats, 
under the command of Captain 
Owen Cox, proceeded to the 
attack. Owing to the darkness 
of the night, one of them parted 
company, which caused some de¬ 
lay ; but having rejoined, the 
three dashed forward, and at day¬ 
light on the 12th December were 
alongside the frigate. The boats’ 
crews had each their appointed 
work : one had to cut the cables, 
the second to go aloft and loose 
the sails, while the third closed 
the hatches and kept the crew 
in subjection. Tromp, who was 
below, on hearing the alarm, 
rushed out of his cabin and dis¬ 
charged his pistols at the assail¬ 
ants, who were, however, by that 
time in entire possession of the 
frigate; so, leaping out of the 
cabin window, he swam to a ship 
astern. The Phoenix was carried 
off in triumph, and reached 
Naples in safety. This violation 
of neutrality caused a remon¬ 
strance on the part of the Duke 
of Tuscany, who ordered the 
English ships to quit his terri¬ 
tories. The English parliament 
disavowed the act, and recalled 
Commodore Appleton. 

December 2. 

1793. Antelope and Ata- 
lante. — The Antelope packet, 
Capt. Curtis, mounting six 3- 







NAVY. 


December 3. 


pounders, with a crew of 21 men 
and boys, when off Cumberland 
harbour, island of Cuba, on 1st 
December, fell in with two French 
'schooner-privateers of formidable 
appearance, who gave chase to 
her as she bore away for Jamaica. 
One of the strangers, the Atalante, 
mounting eight 3-pounders, with 
a crew of 65 men, having out¬ 
sailed her consort, continued the 
chase alone, and at 5h. a. m. on 
the 2nd, the wind falling light, 
the privateer took to her sweeps, 
and rowed up alongside. Having 
grappled the Antelope on the 
starboard side, she attempted to 
carry her by boarding. The as¬ 
sailants were driven back with 
much loss, but Capt. Curtis was 
unfortunately killed in heading 
his gallant crew. A French gen¬ 
tleman passenger and the steward 
were also killed, and the first 
mate badly wounded. Mr. Pas- 
coe, the boatswain, now took the 
command, a‘nd with the few brave 
fellows left, nobly supported by 
the passengers, repulsed several 
attempts of the enemy to board. 
At length the privateer endea¬ 
voured to cut the grapplings and 
sheer off, but the boatswain ob¬ 
serving this, ran aloft and lashed 
the schooner’s' squaresail - yard 
to the Antelope’s fore-topmast 
shrouds. Seeing this, and being 
assailed with a well-directed fire 
of musketry, the Frenchman soon 
called for quarter, and was taken 
possession of by the Antelope. 
The Atalante had 20 men killed 
and 17 wounded. The House of 
Assembly of Jamaica voted 500 
guineas to the crew of the Ante¬ 
lope, as a reward for their gallant 
defence. 

December 3. 

1781. The 40-gun frigate 
Artois, Captain John Macbride, 


629 


cruising in the North Sea, was 
attacked by two very large 
schooners (the Mars and Her¬ 
cules), each mounting 24 long 
9-pounders. After engaging the 
frigate above thirty minutes, both 
these vessels were compelled to 
surrender. The Mars, out of a 
crew of 145, had nine men killed 
and 15 wounded; and the Her¬ 
cules, out of 164, had 13 killed 
and 20 wounded. The Artois 
had one man killed and six 
wounded. The two prizes be¬ 
came cruisers in the British navy, 
under the names of Pylades and 
Orestes. 

1799. Racoon and Intrepide. 
—The 18-gun brig Racoon, Capt. 
Robert Lloyd, being olf Dover, 
early in the morning discovered 
the French lugger-privateer In¬ 
trepide, mounting 16 guns, with 
a crew of 60 men, which she 
immediately chased and captured, 
after a running fight of 40 mi¬ 
nutes; but not until she had her 
foremast and bowsprit shot away, 
and sustained thelosjof 13 killed 
and wounded. On board the Ra¬ 
coon, Capt. Lloyd and one sea¬ 
man slightly wounded. 

1807. Curieux and Revanche. 
—The 18 -gun brig Curieux, Capt. 
John Sheriff, at lOh. a. m., being 
in lat. 14° 48' N., long. 59° 14' 
W., with the wind north-east, 
discovered on her lee bow the 
French 24-gun ship - privateer 
Revanche. At llh. a. m., the 
Curieux tacked in chase, and at 
2h. p. M., having arrived abreast 
of the ship to windward, the 
brig brought her to close action. 
This continued for an hour, when 
the Revanche, at 3h. 15m. p. m., 
ran on board the Curieux on her 
starboard side. In this position 
the ship kept up a sharp fire, by 
which Capt. Sheriff and five men 
were killed, and several wounded. 
Shortly afterwards, the Curieux 


s s 3 







630 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. December 6 . 


got clear of her opponent, ami the 
Revanche dropped astern ; but 
presently hauling up, she crossed 
the brig’s stern, and taking ad¬ 
vantage of her disabled state, 
crowded sail to the north-west. 
The loss on board the Curieux 
amounted to eight killed, in¬ 
cluding her captain, and 14 
wounded. The Revanche, it is 
stated, had only two men killed 
and 13 wounded. 

1810. Reduction of the Isle 
of France. —The Isle of France 
capitulated to a British squadron, 
under the command of Vice- 
Adm. Bertie, consisting of one 
ship of 74 guns, 12 frigates, four 
sloops, and a fleet of transports, 
containing 10,000 troops under 
Major-Gen. Abercromby. The 
capture was effected after some 
severe skirmishing, and was at¬ 
tended with the loss on the part 
of the British of 28 killed, 94 
w r ounded, and 45 missing. The 
French force amounted to 1300 
regular troops and 10,000 militia. 
The island was defended by 209 
cannon. In Port Louis were 
captured the 40-gun frigates Bel- 
lone, Minerve, Manche, Astree, 
and Iphigenie, the corvette 
Victor, and brig Entreprenante; 
also the Charlton, Ceylon, and 
United Kingdom, late English 
Indiamen, and 24 French mer¬ 
chant ships. 

December 5. 

1776. On 5th December, the 
24-gun ship Fowey, Capt. George 
Montagu, being off Cape Ann, 
after a long chase captured the 
American brig Washington, 
mounting ten guns, 6- and 4- 
pounders, and ten swivels. The 
Washington was commissioned 
by Congress, and had a crew of 
seventy-four men 


December 6. 

1782. Ruby and Solitaire. 
—The 64-gun ship Ruby, Capt. 
John Collins, being 40 leagues to 
windward of Barbadoes, captured 
the French 64-gun ship Solitaire, 
commanded by the Chevalier de 
Borda, after an action of 40 
minutes. The Solitaire had her 
mizen-mast shot away, and her loss 
amounted to 20 men killed and 
35 wounded. The Ruby had only 
2 men wounded. Capt. Collins 
received the honour of knight¬ 
hood for his gallant conduct in 
this action. 

1807. Destruction of Dutch 
Squadron. —Rear-Adm. Sir Ed¬ 
ward Pellew, learning that the 
Dutch ships of war which had 
escaped from Batavia in the pre¬ 
vious year, were lying in the 
harbour of Griesse, sailed from 
Malacca on the 20th November, 
with the Culloden and Powerful, 
74s, Caroline and Fox frigates, 
Victoire and Samarang sloops, 
and Seaflower and Jasseur, of 14 
guns. The squadron arrived off 
Point Panka on the 5th of De¬ 
cember; and the Dutch commo¬ 
dore refusing to give up the ships, 
the Culloden and Powerful, having 
been lightened, commenced as¬ 
cending the river leading to 
Griesse, cannonading a battery at 
Sambelangan in passing, and re¬ 
ceiving in return a fire which did 
considerable damage to some of 
the ships. The navigation of 
the river was so intricate that the 
ships grounded several times, and 
the Culloden was compelled to 
take out guns and start water; 
but she remained fast. After 
dark the admiral proceeded on 
board the Caroline, which had 
got several miles ahead of the 
squadron, and was near the har¬ 
bour’s mouth. Next morning the 
Culloden floated off, and the 






December 7. 


NAVY. 


631 


squadron proceeded, led by the 
Fox, the Culloden being second 
and the Caroline third. The 
Dutch, finding the admiral in ear¬ 
nest, entered into a treaty for the 
surrender of the Dutch shipping. 
In the meanwhile, however, the 
two line-of-battle ships Pluto and 
Revolutie, the sheer hulk, and a 
40-gun merchant ship, had been 
scuttled by order of the commo¬ 
dore. On the 11th of December, 
the work of destruction was com¬ 
pleted by setting the ships on 
fire; and the guns and military 
stoi*es at Griesse and at Sambe- 
langan were destroyed. The Fox 
was much damaged by hot shot, 
and Lieut. Samuel Allen and se¬ 
veral men were wounded. 

December 7. 

1810. Rinaldo and Marau¬ 
deur.— After dark, the 10-gun 
brig-sloop Rinaldo (eight 18- 
pounder carronades and two long 
sixes, with a crew of 65 men and 
boys), Captain James Anderson, 
while cruising off Dover, with the 
wind from the westward, discover¬ 
ed to windward and immediately 
chased two armed luggers, stand¬ 
ing towards the English coast. 
One of them, the Maraudeur, of 
14 guns (pierced for 18) and 85 
men, after a short running fight, 
endeavoured to cross the bows of 
the brig, but the Rinaldo frus¬ 
trated that manoeuvre by running 
her jib-boom between the priva¬ 
teer’s jib-stay and foremast. As 
the two vessels dropped alongside 
of each other, the enemy attempt¬ 
ed to board, but were repulsed 
by the crew of the Rinaldo, who, 
in turn, boarded from the fore- 
chains, led by Lieut. Edward 
Gascoigne Palmer, and soon com¬ 
pelled the Frenchman to call 
for quarter. This promptly de¬ 
cided affair cost the- Maraudeur 


her captain and four men wound¬ 
ed ; but no one was hurt belong¬ 
ing to the Rinaldo. 

December 8. 

1780. While the squadron on 
the East India station, under Vice 
Adm. Sir Edward Hughes, was 
off Mangalore, several vessels be¬ 
longing to Hyder Ally were ob¬ 
served in the roads. There not 
being sufficient water for the 
ships, the boats were sent away 
under cover of two snows belong¬ 
ing to the service of the H.E.I. 
Company, which with great gal¬ 
lantry boarded and destroyed the 
whole, with the exception of one 
armed brig, which made her 
escape by throwing overboard 
her guns and running into the 
harbour. This service was, how¬ 
ever, attended with severe loss ; 
Lieut. Gosnam, of the Burford, 
and ten men were killed; and 
Lieuts. Sam. Sutton, of the Superb, 
Dunbar M‘Lellar, of the Eagle, 
and fifty-one men wounded. 

December 9. 

1798. Invincible Bonaparte, 
mounting 20 guns, French pri¬ 
vateer, captured in the channel 
by Boadicea, 88, Capt. Keats. 

1809. Grand Rodeur, French 
16-gun privateer, captured off 
Beachy head by 10-gun brig 
Redpole, Capt. McDonald. 

December 10. 

1810. Rosario and Mame- 
louck. —In the evening, the 10- 
gun brig, Rosario, Capt. Booty 
Harvey, cruising off Dungeness, 
with the wind blowing hard from 
the westward, fell in with two 
large French lugger-privateers. 
Closing with the nearest, Capt. 
Harvey ran alongside, when Lieut. 


s s 4 












632 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 11. 


Thomas Davis, at the head of a 
party of men, sprang on board, 
and in a few minutes succeeded 
in carrying her. The Rosario 
was at the same time engaged 
with the other lugger on the star¬ 
board side, but she made off on 
seeing the fate of her companion. 
The prize was the Mamelouck, of 
16 guns, and 45 men, of whom 7 
were wounded. The British had 
5 men wounded, two of them se¬ 
verely. 


December 11. 

1798. Capture op the Armee 
d’Italie. —At daylight, the 22- 
gun ship Perdrix, cruising to the 
eastward of the island of Virgin 
Gorda, in the West Indies, dis¬ 
covered and chased the French 
privateer ship Armee d’ltalie, 
mounting 18 guns, and, after an 
anxious chase of sixteen hours, 
brought her to close action. An 
animated fire was kept up for 
forty-two minutes, when the lat¬ 
ter, being reduced to an unma¬ 
nageable state, struck her colours. 
Out of a crew of 153 men, the 
Perdrix escaped with only one 
wounded, while the loss on board 
the Armee d’ltalie amounted to 6 
men killed and 5 wounded, out 
of a crew of 117. 

1799. Destruction of Pre- 
neuse. —The 74-gun ship Tre¬ 
mendous, Capt. John Osborn, and 
50-gun ship Adamant, Captain 
William Hotham, cruising off 
Port Louis, Isle of France, chased 
the French 40-gun frigate Pre- 
ncuse, and compelled her to run 
on shore on the west side of the 
river Tombeau, near some batte¬ 
ries. At 3h. p.m , the frigate cut 
away all her masts, and soon 
afterwards, in conjunction with 
the batteries, opened a fire upon 
the Adamant as she was working 


up to attack her. At 5h. 30m., 
the Adamant returned the fire, 
and in a short time afterwards 
the Preneuse hauled in her ensign 
from the quarter as a signal of 
submission. Three boats, under 
Lieut. Edward Grey, assisted by 
Lieuts. John Walker and Benja¬ 
min Symes, and Lieut, of Marines 
John Owen, were then despatched 
to destroy the French frigate. At 
8h. p.m., the batteries opened a 
fire of shot and shell at the boats, 
and at the Adamant as she was 
working up towards the object of 
attack. The Preneuse was, never¬ 
theless, gallantly boarded; and, 
having taken out her captain (L. 
Hermite) and the few men re¬ 
maining on board, the French 
frigate was set on fire and de¬ 
stroyed. This important service 
was accomplished without the loss I 
of a man. 

1807. Capture of San Josef. 

—While the 36-gun frigate Re- 
nommee, Captain Sir Thomas 
Livingstone, and 18-gun brig 
Grasshopper, Captain Thomas 
Searle, were off Cape Palos, chase 
was given to a brig and two 
settees. The Grasshopper con¬ 
tinuing to beat to windward, lost 
sight of the frigate at noon, and 
at 12h. 30m. p.m., opened her fire 
on the brig. A running fight 
continued until 2h. 30m., when 
the enemy, which was the Spanish 
brig San Josef, of ten 24-poundcr 
carronades and two long sixes, 
ran on shore near Cape Negrette, 
and struck her colours. The set¬ 
tees, which were the Medora, of 
10 guns and 80 men, and the 
Aigle, of 8 guns and 50 men, 
on seeing the fate of their con¬ 
sort, tacked to the eastward and 
escaped. The Grasshopper, hav¬ 
ing anchored, succeeded in getting 
her prize afloat, in spite of a 
smart fire of musketry from the 
shore; and only one man was 
















December 12. 


NAVY. 


633 


wounded on the part of the 
British. 

December 12. 

1706. On 12th "December, the 
50-gun ship Romney, Captain 
William Coney, attacked a French 
privateer, mounting thirty brass 
guns, at anchor under the forts 
of Malaga, and, in spite of a 
heavy fire, brought her out. 

1779. Salisbury and San 
Carlos.— The 50-gun ship Salis¬ 
bury, Capt. Charles Inglis, when 
off Porto de Sail, Honduras bay, 
fell in with the San Carlos priva¬ 
teer, of 50 guns and 397 men. 
The pursuit lasted all day, and at 
6h. 30m. p.m., the action com¬ 
menced. At 8h. 30m., the main¬ 
mast of the San Carlos was shot 
away, and being in a defenceless 
state, with the loss of the greater 
part of the crew, she surrendered. 
On board the Salisbury, four men 
were killed and fourteen wounded. 

1782. Mediator and French 
Squadron. — The 44-gun ship 
Mediator, Capt. Hon. John Lut- 
trell, cruising off Ferrol, bore 
away, at 7h. a.m., in chase of five 
sail to leeward. This force, con¬ 
sisting of the Eugene, a ship of 
36 guns, an American brig of 14 
guns, the 64-gun ship Menagere, 
en flute, mounting 30 guns, the 
Alexander, of 24 guns, and Dau- 
phine Roy ale, of 28 guns, were 
thus formed in order of battle. 
After ranging along their line, 
the Mediator ran down to at¬ 
tack the sternmost, but that ship 
and the Eugene bore up out of 
the line. The three remaining 
ships were to protect their con¬ 
sorts, which the Mediator, at llh. 
a.m., steered to cut off, and hav¬ 
ing succeeded in capturing the 
Alexander, made sail after the 
retreating ships. The Eugene, 
at 3h. r. M., hauled her wind, 


and the Mediator followed the 
Menagere, which she brought to 
action at 5h. 30m. p.m. ; but, 
just at this time, a very heavy 
squall coming on, the Mediator, 
from the lowness of her lower- 
deck ports, was nearly filled with 
water, and, consequently, com¬ 
pelled to put before the wind to 
clear the ship. At 9h. p.m., the 
Mediator was again alongside the 
Menagere, and compelled her to 
surrender. No loss was sustained 
on board the British ship ; but 
the Alexander had six men killed 
and nine wounded, and the Me¬ 
nagere four killed and several 
wounded. 

1809. Capture of Nisus.— 
The boats of the 38-gun frigate 
Thetis, 16-gun brig Pultusk, 10- 
gun brig Achates, gun-brig At¬ 
tentive, armed schooner Bacchus, 
with the whole of the marines, 
under the orders of Capt. William 
Elliott, of the Pultusk, proceeded 
in the evening to attempt the 
capture of the French 16 -gun brig 
Nisus, lying at anchor under the 
protection of a fort in the har¬ 
bour of Hayes, Guadaloupe. The 
British, having landed without 
opposition, proceeded with con¬ 
siderable difficulty through a thick 
wood and over a high hill, until 
they reached the rear of the fort, 
which they attacked and carried 
in the most gallant manner, forc¬ 
ing the garrison, amounting to 
more than 200 men, to retreat. 
Leaving Lieut. Belcher to dis¬ 
mantle the battery, Capt. Elliott, 
supported by the squadron, but 
more particularly by the Atten¬ 
tive, which entered a narrow har¬ 
bour, and maintained for upwards 
of six hours a close and vigorous 
cannonade, attacked the corvette, 
which he very soon boarded and 
carried. This gallant enterprise 
was accomplished with the com¬ 
paratively slight loss of four men 












634 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 13. 


wounded. The Nisus, a brig of 
337 tons, was added to the British 
navy, under the appropriate name 
of Guadaloupe.—JHettaL 

1810. The Entreprenante cut¬ 
ter, mounting eight 4-pounders, 
and 33 men and boys, Lieut. 
Peter Williams, was lying be¬ 
calmed on the coast of Spain, 
between Malaga and Almiera 
bay, when four French lateen- 
rigged privateers, one of 6 guns, 
including two long 18-pounders, 
and 75 men, another of 5 guns 
and 45 men, and two of 2 guns 
and 25 men each, weighed and 
swept towards the cutter. The 
action, which commenced at llh. 
a.m., was now maintained with 
great spirit on both sides within 
pistol-shot. At noon the crew of 
the nearest of the two large pri¬ 
vateers attempted to board, but 
were driven back with loss, and a 
second attempt was equally un¬ 
successful. The Entreprenante, 
with the aid of her sweeps, 
brought her larboard guns to 
bear with such effect, as to com¬ 
pel three of her antagonists to 
sheer off ; and, at this moment, a 
well-directed broadside carried 
away the foremast and bowsprit 
of the most formidable of the 
privateers. A third attempt was 
now made to carry the cutter, 
but with no better success than 
before. The enemy, assisted by 
their boats, at 2h. 30m. p.m., made 
off towards the shore. The En¬ 
treprenante had one man killed 
and ten wounded. 

December 13. 

1796. Vestale and Terpsi¬ 
chore.— On the 12th Dec., at 
daybreak, the 12-pounder 32-gun 
frigate Terpsichore, Capt. Richd. 
Bowen, was about 20 leagues to 
the westward of Cadiz, when she 
discovered the French 36-gun 


frigate Yestale about four miles 
on her weather quarter. Sail was 
made in chase, but the wind 
increased so much that the Terp¬ 
sichore sprang her topmasts, and 
both ships reduced their canvass 
to the courses only. At 8h. a.m. 
on the 13th, a shift of wind to 
the southward brought the Terp¬ 
sichore to windward, who imme¬ 
diately made all the sail she could 
in pursuit. At 9h. 30m. p.m., the 
Yestale hauled up her courses 
and hove to, awaiting the ap¬ 
proach of the British frigate, who 
having reached a position close 
upon her weather quarter, at 1 Oh. 
p.m. a furious action commenced 
on both sides, which continued 
until llh. 40m. p.m., when the 
Yestale, having sustained the loss 
of her captain (Foucaud) and 27 
men killed and 37 wounded, 
struck her colours. Immediately 
after her surrender, her mizen- 
mast fell over the side. The loss 
of the Terpsichore was four men 
killed, her second and only lieu¬ 
tenant (George Bowen) and 17 
wounded, out of a reduced crew 
of 166,— the other officers and 46 
men being away in prizes. Dur¬ 
ing the night of the 13th, the 
crew of the Vestale regained pos¬ 
session, and at daylight on the 
14 th Capt. Bowen had the mor¬ 
tification of seeing his nobly- 
acquired prize steering towards 
Cadiz, where she arrived in safety. 

1806. Halcyon and Neptuno. 
•—At 8h. a.m., the 10-gun brig 
Halcyon, Capt. Henry Whitmarsh 
Pearsc, when about six leagues to 
the eastward of Cape San Martin, 
coast of Spain, observed an armed 
ship, brig, and xebec standing 
towards her, and five settees were 
also seen in the distance. At 
lOh. 30m. the action commenced, 
and as soon as the Halcyon ar¬ 
rived abreast of the second vessel, 
she tacked and brought them to 






December 14. NAVY. 635 


close action. At lialf-past noon, 
the xebec and brig, assisted by 
their sweeps and boats, hauled off 
to the southward. The ship en¬ 
deavoured to do the same, but the 
Halcyon swept after, and in the 
course of an hour got close along¬ 
side, when the Spanish corvette 
Neptuno, of 14 long 12-pounders 
and 72 men, struck her colours. 
Of her 94 men and boys (the 
Halcyon was short 16, but had 
on board four very active passen¬ 
gers), she had not a man hurt. 
The brig was the Virgine de 
Solidad, of 14 long 12- and 8- 
pounders and 78 men; and the 
xebec Vives mounted 12 long 
8- and 6-pounders, and 65 men. 

1808. Capture of Cigne.— 
On 12th December, an unsuccess¬ 
ful attack was made to cut out 
the French 18-gun brig Cigne, 
lying under the protection of 
four batteries, and a considerable 
number of troops on the beach, 
with field-pieces, near St. Pierre, 
Martinique, by the boats of the 
Circe, under the command of 
Lieut. Charles Henry Crooke. 
Although the boats boarded in 
the most gallant manner, they 
were beat off with great slaughter. 
One boat was taken, another 
sunk, and the third entirely dis¬ 
abled; and out of 68 men, 9 
were killed, 21 wounded, and 26 
missing. At daylight on the 
13th, the French brig got under 
way, and, aided by her sweeps, 
stood along shore towards St. 
Pierre, pursued by the Ama- 
ranthe, 18-gun brig, Capt. Edwd. 
Pelham Brenton, having in tow 
the boats of the Circe frigate and 
Stork sloop. At lOh. A.M., the 
Cigne grounded near several bat¬ 
teries, to the northward of St. 
Pierre. The Amaranthe worked 
in under a heavy fire from the 
batteries, and the French brig, 
whilst the Circe and the rest of 


the squadron engaged the bat¬ 
teries to leeward. The well-di¬ 
rected fire of the Amaranthe soon 
obliged the crew of the Cigne to 
take to the shore, and the boats 
of the Circe, Amaranthe, and 
Stork, led by Lieut. James Hay, 
first of the Amaranthe, boarded 
and carried the Cigne, in the face 
of a heavy fire from the batteries 
and from the troops on the beach. 
The prize having bilged, was 
destroyed, as was also a schooner. 

—JFXctmL 

December 14. 

1809. On 14th December, the 
36-gun frigate Melampus, Capt. 
Edward Hawker, cruising off 
Guadaloupe, after a chase of 
twenty-eight hours captured the 
French 16-gun brig Bearnais, 
after sustaining the loss of one 
man killed and several wounded. 
The Melampus had two men 
wounded. 

1814. Capture of American 
Flotilla. — On 14th December, 
an attack was made on the Ame¬ 
rican flotilla, anchored athwart 
the narrow channel called Mal- 
heureux Island passage, on lake 
Borgne, coast of America, by 42 
armed launches, carrying alto¬ 
gether 980 seamen and marines, 
under the orders of Capt. Nicholas 
Lockyer, assisted by Capts. Henry 
Montresor and Samuel Roberts. 
The American force consisted of 
five gun-hoats, mounting each 
one long 24- or 32-pounder, and 
from four to six smaller guns. 
After a pull of 36 miles, a great 
part of the way against a strong 
current, the boats, at lOh. 33m. 
A.M., dashed on towards the flo¬ 
tilla, exposed to a destructive fire 
of round and grape. At about 
noon, Capt. Lockyer and Lieut. 
George Pratt, in the barge of the 
Sealiorse, closed with the gun- 











636 CALENDAR, OF VICTORY. December 15 


boat of the American commo¬ 
dore, and, after an obstinate 
struggle, in which the greater 
part of the officers and the men 
in the boat were either killed or 
wounded, including, among the 
latter, Captain Lockyer severely, 
and Lieut. Pratt mortally, suc¬ 
ceeded in boarding her. Seconded 
by another boat of the Seahorse, 
commanded by Midshipman 
George Robert White, and by 
the boats of the Tonnant, under 
Lieut. James Barnewall Tatnall, 
the British soon carried the gun- 
vessel. The boat of Lieutenant 
Tatnall having been sunk along¬ 
side, that officer, getting into an¬ 
other, gallantly pushed on to the 
attack of the remaining four gun- 
vessels. Upon these the guns of 
the captured boat were now 
turned, and in a few minutes, 
with the assistance of the second 
and third divisions of boats, the 
enemy were all secured. The 
loss of the British amounted to 
three midshipmen and 14 men 
killed; Capt. Nicholas Lockyer, 
four lieutenants, one lieutenant 
of marines, three master’s mates, 
seven midshipmen, and 61 men 
wounded; total, 17 killed, 77 
wounded. The American loss 
was comparatively trifling, 
amounting to 6 killed and 35 
wounded. -iHctfal. 

December 15. 

1788. Attack on St. Lucie. 
—The expedition intended for 
the reduction of the island of St. 
Lucie sailed from Barbadoes on 
13th December, and on the same 
day a considerable body of troops, 
under Brigadier-Gens. Meadows 
and Prescott, landed in different 
parts of the Grand Cul-de-Sac, 
while Brigadieu Gen. Sir Henry 
Calder protected the landing- 
place to keep open a communica¬ 


tion between the fleet and army. 
The British had not been long in 
possession of the island before 
the Comte d’Estaing made his 
appearance with twelve ships of 
the line, having on board 9000 
troops. Rear-Admiral Barring¬ 
ton ordered the transports to 
be warped close inshore, and 
moored his little squadron with 
so much skill and judgment as 
to baffle the repeated attacks of 
the enemy. On the 15th, the 
Comte d’Estaing made two des¬ 
perate attacks upon the British 
squadron; but the determined 
coolness, resolution, and bravery 
of its commanders, supported by 
a steady fire from the batteries 
on shore, compelled the enemy 
to stand out to sea and relinquish 
any further attempts. 

1824. Defeat of Burmese 
War-boats. — Thinking it pro¬ 
bable that the enemy’s fire-rafts 
might be destroyed, Capt. Chads 
despatched Lieut. Kellett up the 
Panlang branch of the river, in the 
steam-vessel, with 40 marines and 
soldiers, and the Prince of Wales, 
towed by the Diana, accompanied 
by the pinnaces of the Arachne 
and Sophie. Arriving early in 
the morning of the 15th December 
at Pagoda point, they discovered 
about 200 war-boats, who in 
retiring kept up a smart fire from 
the long guns which five of 
them mounted. Finding the Bri¬ 
tish advancing rapidly upon 
them, they drew up in line of 
battle; but the little band was 
not to be daunted by this show 
of resistance ; and, dashing bold¬ 
ly forward, the fire from the 
boats’ carronades and musketry 
threw the enemy into confusion. 
Panic-struck, they flew in all 
directions, leaving in our posses¬ 
sion three of their long war- 
boats, one mounting three, and 
the others two guns each. Forty 








NAVY. 


I 

December 17. 


other boats of various descrip¬ 
tions were also captured; and 
this was accomplished without 
any loss on the part of the Bri¬ 
tish. 

December 16. 

1796. Hirondelle, French 16- 
gun corvette, captured by Cleo¬ 
patra, 32. 

1806. Elizabeth, French 14- 
gun brig-privateer, captured in 
West Indies by Kingfisher, 14, 
Capt. Cochrane. 

December 17. 

1809. The 18-gun brig Rosa¬ 
mond, Capt. Benjamin Walker, 
cruising near Guadaloupe,captur¬ 
ed, after a short resistance, the 
French 16-gun brig Papillon. The 
prize was commissioned under 
the same name. 

1810. Rinaldo and French 
Luggers. —At 3h. 30m. p.m., the 
10-gun brig, Rinaldo, Capt. James 
Anderson, was standing out from 
St. Helens, when she perceived in 
the offing four French luggers. In 
order to decoy them, Capt. An¬ 
derson kept in such a position as 
to prevent their discovering that 
she was a vessel of war. The 
manoeuvre succeeded so well that 
the four luggers soon afterwards 
made sail in chase; and at 5h. p.m. 
the two largest came up under 
the brig’s stern, and, discharging 
a volley of musketry, ordered her 
to strike. The Rinaldo, heaving 
in stays, brought a broadside to 
bear upon each of them, then 
wearing round, discharged a se¬ 
cond broadside into the larger 
vessel, which brought down her 
masts and sails, and compelled 
her to call for quarter. The 
other lugger ran down upon the 
bow of the Rinaldo, with an in¬ 
tention to board, keeping up, as 


637 


she advanced, a smart fire of mus¬ 
ketry; but on the brig closing 
with her, she ran within the 
Ower’s light, lowered her sails, 
and also called for quarter. At 
this moment the Rinaldo was 
carried by the strong ebb-tide on 
board the Ower’s light-vessel, and 
became so entangled, that three 
of the privateers made sail and 
escaped; but the Viclle Josephine, 
of 16 guns, was sunk, and only 
three men out of her crew of 80, 
were rescued by her consorts. 

December 18. 

1809. Destruction of Seine 
and Loire. —The French 40-gun 
frigates en flute , Seine and Loire, 
which had separated from the 
Renommee and Clorinde, finding 
themselves cut off from Basse¬ 
terre by a British squadron, on 
17th December entered the cove 
of Anse la Barque, where they 
anchored head and stern under 
the protection of a strong battery, 
on each side of the entrance. 
The Ringdove, 18, having been 
struck by a shot from a point to 
the southward, Capt. Dowers 
embarked a party in his boats, 
and at 3h. p.m. landed. Having 
stormed the battery, spiked the 
guns, and blown up the magazine, 
he returned to the Ringdove at 
4h. p.m., without having sustained 
any loss. On the 18th, at 8h. 
a.m., the 74-gun ship Sceptre, 
Capt. S. J. Ballard, arrived from 
Martinique. The Blonde and 
Thetis frigates, Capts. Y. Y. Bal¬ 
lard and George Miller, were 
ordered to enter the bay and en¬ 
gage the French ships, whilst the 
Sceptre and Freja, 36, Capt. John 
Hayes, cannonaded the batteries, 
and the 18-gun sloops Hazard, 
Cygnet, and Ringdove took the 
boats of the squadron in tow. 
The forts and frigates opened 










638 


CALENDAR OE VICTORY. December 20. 


their fire at 2h. 30m., and the 
Blonde, having anchored within 
pistol-shot of a batteiy, and a 
quarter of a mile of the French 
frigates, opened her starboard 
broadside. Soon afterwards the 
Thetis also anchored and com¬ 
menced firing. At 3h. 30m., one 
of the enemy’s ships being dis¬ 
masted, surrendered ; and at 4h. 
20m. her consort hauled down her 
colours. The Blonde and Thetis 
then made sail out of reach of the 
fort; and at 5h. 20m., both French 
ships caught fire and exploded. 
Just as the night was closing in, 
the boats of the squadron, under 
the orders of Capt. Cameron, 
landed under a heavy fire, and 
succeeded in storming the fort; 
but that otficer was unfortunately 
killed by a grape-shot, when 
stepping into his boat to return 
to the Hazard, and had been pre¬ 
viously wounded by a musket- 
hall, while gallantly hauling down 
the French colours. The Blonde 
had Lieut. George Jenkins, and 
7 killed, and 16 wounded; Thetis, 
6 men wounded.— jirUtral. 

December 19. 

1783. Capture of the South 
Carolina.— The United States 
frigate South Carolina, Captain 
Joyner, mounting 28 long 36- 
pounders on her main-deck and 
twelve long 12-pounders on the 
quarter-deck and forecastle, was 
captured by a squadron consist¬ 
ing of 32-gun frigate Quebec, 
Capt. C. Mason, 44-gun ship, 
Diomede, T. L. Frederick, and 
32-gun frigate Astrea M. Squire. 
The South Carolina was built at 
Amsterdam in 1780, with the 
scantling and dimensions of a 74- 
gun ship. She was originally 
named the Indien, and belonged 
to France, from whom she was 
hired by the Americans. 


1796. Minerve and Sabina. 
—At lOh. a.m., the 40-gun fri¬ 
gate, Minerve, Capt. George 
Cockburn, bearing the broad pen¬ 
dant of Commodore Horatio 
Nelson, and Blanche, 32, Capt. 
D’Arcy Preston, near Porto Fer- 
rajo, fell in with the Spanish fri¬ 
gates Sabina and Ceres. At lOh. 
30m., the Minerve brought the 
Sabina to close action, and, after 
engaging her two hours and fifty 
minutes, compelled her to sur¬ 
render, having had her mizen- 
mast shot away, and ten men 
killed and 45 wounded. The 
Minerve had one midshipman and 
six men killed, and Lieut. James 
Noble and 32 men wounded. 
The Blanche closed with the fri¬ 
gate to leeward, and, after a few 
broadsides, the Ceres hauled down 
her colours; but the near approach 
of a Spanish three-decker and 
two frigates prevented Captain 
Preston taking possession of his 
prize. The Sabina was taken in 
tow of the Minerve, until the 
Spanish frigate Matilda arrived 
up, when the action commenced 
with this ship; but the superior 
force of the enemy being close 
at hand, both the prizes were re¬ 
captured.—ifHcttaL 

December 20. 

1797. Phcebe and Nereide. 
— The 18-pounder 36-gun fri¬ 
gate Phoebe, mounting 44 guns, 
Capt. Robert Barlow, being in 
lat. 48° 58' N., long. 8° 4' W., 
discovered the French 12-pounder, 
36-gun frigate Nereide, mounting 
46 guns, Capt. A. Canon, which 
immediately hauled to the wind 
and was pursued by the British 
frigate. The chase continued 
during the day, and at 9h. p.m., 
the Nereide commenced firing 
her stern guns, which did con¬ 
siderable damage to her op- 



















NAVY. 


December 21. 


639 


ponent’s masts, sails, and rigging. 
At 9h. 10m., the Nereide hove 
in stays. In a few minutes the 
Phoebe also came round, and the 
two frigates, in passing on oppo¬ 
site tacks, exchanged broadsides. 
At lOh. f.m., the Phoebe got fairly 
alongside her antagonist, when 
both ships backed their main-top¬ 
sails, and commenced the action 
in earnest, — the Nereide placing 
herself about four ships’ length to 
windward of the Phoebe. In a 
short time, the Nereide, from the 
injury she had sustained in her 
sails and rigging, fell on board 
the Phoebe, a little before the main 
chains; but the latter bore up 
clear of her, then hauled to the 
wind, and again approached. At 
lOh. 45m., just as the Phoebe was 
about to renew her fire, the 
Nereide hauled down her light, 
and hailed that she surrendered. 
Neither ship had a mast shot 
away, but both had suffered much 
in their rigging and sails. Out 
of a crew of 261, the Phoebe had 
three men killed and ten wounded. 
The Nereide, out of a crew 330 
men, had 20 killed and 35 
wounded. The first lieutenant of 
the Phoebe, Michael Halliday, was 
promoted to the rank of com¬ 
mander, in July in the following 
year. The Nereide measured 892 
tons, and was added to the British 
navy as a 12-pounder 36-gun fri¬ 
gate. — JJflUtfal. 

December 21. 

1799. Recapture or Lady 
Nelson. — In the evening, the 
hired 10-gun cutter Lady Nelson, 
while off Cabrita point, was at¬ 
tacked by three French privateers 
and some gun-boats, in sight of 
the 100-gun ship Queen Charlotte 
and 36-gun frigate Emerald, 
lying in Gibraltar bay. The boats 
from these ships were imme¬ 
diately despatched by Vice-Adm. 


Lord Keith to support the Lady 
Nelson; but, before they could 
get up, the cutter had been cap¬ 
tured, and was in tow of two of 
the privateers. Lieut. William 
Bainbridge, in the barge of the 
Queen Charlotte, ran alongside 
of the Lady Nelson, and, after a 
sharp conflict, carried her, taking 
as prisoners seven French offi¬ 
cers and 27 men; six others had 
been killed in the conflict. Lieut. 
Bainbridge was severely wounded 
in the head by the stroke of a 
sabre, and slightly in other places. 
Some of his men were also 
wounded. — jHctml. 

1807. The Danish island of St. 
Thomas, in the West Indies, sur¬ 
rendered to an expedition under 
Adm. the Hon. Alexander Coch¬ 
rane and Gen. Bowyer. 

1812. Boats of Apollo and 
Weasel. — The 38-gun frigate 
Apollo, Capt. B. W. Taylor, ac¬ 
companied by the 18-gun brig, 
Weasel, chased a trabaccolo under 
the protection of the tower of St. 
Cataldo in the Adriatic. The 
boats of the two vessels were de¬ 
tached, under the orders of Lieuts. 
George Bowen and Michael Quin, 
to destroy this tower, which was 
reputed to be the strongest be¬ 
tween Brindisi and Otranto. The 
enemy became so discouraged by 
the well-directed fire of the Apol¬ 
lo’s barge, that the tower was 
carried without loss, and then 
blown up by the British. 

December 22. 

1779. Capture of Blanche 
and Fortunee. — Rear-Admiral 
Rowley, in the Suffolk, 70, was 
detached with Vegeance, Magni¬ 
ficent, and Stirling Castle, in pur¬ 
suit of three ships belonging to 
the fleet of Comte d’Estaing, 
cruising off Martinique. On 
Tuesday, the 21st December, at 






640 CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 26. 


8h. a.m., three strange sail being 
discovered, the signal was made 
for a general chase, which con¬ 
tinued during the night; and on 
the 22nd, at 5h. p.m., one of the 
strangers, after a short defence, 
struck her colours. She proved 
to be the Blanche, of 36 guns 
and 212 men, Capt. La Gallis- 
soniere. At llh. p m., La For- 
tunee, of 40 guns, commanded 
by the Chevalier Marigny, also 
surrendered. 

December 23. 

1779. The squadron under 
Adm. Rowley, after the capture 
of the Blanche and Fortunee, as 
we have just related, continued 
the pursuit of the third ship, and, 
at 3h. p.m. on Thursday the 23rd, 
came up with and captured the 
Elize, of 28 guns and 68 men, 
commanded by M. Fonteneaux. 

1812. The American brig Hun¬ 
ter, of 14 guns, was captured by 
Phoebe, 36, Cap. Hillyar. 

December 24. 

1796. Capture of Justine.— 
The 64-gun ship, Polyphemus, 
Capt. Geo. Lumsdaine, captured 
the French 50-gun ship Justine, en 
flute, having on board 600 troops. 
Before the prize could be secured, 
a violent gale came on, in which 
she foundered, with all hands. 

1805. Capture of Libre.— 
In the morning, the French 40- 
gun frigate Libre, which had sepa¬ 
rated from her consort the Fu- 
rieuse, in a gale on the coast of 
Scotland, when off the port of 
Rochefort, fell in witli and was 
chased by the 44-gun frigate 
Egyptienne, acting captain, 
Lieut. P. C. Hand field. At noon 
the 38-gun frigate Loire, Capt. 
Fred. L. Maitland, joined in the 
chase, and at 3h. p.m. brought the 


Libre to action. Soon afterwards 
the Egytienne also opened her 
fire, and then ran the French fri¬ 
gate on board, carrying away by 
the shock the latter ship’s bow¬ 
sprit. This soon put an end to 
the contest, and the Libre hauled 
down her colours, having above 
20 men killed and wounded, out 
of a crew of 280. The Egyp¬ 
tienne had one killed and 9 
wounded, out of a crew of 330. 

December 25. 

1666. Capture of Dutch 
Squadron.— On 25th December, 
a squadron of six sail, under the 
command of Commodore Robert 
Robinson, in the 60-gun ship 
Warspight, engaged a Dutch 
squadron of five sail, on the coast 
of Norway, three of which, in¬ 
cluding the Dutch commodore’s 
ship, were captured after a short 
action. 

1807. Reduction of Sainte 
Croix. —On the 25th December, 
the Danish island of Sainte Croix 
capitulated to an expedition un¬ 
der Rear-Adm. the Hon. Alex. 
J. Cochrane and Gen. Bowyer. 

December 26. 

1706. Destruction of Con¬ 
tent.— The 50-gun ship Romney, 
Capt. William Coney, in company 
with Milford and Fowey frigates, 
being on the coast of Spain, gave 
chase to the French 64-gun ship 
Content, which made sail in¬ 
shore, and sought shelter under a 
small fort eight leagues to the 
westward of Almcira; the Rom¬ 
ney took a position athwart her 
bows, whilst the Milford and 
Fowey placed themselves on her 
bow and quarter, and opened so 
destructive a fire, that in a short 
time the French ship blew up 
with all her crew. 







December 27. 


NAVY. 


641 


1780. The Mary letter-of- 
marque, of 22-guns, commanded 
by Moses Stowards, on passage 
to the West Indies, fell in with 
a large Spanish frigate, which, 
after an obstinate engagement, 
she compelled to haul off. The 
Mary having her topmasts shot 
away and being much cut up in 
rigging and sails, was incapable 
of pursuing the enemy ; and she 
had 3 men killed and 5 wounded. 

1799. At lOh. 15m. a. m., the 
Dodman bearing north, distant 
seven leagues, the Viper cutter, 
mounting fourteen 4-pounders, 
and 48 men, Lieut. John Pengelly 
discovered to windward, and 
gave chase to the French lugger 
Furet, of fourteen 4-pounders and 
57 men. After a running fight of 
an hour and half, the Viper ran 
alongside her opponent, and soon 
compelled her to haul down her 
colours. Lieut Pengelly and one 
seaman were wounded. On board 
the Furet, 4 men were killed 
and 8 wounded. This was the 
second time that the Viper, under 
the same commander, had cap¬ 
tured a French privateer of equal 
force. — ductal. 

1807. The French having oc¬ 
cupied Portugal, a British squa¬ 
dron, under Rear-Adm Sir Sam. 
Hood, consisting of 74-gun ships 
Centaur, York, and Captain, and 
64-gun ship Intrepid, with the 
frigates Africaine, Alceste, Shan¬ 
non, and Success, together with 
transports conveying troops un¬ 
der Major-Gen. Beresford, sailed 
for Madeira. On the 24th De¬ 
cember, the squadron anchored in 
Funchal bay, and on the 26th, 
without opposition, took posses¬ 
sion of the Madeira islands. 

December 27. 

1742. PULTNEY AND XEBECS. 
_The British 16-gun privateer 


Pultney, with a crew of 142 men, 
commanded by James Purcell, 
returning to Gibraltar from a 
cruise, was attacked by two large 
Spanish xebecs, each mounting 
12 guns, with a crew of 120 men. 
The wind being very light, the 
xebecs, by the aid of their sweeps, 
were enabled to choose their po¬ 
sition, and overtook the privateer 
off Europa point. On arriving 
up, the Spaniards ordered the 
Pultney to surrender, and, being 
answered by a broadside, made 
several attempts to carry her by 
boarding, but were on each 
occasion repulsed with great 
slaughter. After an action of 
nearly two hours’ duration, the 
Spanish vessels sheered off, and 
returned to their port with the 
loss of 100 men killed and 
wounded. The Pultney had only 
one man killed and five wounded. 


December 28. 

1793. Sans Calotte, 20, cap¬ 
tured in West Indies by Blanche, 
32, Capt. Parker. 

1797. Hazard, 14 guns, taken 
in the Channel by Phaeton, 38, 
Captain Stopford. 

1806. General Blanchard, 16, 
captured off Los Pongos by Fa¬ 
vourite. 20, Capt. Davie. 


December 29. 

1797. The French 20-gun cor¬ 
vette Daphne (late British) was 
captured in the Bay by the 44- 
gun frigate Anson, Captain P. C. 
C. H. Durham, after a spirited 
defence, and the loss of five men 
killed and several wounded. 

1812. The 18-gun brig Royal¬ 
ist, Captain George Downie, 
cruising in the Channel, captured 
the French privateer Ruse. — 

mm i. 


/ 


T T 













642 


CALENDAR OF VICTORY. December 31. 


December 30. 

1707. The Ludlow Castle, Capt. 
Nicholas Haddock, off the Long- 
sand-head, fell in with the French 
privateers Dunkirk and Nightin¬ 
gale, each carrying more men 
than the British ship; the Night¬ 
ingale being under the command 
of one Thomas Smith, who had 
been dismissed the English ser¬ 
vice. The two ships having at¬ 
tacked the Ludlow Castle, were 
so warmly received that they en¬ 
deavoured to make off; but 
Capt. Haddock gave chase to the 
largest, which he came up with, 
and captured. 

1780. Bellona and Princess 
Caroline. — The 74-gun ship 
Bellona, Capt. Richard Onslow, 
cruising on the Downs station, 


fell in with, and, after an action of 
half an hour, captured, the Dutch 
54-gun ship Princess Caroline, 
with the loss of 4 men killed 
and 12 wounded. Bellona, one 
killed and two wounded. The 
prize was added to the British 
navy under the same name. 

December 31. 

1796. Amaranthe, French 14- 
gun privateer, captured near Al¬ 
derney, by Diamond, 38, Captain 
Strachan. 

1797. A venture, French priva- 
teer, 12 guns, taken by Mermaid, 
32, off Belleisle. 

1811. Chasseur, 16, French, 
captured by Blossom, 20, Capt. 
Stewart, in the Channel. 
















ADDENDUM. — Navy. 


The following has been inadvertently omitted under Oct. 14th, 
page 594: — 


October 14. 


1747.—Rear-Admiral Hawke, 
with 12 ships of the line, and 2 
of 50 guns, being off Cape Finis- 
terre, discovered a French fleet, 
under Commodore Letendeur. 
Sail was instantly made to close 
the enemy, then on the weather 
bow; and at lOh. a.m. the British 
formed in order of battle. The 
French commodore at the same 
time directed the Content, 64, 
and frigates with the convoy, to 
make the best of their w r av, while 
he, with the remainder, drew into 
line ahead. The Intrepide, 74, 
Trident, 64, and Terrible, forming 
the van; Tonnant, 80, and Mo- 
narque, 74, the centre; the Se¬ 
vern, 56, Fougueux, 64, and 
Neptune, 70, the rear. The sig¬ 
nal for a general chase was now 
made. The Lion, 60, and Prin¬ 
cess Louisa, 60, took the lead, 


but the remainder of the British 
soon arriving up, the action became 
general. The Severn struck to 
the Devonshire, 66, and Hawke 
pushed on to close the Tonnant ; 
but the Eagle, 60, being disabled, 
fell on board the Devonshire; and 
in this situation the latter was 
engaged by the Tonnant, until 
the Tilbury, 60, took part in the 
action. The Devonshire then 
closed with the Trident and Ter¬ 
rible, and both these ships surren¬ 
dered at 7h. p.m. The Neptune, 
being dismasted, and having lost 
her captain and 200 of her crew, 
struck to the Yarmouth, 64. The 
Monarque, Fougueux, and Se¬ 
vern surrendered before 5h. p.m. 
The Tonnant and Intrepide ef¬ 
fected their escape. The loss of 
the British amounted to 154 
killed and 558 wounded. 









t 





I N D E X 


A. 

A’Court, Mid. H., 616. 
Abbot, Lt.-Col., 197. 
Abercromby, Gen., 4. 50, 
51. 80. Death of, 82. 
109. 119. 146. 162.216. 
251—253. 257. 264. 
Abingdon, Maj., 8. 13. 
Acadia, 135. 

Achates, 606. 

Achille, 498. 527. 

Achilles, 454. 

Acre, 123. 200- 273. 456.613. 
Acklow, Lt -Gen., 497. 
Actionnaire, 467. 

Active, 627. 

Acul, 51. 

Adains, 565. 

Adams, Gen., 173. 279. 
321 333. 

Adams, Lt.-Col., 142. 146. 
Adams, Maj., 194. 203. 208. 

224. 249. 258. 302. 
Adams, Capt., 69. 

Aden, 21. 142. 194. 
Admiral Yawl, 432. 
Admiral Mitchell, 610. 
Adventure, 385. 
iEolus, 430. 

Africa, 425. 

Africaine, 423. 
Agamemnon, 606. 
Agincourt, 317. 

Agra, 309. 

Agrapa, 306. 

Aguada, 523. 
Ahmednuggur, 234. 

Aicha, 195. 

Aigle, 446. 491. 524. 563. 
572. 

Aimable, 465. 532. 

Ainslie, Lt.-Col., 319. 
Aire, 60, 63. 235. 

Aix Roads, 458. 

Ajaygerh, 45. 

Ajmeer, 161. 

Alamparvah, 72. 

Alba, 337. 

Albemarle, Earl of, 245. 
Albion, 601. 615. 

Albuera, 137. 
Albuquerque, 131. 

Alceste, 509. 627. 

Alcide, 301. 525. 

Alcmdne, 545. 607. 
Alcoentre, 

AI coy, 67. 

Alcyone, 624. 

Alert, 575. 


Alexander, 423. 

Alexander, Capt., 97. 
Alexandria, 79, 80. 240. 
246. 256. 

Alexandrian, 549. 
Algesiras. 518. 

Algiers, 559. 

Alicant, 518. 

Ali Cawn, 208. 

Alighur, 284. 

Aliwal, 28. 

Allamanee Creek, 62. 
Allen, Capt. W. H., .649. 
Allen, Lt. S., 631. 

Alma, 278. 

Alten, Gen., 168. 
Amaranthe, 635. 

Amazon, 394. 440. 
Amazone, 446. 536. 
Amboor, 361. 

Amboyna, 51. 422. 
America, 498. 

American Flotilla, 635. 
Americain, 404. 

Amethyst, 456. 617. 
Amethyste, 409. 

Amherst, Gen., 160. 213. 
215. 

Amherst, Lt.-Col. 263. 
Amhertzberg, 240. 

Amiens, 284. 

Amoy, 557. 

Amrooh, 70. 

Anaconda, 524. 

Ancona, 491. 

Anderson, Lt.-Col., 382. 
Anderson, Capt. J., 631. 
637. 

Andre, Fort, 128. 
Andromache, 408. 607. 
Andromaque, 489. 556. 
Anglese, 455. 

Anguilla, 142. 

Angus, Lt, 72. 

Angus, Earl of. 225. 
Anholt, 447. 485. 

Anii ul Fort, 199. 
Annapolis Royal, 290. 
Anne, Fort, 302. 
Annunghoy, 58. 

Anson, 641. 

Anson, Commod.,509. 
Anson, Vice-Adm., 473. 
556. 

Anstruther. Lt.-Col., 161. 
Antelope, 481. 612. 628. 
Antwerp, 128. 

Apollo, 408. 506. 

Appleton, Commod., 628., 
Aquilon, 459. 481. 


Arbuthnot, Adm., 132. 
479. 

Arc, Joan of, 147. 
Arcangues, 34*. 

Arcot, 41. 234. 271. 283. 
342. 

Ardent, 43*. 

Arethu a, 506. 556. 
Arethuse, 413 
Argo, 400. 413. 480. 

Argum, 354. 

Argus, 549. 

Argyle, Duke of. 188. 339. 
Ariadne, 489. 

Ariancopang, 289. 

Arikera, 436. 

Armada, Spanish, 528. 
531.535. 

Armstrong, Lt.-Col., 235. 
Armee d’ltalie, 632. 
Armide, 579. 

Arnaud, St. Marshal, 271. 
Arnaut, St., Sir. H., 122. 
Arnold, 119. 

Arras, 140 
Arrow, 570. 

Arroyo, IVlolino, 323. 
Arriveriete, 49. 

Artemise, 538. 582. 

Artois, 515. 601. 629. 
Arumbali, 42. 

Arundel, Earl of, 147.250. 

336. 454. 

Ascalon, 257. 

Ashe, Gen.. 64. 

Ashta, 52. 54. 

Ashworth, 368. 

Assaye, 282. 

Asseer. 46. 

Asserghur, 79. 100. 

Astrea, 458. 487- 
Astree, 630. 

Atalante, 392. 450. 476. 
620. 

Atcherley, Capt., 321. 
Auberoche, 232. 
Auchmaty, Gen., 21. 35. 
227. 231. 

Auckland, B.. Gen., 193. 
Audacieuse, 497. 

Auda Nulla, 249. 258. 
Augusta Island, 407. 
Augusta, 601. 624. 
Auguste, 414. 

Austen, Capt. F. W., 444. 
Austria, Don Juan of, 
166. 

Auray, 289. 

Avaracurchy, 109. 
Aventurier, 541. 


T T 3 














646 


INDEX. 


Ayscue, V.-Adm., Sir 
Geo., 550. 

B. 

Babet, 467. 

Bacchante, 390. 455. 480. 
483. 

Badajos. 78. 85. 97. 130. 

132. 157. 

Badaumy, 50. 

Badere Zaffer, 517. 
Bahoor, 251. 

Baird, Sir James, 54, 
Baird, Gen.,8, 9. 17, 18. 
Bailey, Capt., 52. 194. 
Bailey. Lt., 142. 

Bailie, Lt.-Cot., 122.261. 
Bailie, Maj., 21. 

Bailie, Capt.. 286. 
Bainbridge, Lt. W., 639. 
Bajee Roco, 341. 

Baker, Capt. T., 545. 
Baker, Lt. P. H., 612. 
Balaklava. 319. 

Baleine, 481. 

Bali, Capt. H. L.. 415. 
Ballard, Capt. S. J., 637- 
Ballard, Capt. V. V., 637. 
Baltimore, 268. 

Bancole, 100. 

Banda, 68. 

Banda Neira, 522. 
Bandoola, 88. 

Bangalore, 65. 67. 85. 
Bannatyn, Capt., 109. 
Bantry Bay, 471. 

Barbier de Seville, 621. 
Barcelona, 382. 

Barclay, Col., 57. 

Baring, Maj., 174. 

Barlow, Capt. R., 423.638. 
Barnard, Lt -Col., 225. 
Barnes, Gen., 63. 175. 215. 

320. 367. 

Barosa, 65. 288. 

Barquier, Gen., 195. 
Barrie, Capt. R., 472. 
Barrington, Gen., 122. 
Barrington, Rt. Hon., 636. 
Barrington, Capt., 454. 
Bartholomew, 77. 

Barton, Capt. R., 625. 
Barrabutee, 304. 

Basden, Maj., 68. 

Basque Roads, 392. 400. 
458. 

Bassett. Lt., 511. 

Baste, R. Adm., 577. 
Bastin, Lt. R., 528. 

Batoo Golka, 52. 
Battensby, Lt. H., 506. 
525. 

Baumgardt, Lt. A., 469. 
Baurot, Gen., 82, 102. 
Bayley, Capt., 52. 321. 
Bayonne, 1. 106. 

Bazeley, Lt. S., 575. 
Beachy Head, 514. 

Bearn, Cant., 49. 

Beatson, Capt., 113. 
Beatty, Lt. G., 437. 
Beaver, Capt. P., 486. 


Beaufort, Lt. F., 609. 
Beauclerk, Capt. Lord A., 
505. 

Beaulieu, Gen., 273. 
Beckwith, Col., 22.78. 94. 
Beckwith, Gen., 31. 
Bedamee, 162. 

Bedford, Duke of, 44. 238. 

460. 549. 

Bednore, 29. 

Bejar, 52. 

Begur, 543. 

Belcher, Lt., 633. 

Bell, Capt. C., 621. 
Bellegarde, 460. 

Belleisle, 135. 144. 159. 
502. 

Belle Poule, 421. 439. 506. 
525. 

Belliand, Gen., 186. 
Belliqueux, 6!2. 

Bellone, 409. 425. 521.619. 
630. 

Bellona, 548. 562.642. 630. 
Belvidera, 511. 

Benbow, Cornmod., 520. 

553. 556. 621. 

Bentham, C. M. G., 594. 
Bentinck, Gen., 67. 99. 110. 
226. 

Bentinck, Maj.-Gen., 280. 

321. 333. 

Berbice, 124. 

Beresford, Gen., 18. 58, 
59.102 108. 125. 137.207. 
244. 349. 641. 

Beresford, Capt. J. P.,484. 
Bergen, 292. 

Berkeley, Adm. Lord., 517. 
Bernadotte, 182. 

Berry, Capt., 450. 

Bertie, V. Adm., 357. 630. 
Berton,Gen., 56. 

Bethune, 252. 
Bettesworth, Lt. G. E. B., 
411. 

Bettesworth, Capt.,414. 
Beyrout, 568. 

Bhooja, 87. 

Bhore Pass, 41. 
Bhurtpore, 18. 

Bidassoa, 298. 

Bien Acquis, 624. 

Bien Aimee, 388. 

Bien Venue, 442. 

Bissett, Capt. A., 523. 594. 
Black, Capt., 25. 46. 
Blackwood, Capt. H., 450. 
Bladensberg, 248. 

Blair, Lt.-Col., 3. 40. 43. 
Blake, Maj., 133. 

Blake, Adm., 137.423. 444. 

465. 484. 499. 581. 626. 
Blakeney, Col., 138. 
Blanche, 389.528. 638. 640. 
Bland, Lt.., 78. 

Bland, Capt., 542. 
Blenheim, 236. 
Blenerhasset, Lt.-G., 618. 
Blonde, 551. 637. 

Blucher, 167. 175. 
Boadicea, 575. 

Bock, Gen., 207. 212. 259. 


Bodley, Cornmod., 628. 
Boger, Lt.-C., 589. 
Bohemia, King of, 250. 
Bokhara, 342. 

Bolton, Capt., 510. 
Bomarsund, 550. 

Bommel, Fort, 295. 
Bompart, Cornmod., 359. 
Bonaparte, 269. 

Bonn, 2)9. 

Bonne Citoyenne, 438. 
519. 

Bordelais, 406. 592. 
Boreas, 598. 

Bordentown, 129. 

Borgne, Lake, 635. 
Boscawen, Adm., 501. 552. 
Boscavven. Capt., 624. 
Bosquet, Gen., 321. 
Boston, 537. 

Bosworth Field, 146. 
Bouchain, 44. 227 253.271. 
Boulogne, 37. 143. 270. 300. 
Boufflers, Marshal, 243. 
Bounton, Lt. J., 545. 
Bourbeque. 140. 

Bourbon, Fort, 445. 
Bourbon, Isle, 197.520.577. 
Bourchier, Capt., 146. 553. 
Bourchier, Lt., , 48. 565. 
Bourgoyne, Gen., 160. 
Bouvet, Cornmod., 513. 
Bowen, Capt. R.. 593.634. 
Bowen, Capt., 117. 

Bowen, Lt., 30. 442. 
Bowen, Lt. G., 634. 639. 
Bowes, Gen., 73. 98. 
Bowyer Fort, 4. 

Boxer, Capt., 351. 

Boxer, Lt. J., 618. 

Boyles, Capt., 476. 

Boyles, Gen., 270. 

Boyne, 188. 

Brace, Capt., 486. 598. 
Bradford. 182. 210. 
Bradley, Lt., 490. 
Bradstreet, Lt.-Col., 251. 
Braithwaite, Lt.-Col., 78. 
247. 

Brandywine, 267. 
Bratabano, 565. 

Bravoure, 563. 

Bray, Capt., 385. 

Breda, 553. 

Bremer,Commod., 58.194, 
Brennier, Gen.. 245. 
Brenneville, 242. 

Breton, Capt. J., 473. 544. 

586. 

Brenton, Capt. E. P., 635. 
Brereton, 281. 301. 
Brereton, Maj., 23. 
Brereton, Col., 354. 

Brest, 489. 

Brett, Capt. P., 521. 
Bridport, Adm. Lord, 
356. 385. 510. 

Brilliant, 464. 548. 

Briseis, 594. 

Brisac, Due de, 423. 
Brisbane, Capt., 421.556. 
Brock, Maj.-Gen., 240. 
Broke, Capt. P. B. V., 498. 














• 

INDEX. 

647 

Brom field, Maj., 261. 

Calliaud, Col., 154. 

Cathcart, Gen., 8. 262. 

Brook, Lt.-Col., 268. 

Callinghur, 40. 

279. 319. 321. 331. 333. 

Brooke, Lt.-Col., 377. 

Calliope, 608. 

567. 

Brown, Maj.-Gen., 10. 

Calvaire, 79. 

Cathcart, Col., 165. 

Brown, Lt.-Gen. Sir Geo., 

Calvery, Sir H. de, 289. 

Cavalier, Col.. 139. 

279. 321. 332. 

Calvi, 216. 

Cavendish, Lord F., 204. 

Brown, Col., 34. 310. 

Cambray, 116. 183.233. 

Cavery River, 94. 

Brown, Capt., 250. 

Cambridge, Major-Gen., 

Cayenne, 396. 

Browne, Col., 34. 310. 
Brownrigg, Lt.-Col., 21. 
208. 

Brune, 407. 

Duke of, 279. 321. 332. 

Cawdor, Lord, 56. 

Camden, 239. 

Cedars, 141. 

Camel, 576. 

Censeur, 441. 

Cameron, Lt.-Col., 34. 49. 

Centurion, 509. 573. 616. 

Brune, Gen., 292. 

127. 206. 214. 287. 299. 

Cerbere, 533. 

Brunswick, Prince of, 204. 

365. 

Cerberus, 427. 

222, 223. 233. 

Cameron, Capt., 638. 

CerSs, 390. 465. 638. 

Buckle, Capt., 589. 

Campbell, Gen., 14. 88. 

Cesnatico, 472. 

Buchanan, Capt., 44. 

119. 176. 218. 

Ceylon, 48. 51, 52. 

Buckeridge, Lt.-Col., 50. 

Campbell, Sir A., 41. 92. 

Chacun, 55. 

Buckingham, Duke of, 

150. 162. 356. 369. 

Chads, Capt., 636. 

246. 

Campbell, Sir Colin, 280. 

Chagre, 446. 

Bailer, Brig.-Gen., 279. 

319. 

Chalmers, Lt., 400. 

333. 

Campbell, Lt.-Col , 20. 

Chaloner, Capt., 179. 

Bullonberg, 122. 

38. 43. 101. 147. 167. 297. 

Chamberlayne, Capt. E. 

Bulovv, Gen., 175. 

Campbell, Maj., 22. 254. 

IL, 627. 

Bundlescund, 162. 

Campbell, Capt., 30. 247. 

Chambly, 555. 

Bunker’s Hill, 169. 

519. 

Chambon, Gen., 167. 

Burgess, Capt., 177, 

Campbell^Lt., 50. 343. 

Chance, 578. 

Burgh, Gende. 330. 

Camperdown, 591. 

Chandos, Lord, 289. 

Burgos. 276. 310. 

Campo Mayor, 86. 

Chanter, Gen., 158. 

Burgoyne, Gen., 296. 

Canada, 472. 

Chandernagore, 84. 

Burgoyne, Lt.-Col., 43. 

Canaille du Bois, 552. 

Changama, 257. 

296. 

Canch, Lt.., 97. 

Charlemagne, 625. 

Burgoyne, Capt., 52. 

Candahar, 12. 

Charles L, 315. 

Burgundy, Duke of, 188. 

Candler, Capt., 142. 

Charles VI., 258. 

262. 

Canning, Col., 175. 

Charlestown, 33. 479. 

Burke, Lt. H., 504. 512. 

Cannon, Capt., 168. 

Charlesworth, Capt., 142. 

516. 561. 

Cannon, Lt., 474. 

Cherbourg, 229. 542. 

Burke, Capt., 63. 

Cannoniere, 409. 478. 

Cherie, 389. 

Buike, Lt. W., 530. 

Canrobert, Gen., 348. 

Cherokee, 393. 

Burlington Heights, 158. 

Canton, 146, 147. 490. 

Cherub, 449. 

Burn, Col., 341. 

493. 

Chesapeake, 498. 

Burns, Lt. J., 550. 

Cape River Fort, 247. 

Chesnut Hill, 359. 

Burrell, Gen., 146. 194. 

Capricieuse, 517. 

Chesnut Neck, 298. 

Burton, Lt. W., 449. 

Capua, 216. 

Chevrette, 529. 

Busaco, 287. 

Carden, Maj., 63. 

Cigne, 635. 

Busche, Maj., 4. 

Cardigan, Maj.-Gen., 319. 

Chilledroog, 132. 

Bush, Sub-lieut., 465. 

Carier, Gen., 207. 

Chillianwullah, 13. 

Butler. Lt., 358. 

Cariou, 320. 

China, 584. 

Butterfield, Capt. W., 516. 

Carket, Lt., 431. 

Chinese Pirates, 598. 

Byng, Gen., 241. 341. 

Carleton, Col., 110. 163. 

Chinghae, 618. 

Byng, Adm., 311. 513. 

Carleton, Gen., 114. 128. 

Chinsurah,149. 

537. 

269. 

Chinglput, 326. 

Byng, Adm., 619. 

Carmen, 467. 

Chittapett, 30. 

Byrn, Mid., 530. 

Carmichael, Gen., 195. 
Carnac, Maj., 15. 124. 
Carnegie, Capt., 619. 
Caroline, 522. 598. 630. 

Chittoor, 337. 

Chitty, Lt., 76. 

Christian, Rear-Adm.,119. 
Chuenpee, 8. 

C. 

Carrere, 541. 

Carri, 525. 

Chunda, 142. 

Churchill, Lt.-Col., 230. 

Cahul, 268. 370. 

Carruthers, Capt., 35. 

Churchill, Gen., 259. 

Cadiz, 464. 510. 517. 

Carter, Maj., 88. 

Chusan, 194. 

Cadogan, Gen., 187. 228. 

Carteret, Capt., 577. 

Chuttar, 53. 

235. 

Carthagena, 68. 437. 449. 

Circe, 610. 635. 

Cadogan, 285. 288. 

Carysfort, 494. 

Ciudad Rodrigo, 89. 343. 

Caen, 216. 258. 

Casal, 197. 

Clara, 586. 

Cairo, 186. 

Casal Nova, 74. 

Clarence, Duke of, 258. 

Ca Ira, 441. 

Cascais, 152. 

Clairfait, Gen., 130. 233. 

Calais, 1. 

Cashman, Lt. W., 540. 

Clark, Maj , 82. 

Calcutta, 2. 259. 579. 

Cassis, 552. 

Clarke, Gen., 274. 

Calder, V.-Adm. Sir R., 

Castalla, 105. 

Clarke, Maj., 13. 

530. 

Castanetta, Adm., 537. 

Clarke, Lt. R. W., 621. 

Calicut. 13. 

Castor, 494. 

Clavery, Sir J.. 94. 

Calliaud, Maj., 109. 

Castrejon, 207. 

Clavering, Gen., 112. 122. 


T T 4 









648 


INDEX. 


Clauzel, Gen., 56. 63. 211. 
212. 224. 

Cleaveland, Maj., 18. 
Clements, Lt. M., 485. 
Cleopatra, 402. 

Cleopatre, 5C8. 

Clifford, Lt.-Col., 45. 
Clifford, Ens., 256. 
Clinton, Gen., 80. 132. 
152. 185. 251. 261. 296. 
301. 322. 362. 

Clinton. Fort, 296. 

Clive, Capt., 107.150. 155. 
254. 

Clive, Col., 3. 36. 44. 180. 
283. 

Clorinde, 428. 627. 

Close, Lt.-Col., 39. 

Ciunie, 214. 301. 

Clyde, 554. 

Clyde, Lt. Chas., 621. 
Cobham, Visct., 291. 301. 

306. 383. 

Cobourg, 428. 

Cochrane, Adm., 31. 43. 
57. 

Cochrane, Capt., 244. 246. 

390. 458. 476 628. 
Cochrane, A. F., 484. 
Cocks, Maj., 276. 
Cockburn, R. Adm., 201. 
268. 470. 

Cockburn, Capt. G., 638. 
Codrington, V. Adm., 500. 
Codrington,' Maj.-Gen., 
279. 333. 

Coffin, Lt.-Col. 58. 
Coghlan, Capt. R., 444. 
493. 533. 

Coghlan, Lt., 553. 

Colar, 199. 

Colborne, Lt.-Col., 8. 20. 
59. 

Colborne, Gen., 86. 137. 
300. 

Colchester, 483. 

Cole, Gen., 7. 59.102. 137. 

219, 220, 221. 

Cole, Capt. C., 522. 

Cole, Lt. T., 620. 

Colie, Mill, 91. 

Colibri, 620. 

Collier, Capt. Sir G., 472. 
Collier, Capt. B., 56.3. 567. 
Collins, Capt., 298. 630. 
Colombo, 44. 48. 

Colon, 43. 

Colpoys, 445. 

Colville, Gen., 95. 98. 182, 
183. 

Columbine, Capt. H., 525. 
Combe, de la, 200. 
Combermere, Gen., 18. 
Combined French and 
Spanish Squadron, 523. 
Comet, 546. 

Commines, Count de, 232. 
Compiegne, 147. 

Comte d’Artois, 145. 547. 
Comtesse d’Hambourg, 
608. 

Comus, 549. 

Conaghul, 266. 


Concale, Fort, 3. 
Conception, 417. 564. 
Concord, 111. 

Concorde, 126. 421. 
Cond£, Prince de, 166. 
Condeixa, 74. 

< 'ondore, 363. 

Coney, Capt. W., 133. 
640. 

Confiante, 496. 

Con flans, Adm. de, 622. 
Congreve. Lt.-Col., 118. 
Conolly, Lt., 321. 
Conquestadore, 584. 
Conquet, 489. 

Conroux, Gen., 221. 
Conseveram, 59, 60. 108. 
Constance, 437. 

Contades, Gen., 123. 
Content, 640. 

Conway, Gen., 199. 

Cooke, Capt., 286. 431. 
603. 

Coombe, Capt.W., 626. 
Coote, Gen., 22. 68. 292. 
Coote. Col., 23. 30. 38.41. 

45. 50. 62. 65. J 13. 272. 
Coote, Maj -Gen. Sir 
Eyre, 189. 244. 246. 249. 
364. 

Coote, Lt. W., 386. 
Copenhagen, 262. 451. 
567. 

Corbet, Maj., 15. 
Corceyere, 626. 

Cornelis, Fort, 249. 
Cornish, Adm., 89. 587. 
Cornwallis, Gen., 32. 34. 
38, 39.50. 67.75. 88. 136. 
184. 195. 239. 251. 257. 
260. 286. 295. 

Cornwallis, Capt. Hon. 
W., 443. 

Cornwallis, Vice-Adm., 
507. 

Corsica, 39. 42. 

Cortelazzo, 559. 

Corunna, 16. 

Cosby, En., 289. 

Cosby, Capt., 191. 258. 
286. 

Cotes, Capt., 607. 

Cotton, Gen., 51. 67- 103. 
Coventry, 475. 

Covelong, 326. 

Covreplank, 61. 
Courageux,548. 
Courageuse, 509. 512. 
Courier, 624. 

Courrier, 388. 

Courrier National, 491. 
Courtenay, Capt. C. W. 
A., 537. 

Cox, Capt. O., 628. 
Crackton, Lt., 70. 
Craddock, Lt.-Col., 22. 
Craddock, Maj. Gen., 73. 
240. 

Craig, Maj.-Gen., 231.287. 
326. 

Craigie, Capt. H., 143. 
Crampe, Brig.-Gen., 107. 
Cranstoun, Lt.-Col., 122. 


Crawford, Earl of, 291. 
Crawford, Gen., 114. 
Creole, 515. 

Crenen, Marq. de, 198. 
Crequi, Marq. de, 168. 
Crescent, 496. 599. 

Cressy, 249. 

Cresswell, Maj., 201. 
Cririe, Lt., 505. 

Crispin, Capt., 142. 
Crodon,354. 

Crofton, Mid. E.,530. 
Croix, d’Orade, 100 
Croker, Lt. W„ 595. 
Cruger, Lt.-Col., 144. 
Cruiser, 611. 

Crooke, Lt. C. H., 635. 
Crooked Billet, 125. 
Cuddalore, 142. 164. 169. 
182. 

Cull, Lt. R., 512. 
Culloden, 108. 630. 
Cullyanellore, 40. 
Cumberland, Earl of, 159. 
Cumberland, Duke of, 108. 
Cumby, Capt., 195. 

Cum by, Maj., 200. 
Cunningham, Capt. C., 
534. 

Cunningham, Gen., 16. 
Curieuse, 434. 

Curieux, 406. 410. 414. 

629. 

Curtis, Brig., 571. 

Curtis, Capt., 590. 628. 
Curzola, 35. 410. 
Cutchoura, 72. 

Cuttack, 302. 

Cutts, Lord, 196. 208. 237. 

243. 275. 282. 

Cutwa, 202. 208. 

Cuyler, Maj.-Gen., 107. 
Cyane, 512, 513. 589. 
Cybdle, 427. 


D. 

1 

Dacres, Col., 321. 
Daedalus. 415. 

Dagres, Lt.-Col., 112. 
Dagworth, Sir R., 177. 
Dalhousie, Gen., 62. 255. 
Dal ling, Maj., 45. 55. 
Dalryinple, Col., 136. 
Dalrymple, Maj., 50. 
Dalrvmple. Capt., 312. 
Dalton, 136. 150. 

Dalton, Gen., 218. 

Daly, Capt. C. F., 546. 
Daly, Lt. J., 620 . 

Dame Ernouf, 414. 
Dampiere, Gen., 130. 
Danae, 448, 481. 

Dandaels, Gen., 264. 
Daniel!, 312. 

Daphne, 641. 

Daraporam, 154. 

D irby, Lt.-Col., 217. 
Darby, Maj., 327, 611. 
Dardanelles, 424, 433. 
Darke, Lt., 70. 

Dart, 519. 

















INDEX 


649 


Dartmouth, 589. 
Dashwood, Capt.,391. 538. 
582. 

Dashwood, Capt. W. B.. 
612. 

Dashwood, Lt. W. B.,G27. 
Dauture, Gen., 63. 

David. King, 245. 308. 
Davis, Capt., 113. 

Davis, Lt. T., 632. 
Dawes, Capt. H., 483. 
Dawes, Maj., 52. 

Dawson, Lt.-Col., 85. 
Dawson, Capt. G., 544. 
Dawson, Lt. W., 436. 
D’Aciie, Comte, 568, 
D’Anet, 111. 

D’Antenil, 150. 

D’Asfield, Chev., 15, 16. 
Deacon, Lt. H. C., 552. 
Deacon, Lt.-Col., 54. 

De Clermont, Count, 44. 
De Courcv, Capt. N., 464. 
Decaen, Gen., 358. 

De Chartres, Due, 399. 
447. 552. 

De Dumas, Chev., 182. 
D’Erlon, Gen., 172, 176, 
214. 

D’Eu, Comte, 216 
De Grasse, Comte, 566. 
De Guiehen, Adm., 463. 
D’Hautpoult, 462. 

De La Motte, Adm., 501. 
De L’Isle, Count, 232. 

De Lancey, Col., 175. 
D'Orviliiers, Adm., 534. 
De Ruyter, Adm., 493. 

494. 532. 546. 550. 581. 
D’Urban, Gen., 210. 234. 
De Vaux, 62. 

De Winter, Adm., 592. 
De Witte, Adm., 581. 
Decius, 625. 

Dedaigneuse, 405. 
Defiance, 427. 510. 616. 
Deig. 341. 

Deiskaw, Baron, 263. 
Delhi, 267. 

Dencanicota, 199 
Denis, Capt. P., 491. 
Dennie, Lt.-Col., 71. 99. 
212 . 

Derampourv, 324. 

Derby, Earl of, 232, 246. 
Derenzy, Maj.. 304. 
Desiree, 398, 519. 
Despard, Lt.-Col., 254. 
Diamante, 473. 

Diana, 557. 569. 

Di< k, Gen., 42. 

Dickins, Lt.-Col., 162. 
Dickinson, Lt., 417. 607. 
Dickson, Capt. E. S., 435. 
Dickson, Lt.-Col.,43. 138. 
Dictator, 519. 

Didon, 545. 

Dieppe, 202. 523. 572. 
Diez, Marshal, 37. 

Digby, Capt. H., 595. 
Digley, Capt., 87. 
Djajocarta, 177. 

Dilkes, Gen., 66. 


Diligente, 461. 493. 566. 
Dispatch, 580. 

Distaffe, Capt., 526. 
Dixon, Capt. M., 450. 526. 
Dixon, Lt. H., 526. 
Dobbs, Lt. A., 470. 
Dobbs, Capt., 115. 547. 
Doggerbank, 541. 
Dogherty, Maj., 83. 
Dolphin, 624. 

Dominica. 157. 

Don, Lt.-Col., 136. 
Donabew, 88. 90. 
Donawert, 78. 190. 
Donkm, Gen., 67. 217. 
Donna Maria, 222. 

Donop, Col., 251.314. 
Dorade, 501. 

Dornford, Lt. Jos., 469. 
Dost Mahommed, 53. 
Dorsetshire, 494. 

Douav, 114. 120. 128. 
Douglas, Earl of, 207. 209. 
270. 

Douglas, Sir Robt., 225. 
Douglas, Capt., 58. 128. 
Douglas. Maj., 382. 
Douglas, Com. Sir J., 
157. 

Douro, 133. 

Dover, 570. 

Doveton, Maj., 8. 52. 137. 
Doveton, Gen., 78. 100. 
110 . 

Downie, Capt. G., 641. 
Doyle, Gen., 139. 

Draak, 570. 

Drake, Sir F., 152. 464. 
531. 

Drake, Lt. J., 601. 
Draper, Gen., 587. 
Dreadnought, 601. 

Droits de l’homme, 394, 
395. 

Drouet, Gen., 127. 

Druid, 565. 

Drummond, Gen., 476. 
Drummond, Capt., 467. 
Drury, L. A., 469. 

Drury, Lt. E. O’Brien, 
543. 

Drury, Gen., 157. 

Dryad, 505. 

Du Casse, 553. 556. 

Du Guay Trouin, 432. 
474. 614. 

Duff, Capt., 603. 

Duke, Lt. W., 623. 

Du Quesne Fort, 351. 
Dubreton, Gen., 311. 
Duckworth, Lt.-Col., 138. 
Duckworth, Commod., 
342. 

Duckworth, Vice-Adm., 
413. 424. 433. 

Dumblane, 339. 

Dunbar, 118. 257. 
Dunbury, 119. 

Duncan, Adm., 591. 
Duncan, Maj., 13. 66, 199. 
Duncan, Capt., 611. 
Dundas, Gen., 6. 37, 38, 
39. 41. 113. 165. 


Dundas, Vice-Adm., 597. 
Dundonald, Lord, 198. 
Dungurpore, 70. 

Dunkirk, 165. 183. 
Dunkin, Lt.-Col.. 20. 
Dunlop, Lt.-Col., 126. 
Dumanoir, Rear-Adm., 
614. 

Duras, 389. 

Durell, Capt. T., 464. 
Durham, Capt. P. C. H., 
598. 641. 

Durham, Rear-Adm., 398. 
Dutoya, Lt., 236. 


E. 

Eagle, 626. 

Echallar, 223. 

Echo, 469. 

Eclair, 399. 

Ecureuil, 470. 

Edgar, I.t., 471. 

Edge Hill, 315. ?60. 
Edinburgh.399. 601. 
Edward 1., 1. 118. 

Edward III., 1. 207, 208. 
210. 216. 226. 249. 275. 
561. 

Edward, Fort, 40. 

Edward, Prince, 94. 
Edwards, Maj., 85. 
Edwards, Capt., 462. 
Edwards, Lt., 471. 
Elhouse, Lt -Col., 37. 
Effingham, Earl of, 510. 
Egg Harbour, 3C6. 

Egypt, 68. 436. 

Egmont, Count, 201. 233. 
Egvptienne, 436. 446. 640. 
El Arisch, 382. 

El Bodon, 284. 

Elbert, B. Gen., 64. 

Elena, 469. 

Elizabeth Town, 158, 521. 
561. 

Ellenborough, Lord, 381. 
Elliot, Gen., 571. 

Elliot, Capt., 430. 

Elliot, Capt. H., 633. 
Elliot, Lt., 109. 

Ellis, Capt., 146. 194, 618. 
Ellis, Col., 138. 
Elphinstone, Lt. Col., 13. 
164. 

Elphinstone. Vice-Adml . 
551. 

Elphinstone, Capt. J., 404. 
Elphinstone, G. R., 389. 
Elphinstone, Ed., 534. 
Embuscade, 537. 

Emerald, 457. 

Emeraude, 576. 

Emsdorf, 204. 

Endvmion, 386. 396. 
Engageante, 468. 

England, Maj.-Gen. 

R„ 279. 

Ensor, Lt., 476. 
Entreprenante, 634. 

Eole, 526. 







650 

INDEX. 


Erbach, Lt.-Gen., 216. 

Fisher, Lt.-Col., 129. 185. 

Furieuse, 519. 

Erskine, Maj.-Gen., 72. 
109. 204. 

Eselyn, Capt., 310. 

187. 

Fitzhugh, Sir Henry, 48. 
Fitton, Lt. M., 403. 

Furnes, 248. 

Esperance, 583. 

Esperanza, 571. 

Fleche, 563. 567. 

Flemish Fleet, 454. 

G. 

Espierres, 144. 

Fleming, Lt. J.. 391. 

Gabriel, Lt. W., 501. 

Espoir, 425. 469. 512. 

Fletcher, Col., 79. 

Gage, 111. 169. 

Essex, Earl of, 152. 315. 

Fleur de Hundred, 10. 

Gaiete, 545. 

321. 

Flibustier, 594. 

Galatea. 401. 487. 

Essex, 448. 

Flodden, 264. 

Galgo, 620. 

Estaing, Comte d’, 636. 

Flora, 496. 544. 

Galiez, Capt., 334. 

Galle Gederah, 51. 

Estrees, Comte de, 493. 

Flore, 562. 

Etauliers, 96. 

Florentine, 454. 457. 

Garris, 47. 

Etchemin River, 50. 

Flovd Col., 88. 

Galway, Earl of, 120. 
Gambier, Adm. Lord, 58. 

Ethalion, 595. 

Fly, 406. 

Ktoile, 444. 448. 

Fons D’Aronce, 75. 

262. 

Etourdie, 443. 

Foote, Capt., 513. 522. 

Gamo, 476. 

Eugene, Prince, 188. 197. 

Forbes, Capt., 44. 48. 

Gardiner, Capt. A., 430. 

257. 262. 267. 333. 

Forbes, Capt., 118. 
Forbisher, Sir M., 354. 

164. 

Evans, Lt.-Gen., 279.321. 

Gardner, Lt., 303. 

E veil lee, 595. 

Ford, Commod., 33. 

Gardner, Capt. Alan, 613. 

Evertzen, Vice-Ad., 514. 

Forde, Col., 97. 363. 

Gamier, 25. 27. 

Eurotas, 148. 

Forev, Gen., 279. 

Gaspereau, Fort, 169. 

Eustace, the Monk, 556. 

Foreland, 532. 

Gasquet, Gen., 63. 

Exmouth, Lord, 559. 

Foreman. Lt. W., 609. 

Gave D’Oleron, 49. 56 58. 

Experiment, 481. 

Formidable, 614. 

Gawlighur, 368. 

Eybach, 7. 

Forrest, Capt. F., 533. 

Gebb, Gen., 34. 

Eyre, Lt.-Col., 261. 

Forrest, Capt. A., 601.624. 
Fort Island, 316. 

Fort Edward, 40. 

Fort Louis, 44. 

Gedge, Lt. J., 618. 

Geils, Maj., 11. 

Gell, Capt., 416. 

Gela Nova, 505. 

r. 

Fort Royal, 36. 

Forte, 431. 

Germanstown, 294. 

George II., 167. 186. 

Facey, Lt. P.. 504. 

Fortunee, 639. 

George Ford, 303. 

Fahie, Capt. W., 462. 

Forster, Capt., 106. 141. 

Georgia, 196. 

Fairborne, Adm., 182. 

148. 

Geriah, 44. 93. 

Fairfax, Gen., 166. 

Forster, Maj., 26. 

General Ernouf, 444. 

Fairfield, 196 . 200. 

Forster, Lt., 187. 

Genereux, 423. 

Faithful, Maj., 41. 

Forster, Capt., 106. 

Genoa, 440. 

Falaise, 2. 

Foudroyant, 430. 450. 

Ghent, 382. 

Falkirk, 210. 

Fowey, 441. 505. 

Gheriah, 224. 

Falmouth, 489. 

Fox, 630. 

Ghurry Ghauts, 26, 27. 

Fama, 586. 

Fox, Commod., 509. 

Ghuznee, 212. 260. 

Fane, Gen. T., 245. 

Foy, Gen., 55. 59. 182, 183. 

Gibraltar, 16.124.352.532. 

Farmer, Capt. G., 587. 

211. 220. 

570. 

Farquharson, Lt., 103. 

France, Isle of. 630. 

Gibson, Lt. W., 486. 

Farrant, Lieut. J , 506. 

France, Invasion of, 523. 

Gidoin, Capt. J. L., 596. 

Fastolfe, Sir J., 44. 

527. 545. 

Gier, 570. 

Faulkner, Capt. S., 447. 

Franchise, 494. 

Giganta, 474. 

Faulknor, Capt. It., 389. 

Francis, Col., 196. 

Gilbert, Gen., 13. 42. 374. 

548. 

k rancisco Redoubt, 8.14. 

Gilchrist, Capt., 57. 77. 

Faulknor, Capt. J., 492. 

Francisco, Isle of, 357. 

448. 596. 

Faunce, Capt., 52. 

Frankland. Capt. T., 417. 

Gill, Capt., 386. 

Favorite, 405. 462. 

Fraser, Lt.-Col., 78, 79. 

Gillman, Lt.,236. 

Fay, L., 78. 

197. 

Gillespie, Col., 116, 117. 

Fayette, Gen., 9. 

Felicite, 404. 

Fraser, Maj .-Gen., 79. 341. 

177. 227. 232. 249. 355. 

Fraser, Brig.-Gen., 196. 

575. 

Fenwick, Capt., 85. 

Fredericksham, 533. 

Gingee, 96 

Ferey, Gen., 78. 

Frederickscoarn, 549. 

Gipsy, 589. 

Ferguson, Gen., 241. 

P'relon, 440. 

Giraffe, 674. 

Ferguson, Capt., 306. 

French, Capt., 171. 

Girard, Gen.. 323. 

Ferozeshah, 374, 375. 

French Rock, 239. 

Girardon, Gen., 217. 

Ferrand, Gen., 223. 

Freija. 401. 

Gisors, 301. 

Ferris, Capt., 57 . 557. 

French Invasion, 206. 209. 

Gittings, Lt., 618. 

Ferrol, 530. 

Friant, Gen., 73. 

Givet, 66. 

Finnis, Mid. R., 530. 

Frontenac, 251. 

Glassier, Maj., 300. 

Festing, Lt. Colson, 574. 

Fuentesde Onoro,124.126. 

Glatton, 526. 

Fischer, Lt.-Col., 476. 

Fuller, Gen., 84. 

Gledstanes, Lt.-Col., 176. 

Fisgard, 599. 

Fullerton, Col., 154. 341. 

Gloire, 435. 458. 463. 579. 

Fishguard, 56. 

Furber, Lt. T., 434. 

Glorieux, 458. 

Fisher, Capt., 358. 

Furet, 429. 

Glorioso, 589. 

Fish River, 44. 

Furie, 607. 

Gloucester, Duke of, 233. 







INDEX. 651 


Gluckstadt, 387. 

Godby, Gen., ‘29 
Goddard, Gen., 94. 
Golden Hock, 280. 

Goldie, Brig.-Gen., 333. 
Gonine, 254. 

Goodwin, 581. 

Goojerat, 53. 

Good Hope, Cape of, 19. 

256. 274. 394. 573. 

Goor, Lt -Gen., 190. 
Gordon, Col., 175. ; 
Gordon, Maj., 60. 108. 
Gordon, Capt., 4. 

Gordon, Capt. A., 621. 
Gordon, Lt. It.. 483. 

Gore, Capt., 63. 595. 
Goree, 435. 

Goreham, Lt.-Col., 347. 
Gosier, 90. 

Gough, Gen., 13. 42. 53. 

149. 372. 374. 381. 618. 
Gough, Lt.-Col., 383. 
Gough, Capt., 46. 

Gowdie, Maj., 208. 311. 
Grafton, 480. 

Graham, Gen., 34. 148. 

154. 178. 182, 183. 
Grammont, Duke de, 9. 
Granbv, Marq. of., 181. 
188. 203. 

Grand Cairo, 183. 

Grande Terre, 104. 

Grant, Gen., 182. 

Grant, Lt.-Col., 164. 
Grant, Capt., 359. 

Grant, Lt., 90. 

Grant, Col., 155. 

Grant. Maj.-Gen., 252,295. 
Granville, 520. 573. 

Grasse, Comte de, 404,405. 
460. 470. 566. 

Grasshopper, 454.458.632. 
Gravelines, 201. 
Gravenbrock, 208. 
Gravemtein, 181. 

Graves, Capt. T., 386. 
Graves, Rear-Adm. Sir T., 
566 

Gray, Maj -Gen., 281. 
Greene, Gen., 117. 122. 

161. 170. 175. 263. 475. 
Gregory, Lt. M., 455. 
Grenada, 162. 

Grey de Wilton, Lond., 
12. 38. 119. 

Grey, Gen.,43. 60.110.295. 
Grey, Sir G., Gen., 84. 103. 
Grey, Capt., 90. 259. 

Grey, Maj., 3*1. 
Greyhound, 354. 

Griffin, Maj .-Gen., 259. 
Grinfield, Gen., 179. 

Groa, 514. 

Grondeur, 611. 

Grueber, Col., 45. 
Guadaloupe, 25. 37. 103, 
104. 107. 112, 113. 122. 
187. 390. 413. 

Guarda, 87- 89. 

Guelder Malsen, 6. 
Gudersberg, 16. 
Guelderland, 486. 


Gufepe, 561. 
Guernsey, 400. 
Guerrier, 624. 
Guerriere, 528. 574. 
Guichen, De, 463. 
Guilford, 375. 
Guillaume.Tell, 450. 
Guion, Lt., 392. 400. 
Guise, Due de, 13. 
Gurwood, Lt., 20. 
Gwalior, 36. 225. 
Gyah, Maunpore, 15. 


H. 

Hackinsack, 348. 
Haddock, Capt. N., 642. 
Halcyon, 634. 

Hall, Maj., 116. 

Hall, Capt. R., 582. 

Hall, Lt., 502. 

Halkett, Gen., 175. 
Halliday, Lt. M., 639. 
Hallidowne Hill, 207. 
Halstead, Capt. W., 541. 
Halstead, Capt., 180. 
Hamilton, Capt. Sir C. 
387. 

Hamilton, Lt. A., 481. 
Hamilton, Capt., 589. 
Hamilton, Capt. E., 608. 
Hammond, Lt.-Col., 497. 
Hampshire, New, 8. 
Hampshire, 598. 
Hanchett, Capt. H., 584. 
Hancock, Maj., 91. 
Handheld, Lt.-Col., 156. 
Harcourt, Gen., 131 
Harcourt, Lt. -Col., 304. 
Harding, Lt., 90. 
Hardinge, Capt. G. N 436. 
450. 

Hardinge, Col., 138. 
Hardinge, Gen., 372. 374. 
Hare, Capt., 32. 

Harfleur, 3. 274. 549. 
Harispe, Gen., 46, 47. 56. 
102 . 

Harland, Capt. R., 408. 
Harman. Adml. Sir J..494. 
Harman, Capt., 4U6. 426. 
Harmonie, 620. 

Harold, 305. 

Hartley, Col., 42. 
Hartwell, Capt. N., 585. 
Harper, Capt., 508. 
Hastings, 305. 

Hastings, Capt., 3. 390. 
Hastings, Lt., 353. 
Hastings, Lt. T., 617. 
Harrier, 534. 

Harris, Gen., 87. 118. 
Harris, Lt. J., 400. 
Harrington, Lt. W., 423. 
Harrison, Gen., 23. 
Harrison, Lt.-Col., 52. 
Harrison, Maj., 11. 
Harrison Capt., 407. 
Harrison, Lt., 353. 

Harvey, Gen., 98. 138. 
Harvey, Lt.-Col., 159. 
Harvey, Capt. J., 498. 


Harvey, Capt. Hon. A., 
159. 

Havannah, 159. 163. 186. 

208. 220. 246. 

Haviland, Gen., 25. 28. 
Kavik, 415. 

Havre. 156. 191. 202. 

Hay, Gen., 106. 206. 

Hay, Lt. J., 635. 

Hayes, Capt. J., 410. 
Hawke, Adml. Sir E., 622. 
Hawker, Capt. J., 502. 
Hawkesbury, Lt., 9. 
Hawkey, Lt. Jos., 520. 
Hawkins, Lt., 540. 

Hazard, 546. 

Hazardous, 620. 

Head, Col., 86. 

Heath, Col., 26. 

Hebe, 565. 

Hebrus, 448. 

Hector, 546. 

Heiden, Rear Adml., 600. 
Heister, Gen., 251. 

Helder, 252. 

Helexem, 205. 

Hellette, 46. 

Heligoland, 562. 

Helpman, Lt. T., 526. 
Henderson, Maj., 31. 
Henderson, Capt., 40. 
Henderson, Capt. W. W. 
535. 

Henderson, Lt. R.. 609. 
Hennah, Lt. W., 621. 
Henrv IV., 209. 

Henry V., 2. 19. 163. 180. 
193. 233. 274. 317. 536. 
545. 

Henry VI., 47. 

Henry VIII.,241.265. 270. 
Henry, Capt., 120. 
Hepburn, Capt., 35. 
Herbert de Burgh, 586. 
Herbert, Capt. Hon. C., 
458. 

Herbert, Adml., 471. 
Herbert, Col., 77. 

Hercule, 466. 

Hermione, 502. 588. 607. 
Hernani, 441. 

Hero, 614. 

Heron, 538. 

Heros, 622. 612. 

Herries, Lt.-Col., 34. 
Herrings, Battle of, 44. 
Hereford, Earl of, 37. 143. 
Hervey, Maj., 134. 

Herqui, 443. 

Hespen, 205. 

Hesse, Prince of, 532. 
Heureux, 396. 434. 

Hewett, Lt., 129. 

Hewetl, Maj., 19. 

Hicks, Gen., 29. 

Hicks, Capt., 532. 
Higginson, Lt., 303. 

Hill. Gen., 17. 46, 47. 49. 
59. 63. 134. 141. 178, 214. 
217. 222. 241. 287. 323. 
338. 362. 

Hill, Capt., 47. 
Hillsborough, 341. 











652 

INDEX. 


Hillyar, Capt. J., 487- 564. 
Hinglaisghur, Fort, 191. 

Hurst, Lt. G., 617. 

Johnson, Capt. R., 573. 

Hussar, 391. 402. 453. 484. 

Johnstone, Commod. G., 

Hinuber, Gen., 106. 

621. 624. 

462. 

Hirondelle, 443. 538. 

Hutchins. Capt. S.. 47-5. 

Johnstone, Lt. J., 571. 

Hislop, Gen., 60. 374. 

Hutchinson, Maj.-Gen., 

Jones, Capt., 36. 

Hobkirk, 17. 

112. 131. 

Jones. Lt., 2. 

Hoche, 593. 

Hutchinson, Lt.-Gen., 139. 

Jones, Lt. T., 509. 

Hodgkin, Sub-Lt., 468. 

186. 297. 

Joseph, King, 164. 

Hodgson, Gen., 114. 135. 

Hutt, Capt., 498. 

Jourdan, Marshal, 178. 

159. 

Hyat, Sahib, 29. 

Joyeuse. Adm., 494. 497. 

Hodgson, Cant, 42. 

Hyder, Ali, 22. 189. 286. 

Junot, Gen., 244. 

Hogue, La, 485. 487. 

294. 

June I., Battle of, 497. 

Holkar, 15. 376. 

Hyderghur, 28. 

Juno, 393. 407. 

Holmedon Hill, 270. 

Hyeres, 524. 

Junon, 415.509. 536. 

Holmes, Lt., 29. 

Hydra, 543. 

Justice, Capt., 77- 90. 

Holmes, Sir R., 544. 
Holloway, Capt., 

Juwud, 30. 

Home, Capt. R., 515. 

I. 


Homspech, Lt.-Col., 34. 

Imlach, Col., 76. 90. 

K. 

Honner, Capt., 51. 


Hood, Rear Adml. Sir S., 

Immortalite. 599. 

Kairee, 46. 

404, 405. 464. 470. 

Imperieuse, 390. 

Kangaroo, 596. 

Hood, Capt. Sami., 393. 

Impetueux, 498. 572. 

Keane, Maj.-Gen., 212. 

425. 558. 579. 

Implacable, 520. 558. 

Keating. Lt. - Col., 120. 

Hood, Capt. Alex., 403. 

Inconstant, 465. 

124. 140. 197. 520. 

466. 481. 

Iriconstante, 625. 

Keene, Lt., 161. 

Hood, Commod.lSir Sam., 

Indefatigable, 

Kein, Maj.-Gen., 87. 

475. 

Infatigable, 579. 

Keith, Maj., 7. 

Hood, Rear Adml. Sir 

Indienne, 460. 

Keith, Adm. Lord, 68. 

Sam., 641. 

Inglis, Capt. R., 64. 

436. 

Hood, Col., 13. 

Inglis, Charles. 633. 

Kelby, Lt., 249. 

Hood, Lt. S. T., 483. 505. 

Inglis, Lt.-Col., 138. 
Inkermann, 331. 

Kellett, Lt., 360. 636. 

Hoogly, 1 1 . 

Kellerman, Gen., 173. 245. 

Hopkins, Capt., 95. 

Innis, 4. 

Kelly, Lt.-Col., 164. 232. 

Hope, Gen., 16.55.82.106. 

Intrepide, 629. 

249. 

179. 362. 

Invincible, 404. 473. 484. 

Kemmendine, 163. 353. 

Hope, CaptII. ., 396. 

Irresistible, 469. 

359. 

Hope, Lt. D., 402. 

Iris, 387. 502. 481. 544. 

Kempt, Lt.-Col., 193. 

Hopson, Gen., 25. 

Irving, Capt., 59. 

Kempt, Maj.-Gen., 85. 98. 

Hopson, Vice-Adml., 592. 

Irwin, Maj., 70. 

300. 341.364. 

Horatio, 415. 425. 

Irwin, Capt., 334. 

Kempthorne, Capt. J.,596. 

Hormillas, 163. 

Iphigenie, 398. 400. 631. 

Kempthorne, Capt., 569. 

Hoste, Capt. W., 440. 480. 

Irois, Fort, 112. 

Kennedy, Lt.-Col., 47. 

Hotham, Adml., 439, 440. 

Isaac, Lt., 36. 

71. 

524. 

Isis, 451. 

Kennett, 46. 

Hotspur, 309. 568. 

Italienne, 427. 

Keppel, Commod., 114. 

Houghton, Gen., 138. 

How, Lt. T., 620. 

Howard, Maj.-Gen., 141. 

Ivry, 238. 

159. 

Keppel, Adm., 534. 


Kerkelie, Sir R., 233. 

Howard, Lt. H., 151. 

J. 

Kerr, Sir W. G., Maj.. 

Howat, 194. 

Howe, Capt. Visct., 622. 


Gen , 45. 46. 

Jamaica, 477. 

Kerr, Lt., 61.554. 

Howe, Commod. Hon. R., 

Jackson, Maj., 50. 

Khyber Pass. 96. 

157. 501, 502. 542. 

James II., 188. 

Killegrew, Commod., 405. 

Howe, Adml. Lord, 494. 

James IV., 264. 

King, Capt. R., 607. 

497. 

James, Commod., 93. 

Kingfisher, 392. 409. 

Howe, Gen., 184. 251. 272, 
273. 323. 360. 

Jamestown, 195. 

Kingston, 306. 

Jamieson, Capt., 113. 

Kinion, Lt., 87. 

Howe, Col., 269. 

Janssens, Gen.,8,9.18.227. 

Kirkee. 329. 331. 

Howell, Lt., 303. 

Jason, 405. 466. 473. 514. 

Kirch, Denekem, 203. 205. 

Huebra, 345. 

Jellalabad, 31. 71. 85. 99. 

Kistnagherrv, 199. 336. 

Hughes, Vice-Adml. Sir, 

Jenkins, Lt , 34. 

Knell, Lt. W., 440. 

E., 11.324. 393. 421,422. 

Jenkins, Capt., 54. 

Knight, Lt. II., 549. 

460. 510. 518. 5 3. 

Jenkins, Lt. G., 638. 

Knox, Capt... 98. 

Hughes, Maj., 100. 

Hughes, Br.-Maj., 62. 

Jennings, Sir J., 513. 

Knox, Brig-Gen., 77.146. 

Jersey Invaded, 6. 122. 

161, 162. 

Hughes, Capt. R., 625. 

Jerusalem. 203. 

Knowles, Rear-Adm., 68. 

Humbert, Gen., 259. 

Jeune Louise, 617. 

584. 

Hunt, Capt. J., 391. 

Jervis, Capt. J., 465. 

Knowles, Capt.. 146. 

Hunt, Lt. H„ 442. 617. 

Jervis, Adm. Sir J., 418. 

Knvphausen, Gen., 158. 

Hunter, Capt., 70. 

John, King, 276. 

360. 

Hunter, Lt., 109. 

Johnson, Maj.. 162. 

Kurnella, 22. 

Hurriarpore, 62. 

Johnson, Lt.-Col., 263. 

1 Kurrachee, 34. 












* 

INDEX. 

653 

Laborde, Gen., 134. 238. 

Leslie, Lt.-Col., 527. 

Leslie, Maj.-Gen., 75. 

Lumley, Gen., 190, 208. 

Lundie Now’ah, 4. 

I.a Clue, Adm., 552. 

Leviathan, 457. 

Luttrell, Capt. J. 633. 

Laforey, Vice-Adm., 107. 

Lewis, Maj., 269. 

Luxembourg, Due de, 225. 

Laforey, Capt., 494. 490. 

Lewis, Lt. J., 555. 

230. 

534. 

Lexington, 675. 

Lydiard, Lt. C., 504. 

Lagosta, 30. 

Liardet, Capt., 358. 

Lvdiard, Capt. C., 385, 

La Hogue, 485. 487. 

Libre, 640. 

386. 

Lady Nelson, 039. 

Lighten, Capt. T., 505. 

Lyme, 397. 

Lake, Gen., 234. 242. 200. 

Ligonier, Sir J., 291. 

Lynn Haven, 566. 

267. 284. 327. 376. 

Liguria, 542 

Lyon, Maj., 44. 

Lallemand, Gen., 214. 

Ligurienne, 444. 

Lyons, Lt. E., 536. 

Lally, Gen., 15. 22, 23. 
Lamba, 77. 

Lambert, Brig. Gen., 114. 

Limero, 578. 

Limmen, 297. 

Lincelles, 242. 

Lyons, R. A., Sir E., 597. 

Lambert, Maj.-Gen., 43. 
102. 

Lincoln, 140. 

Lincoln, Gen., 177- 

M. 

Lambert, Capt. H., 420. 

Lind, Capt., 573. 

Maadie, 73. 

Lamotte, Gen., 137. 

Lindsay, Lt.-Col., 13. 

M‘Auley, Lt., 54. 

Lamproie, 611. 

Lindsay, Capt., 62. 154. 

M‘Caskill, Gen., 370. 

Landrecy, 109. 

Lindsey,Capt., 388. 

M'Cowan’s Ford, 32. 

Lane, Lt. H., 407. 

Lane, Maj., 71. 

Linois, Rear-Adm., 518. 

M‘Curdy, Lt.,475. 

Linnet, 398. 

M Dermeitt, Lt. J., 519. 

Lang, Col., 10. 93. 

Linzee. Capt. J. H.. 405. 

M‘Donald, Maj., 54. 

Langara, Adm., 397. 

Lion, 450.463.521.526.613. 

M'Donnell, Capt., 272. 

Langdon, Capt. W., 601. 

Lisle, 262. 266. 315. 361. 

M‘Donnell, Maj., 13. 

Langford, Capt. G., 432. 

Lissa, 410. 

M'Donnell, Lt.-Col., 123. 

Languilla. 478. 

Little, Lt. J.. 468. 581. 

M'Dowall, Col., 93. 117. 

Langworth, Gen., 218. 

Littler, Maj.-Gen., 372. 

140. 

Lanier, Gen., 225. 

374. 381. 

M Dowall, Gen., 51. 
MKenzie, Capt., 270. 

Lanusse, Gen., 73. 82. 

Lively, 439. 

Lapisse, Gen., 218. 

Livingstone, Capt. Sir T.. 

M'Kei lie, Capt., 608. 

Lapwing, 625. 

632. 

M‘Kerven, Capt., 41. 

M‘ Kinnon, Capt., 127. 

Lark, 505. 571. 

Lizard, 585. 

Laroche, Capt., 13. 

Llerena. 1( 3. 

M‘Lean, Lt., 144. 

Laroche Darien, 177- 

Lloyd, Capt. R , 629. 

M'Leod, Col.. 13. 49. 

La Serna, 212. 

Lobau, Gen., 171. 175. 
Loch, Capt., G., 417. 

M'Leod, Maj., 78. 

Laswarree, 327. 

M'Murdough, Lt., 50. 

Las Rozas, 235. 

Lockhart, Lord, 183. 

M'Naghten, Sir W., 

Latona, 415. 

Lockhart, Capt., 612. 

329. 

La Touche, Cap^., 142. 

Lockyer, Capt. N., 635. 

M'Pherson, Maj., 22. 

Latour Maubourg, Gen., 

Lodi, 523. 

Macao Fort. 438. 

86. 

Logan, Lt.-Col., 51. 

Maebride, Capt. J., 547. 

La Vaudour, 523. 

Loggie, Capt. J., 548. 

629. 

Lavie, Capt. T., 528. 

Loire, 411.499, 500. 551. 

Macdonald, Lt.-Col., 179. 

Law, Gen., 155. 

595. 598. 637. 640. 

Maclaren, Col., 63. 

Lawrence, Gen., 160. 251. 

Loison, Gen., 125, 126. 

Mackay, Lt., 179. 196. 

280. 

138. 241. 

Mackay, Gen., 225. 

Lawrence, Maj., 4. 9. 169. 

London, 440. 

Mackenzie, Lt.-Col., 115. 

239. 326. 

Long, Maj.-Gen., 214. 

215. 255. 

Lawrence, Capt. J , 470, 

Long, Capt., 203. 572. 

Mackenzie, Gen., 218. 

Lawrie, Capt. Sir R., 426. 

Long, Lt., 470. 

Mackie, Lt., 20. 

Lawson, Adm., 500. 

Long Island, 251. 

Mackinnon, Gen.. 20. 

Leake, Adm. Sir J., 438. 

Longueville, Due de, 241. 

Mackinnon, Lt., 399. 

Leander. 400. 426. 

Looe, 514. 

Losack, Capt. W.,487. 

Macmorice, Lt.-Col., 4. 

Lechmere, Capt. E., 397. 

Macnamara, Capt. J., 503. 

Le Cor, Gen., 68. 

Losbprg, Gen., 253. 

583. 

Lee. Col., 161. 295. 

Lottery, 414. 

Macpherson, Maj., 64. 

Lefebre, Gen., 380. 

Lotum, Count, 188. 

Madagascar, 487. 

Lt'gere, 508. 

Louis, Prince, 190. 

Madeira, 641. 

Le Hunte, Lt., 42. 

Louisbourg, 121. 160. 166. 

Madras, 122. 

Leicester, Earl of, 152. 

198. 215. 

Magicienne, 386. 563. 

Leith, 119. 165. 

Lovelace, Lt., R. A., 396. 

Magnanime, 408. 438. 

Leith, Gen., 287. 

Lowestoffe, 512. 

Mahdapatam, 313. 

Leland, Maj., 25. 

Lucan, Lt., 151. 

Mahe, 41. 

Le Marchant, Gen., 103. 

Lucan. Maj.-Gen., Earl 

Mahedpore, 373. 

207. 211. 

of, 279. 319. 

Machault, 385. 

Lemmertown, 303. 

Lucas, R.-Adm., 551. 
Lucas, Lt. M. R., 490. 

Mahonesa, 593. 

Lemoine, Lt., 343. 

Maida, 192. 

Lendrick, Lt. J., 546. 

Lucas, Maj., 42. 

Maidstone, 613. 

Lennock. Capt. G.,517. 

Ludlow, Maj.-Gen., 68. 

Mainwaring. Capt. J. 532. 

Lenox. 464. 

Ludlow Castle, 642. 

Maitland, Capt. F. L., 

Leocadia, 472. 

Lumsdaine, Capt. G., 481. 

551. 640. 










654 

INDEX, 


Maitland, Maj., 129. 

Meanee, 49. 

Montjuich, 183. 

Maitland, Capt., 64. 

Meaux, 123. 

Montreal, 263. 

Maitland, Lt.-Col., 177. 

Medea, 586. 

Montressor, Col., 67. 

Maitland, Maj .-Gen., 84. 

Medee, 575. 

Montressor. Capt. H., 635. 

Majestic, 410. 

Mediator, 420. 459. 633. 

Moodkee. 371. 

Malabar, 386. 

Melampe, 448. 612. 

Moore, Gen., 16. 68. 82. 

Malaga, 547. 

Meiampus, 493. 594. 

120. 146. 

Malasanky 18. 

Melpomene, 471. 480. 

Moore. Lt.-Col., 42. 48. 

Malcolm, Col., 183. 476. 

Melville, Lt.-Col., 158. 

109. 206. 

Malplaquet, 266. 

Menagdre, 633. 

Moore, Capt. Graham, 

Malta, 260. 

Menin, 242. 248. 272. 313. 

586. 

Malvelly, 87.' 

Menon, Gen., 81. 240. 

Moore, Capt., 162. 

Mamelouck, 631. 

Menschikoff. Prince, 319. 

Moosa Fort, i 62. 

Manby, Capt. T., 406. 

Mercedes, 502. 

Moose Island, 200. 

Mangalore, 193. 631. 
Manilla, 567. 

Mercury, 454.491. 

Mootejil, 213. 

Merexem, 34. 

Morai Row, 9. 

Manly, 386. 

Merguion, 231. 

Morales, 154. 

Manliaiseer, 37. 

Mermaid, 543. 593. 595. 

Morehouse, Lt.-Col., 282. 

Mann, Capt.. 427. 434. 

Messina, 311. 

Morgan, Adm.. 14. 

Manners, Maj., 20. 

Meulan, 325. 

Morgion, 449. 572. 

Mansell, Maj.-Gen., 18. 

Mighells, Vice-Adm., 301. 

Morne, Chabot, 120. 

Maples, Lt. J„ 4-55. 

583. 

Morne, Duchassau, 121. 

Maples, Capt. F., 549. 

Mignonne, 443. 

Morne, Fortunee, 179. 

Marabout, 24.4. 247. 

Milbrook, 619. 

Morne, Mascot. 187. 

Maharajpore, 380. 

Milford, 434. 640. 

Morris, Gen., 17. 

Maraudeur, 631. 

Miller, Col., 61. 

Morris, Lt.-Col., 141.265. 

Marcouf, 477. 

Miller, Capt. Geo.. 637. 

Morrison, M., Gen., 87. 

Marengo. 439. 573. 

Milles, Capt., 164. 

Morrison, Lt.-Col., 339. 

Maria, 505. 598. 

Milne, Capt. D., 514. 554. 

Mortlock, Capt., 388. 

Marinello, 594. 

Milne, Lt.-Gen., 554. 

Mounsey, Capt. W., 519. 

Marke, Castle of, 205. 

Minden,223. 

Mount Pelham, 165. 

Marlborough, 119. 144. 

Minerva, 389. 403. 

Moyston, Maj. Gen., 157. 

157. 181, 182. 187. 190. 

Min^rve, 482. 512. 579. 

Muckwampore, 60. 

194. 205. 222. 227. 236. 

638. 

Mud Island. 345. 

242. 253. 257. 262. 266. 

Minorca, 342. 

Mulcaster, Lt. 12. 523. 

271.253. 294. 335. 501. 

Minotaur, 494. 

Mulcaster, Capt , 129. 476. 

Marmont,Marshal, 341. 

Mitchell, Vice-Adm., 562. 

Mulwalgul, 199. 

Marques, Col., 8. 

Mitchell, Capt., 162. 

Mullah, Lt., 53^. 

Marrack, Fort. 536. 

Mitchell, Lt., 144. 151. 

Munhara, 34. 

Mars, 409, 410. 466. 536. 

Modeste, 552. 

Munroe, Gen., 22. 36. 260. 

592. 

Mohammed, Dost, 329. 

Munroe, Lt, 197. 

Marshall, Capt., 507. 

Moltan, 189. 

Munsurpet, 346. 

Martin, Capt. G., 469. 

Monachin, 3. 

Monasterio, 304. 

Muriel, 316. 

Martin, T. B. 503. 558. 599. 

Murray, Gen., 56. 67. 105. 

Martindale, Col., 45. 

Monckton, Lt.-Gen., 25. 

139. 157. 159. 

Martinique, 25. 31. 37—39. 

27. 48. 

Murray, Col., 60. 

41. 43,44.48. 57. 84.427. 

Monckton, Lt.-Col., 169. 

Murray, Maj., 198. 

Mason, Capt. G., 638. 

Mondeuille, 26. 

Murrav, Capt., 70, 114. 

Massena, 126. 287. 

Mondovi, 482. 

Musgrave, Lt.-Col., 295. 

Massey, Lt.-Col., 213. 

Moneypenny, Capt., 256. 

310. 

Mather, Lt. M., 491. 

Mongheer, 302. 326. 329. 

Musulapatam, 98. 

Matilda, Fort, 114. 

334. 

Mutine, 464. 

Matthews, Gen., 26. 28, 

Monk, Gen., 544. 

Muyzenburg. 231. 

29. 46. 69. 192. 

Monmouth, 430. 

Myers, Lt.-Col., 44. 

Matthews, Adm., 416. 

Mons, 284. 299. 307. 310. 

Myers, Gen., 138. 

Maucune, Gen., 12 . 

Monson, Col., 266. 341. 


Maughan, Lt., 477. 
Maunsell, Capt. R., 537. 

Monson, Maj., 7'2. 89. 
Monson, Brig.-Gen., 91. 

N 

Maurice, Capt. W„ 447. 
Maurice, Prince, 24. 

Montagu, Lt. J. W., 513. 


Montagu, Capt., 572. 

Nagle, Capt. Edmd., 601. 

Mawhood, Lt.-Col., 77. 

Montagu, Capt. G., 583. 

Na le, Lt. E., 556. 

Maxwell, Lt.-Col., 38. 

630. 

Nagpore, 369. 

325. 336. 

Montagu, Capt., 12. 

Naiad, 555. 577. 

Maxwell, Lt. K., 529. 

Mont Blanc, 614. 

Najara, 94. 

Maxwell, Maj., 525. 

Montbrun, Gen., 127. 

Namur, 196. 205. 212. 243. 

Maxwell, Capt. M., 627. 

Montcalm, Gen., 269. 

256. 

May, Battle of 29th. 

Montereau, 193. 

Napanee, Fort, 52. 53. 

Napier, Maj.-Gen. Sir C., 

May, Capt., 30. 

Monte Video, 21. 208. 

Maya, 214. 

Monteith, Lt.-Col., 99. 

49. 85. 

Mavne, Lt., 31. 

Montgomery, Fort, 296. 

Napier. Lt.-Col., 183. 201. 

Mayne, Capt. C. 464. 

Montgomery, Lt.-Col., 

Napier, Maj., 15.20 123. 

Mead, Capt. J., 441. 

154. 

Napier, Capt. C., 463. 482. 

Meadows, Gen., 38. 636. 

Montgomery, Maj., 251. 

566. 581. 611. 













INDEX. 

655 

Napier, Lt., 595. 

Norton. Lt.-G., 562. 

Oudenarde, 187. 

Napoleon, 171. 

Napoleon, Fort, 141. 

Nottingham. 408. 500. 

Oullagary, 266. 

Nourrice, 472. 

Ourry, Lt. J., 588. 

Naseby. 156. 

Nugent, Lt.-Col., 301. 

On tram. Maj., 342. 356. 

Nazer, Lt.-Col., 414. 

Nuggar, 57. 

Outremaloor, 23. 

Navarino, 599. 

Nukye, 93. 

Owen, Lt -Col.J.,441. 

Neale,Capt. Sir H.,437.458. 

Nundy, 311. 

Owen, Capt., 478. 

Nearque, 448. 

Nundy Durgum, 310. 

Owen, Lt. J., 632. 

Necessite, 425. 

Negapatam, 324. 338. 
Negombo, 37. 

Nymphe, 437. 500. 544. 

P 

Nelson, Commod.199.419. 

O. 


468. 638. 


Pack, Gen., 20. 211. 

Nelson, Capt. H., 100. 

Oakes, Brig.-Gen., 820. 

Pagahm Mew, 41. 

Nelson, Vice-Adm., 451. 

Oates, Capt., 86. 

Paget, 16. 82. 133. 

Nelson, Rear-Adm., 516. 

Obidos, 238 

Paget, Lt.-Col. Lord, 293. 

538. 

O’Brien, Lt., 390. 562. 

373. 378. 380. 

Nemiow, 356. 

O’Callaghan, Col., 47. 

Paget, Capt. W., 507. 

Neptune, 546. 590. 

Ocean, 582. 

Paisley, Lt., 563. 

Neptuno, 554. 634. 

Ochterlonv, Gen., 60. 

Pakenham, Gen.,179. 211. 

Nereide. 471. 491. 638. 

Ochterlonv, Col.. 341. 

221. 

Nesbit, Brig.-Gen., 161. 

Ocrakoke, 201. 

Pakenham. Lt.-Col., 85. 

Neville, Lt. M., 529. 

O’Donaghue, Col., 68. 

Pakenham, Capt. Hon. 

Nevil’s Cross, 308. 

Odessa, 467. 

T., 496. 

Newbury, 277. 321. 

Ogdensburg, 54. 

Paieinbang, 116, 117. 

Newfoundland, 274. 522. 

Ogilvie, Brig.-Gen., 35. 

Palinure, 610. 

New haven, 200. 

Ogilvie, Maj , 159. 

Palinuro, 327. 611. 

New London, 261. 

Oglethorpe, Gen.,61.152. 

Pallas, 411. 482. 534. 

Newman, Capt. N., 411 

196. 

Pallee, 40. 

Newman, Capt. J. N., 595. 

O’Halloran, Lt.-Col., 62. 

Palliser, Lt. Hugh, 588. 

New Orleans, 377. 

O’Halloran, Lt., 151. 

Palliser, Lt. Wray, 598. 

New Providence, 110. 

O’Hara, Gen., 33. 75. 

Palliser, Capt., 275. 

Newsom, Capt., 588. 

O’Hara, Col., 299. 

Palmer, Capt. E , 448. 

New York, 272. 

O’Leary, Lt., 62. 

Palmer, Lt. W., 387. 

Ney, Marshal, 72. 

Niagara Fort, 372. 

Oiseau, 405. 408. 554. 

Palmiste. 112. 

Oldfield, Capt., 671. 

Paloor Fort, 281. 

Nicaragua, 417. 

Oldfield, Maj., 457. 

Panama, 14. 

Nicholas, Capt. R.,97. 408. 

Oliphant, Sir W., 208. 

Papillon, 637. 

Nicholls, Brig.-Gen., 85. 

Olivenza, 108. 

Parenza, 475. 

162. 

Oliver, Capt. R. D., 535. 
Omerkan, 22. 

Paris, Gen., 49. 

Nicholls,Maj.-Gen.,19.176. 

Parker, Capt. W., 38. 440. 

Nicholls, Lt.-Col., 17. 

Onore, 5. 

Parker, Lt. W„ 474. 

Nicholson, Col., 290. 

Onslow, Vice-Adm., 591. 

Parker, Lt. R. W.. 476. 

Nicolas, Capt. T., 482.508. 

Onslow, Capt. R., 642. 

Parker, Capt. H., 521. 

533. 567. 

Onyx, 386. 

Parker, Vice-Adm. H.,541. 

Nicolas, Lt. W. K. 508. 

Ootradroog, 376, 377. 

Parker, Adm. Sir H.,451. 

Nicolls, Capt. E., 485.512. 

Opdam, Adm., 500. 

Pasley, 609. 

Niemen. 456. 

Orange, Prmceof, 168.267. 

Pasley, Rear-Adm., 498. 

Nieuport, 189. 316. 

Oreposo, 504. 

Pasley, Lt., 529. 

Niger, 390. 

Oreste, 394. 

Patna, 208. 

Nightingale, Gen., 71. 

Orestes, 609. 

Patterson, Col., 344. 

Nile, 538. 

Orford, 464. 

Patterson, Capt., 114. 

Nimeguen, 530. 

Oriflamme, 451. 

Pattle, Co!., 50. 

Ninety-Six, 144. 161. 176. 

Orleans, siege of, 44. 

Patria, 54. 

Ninfa, 469. 

Ormond, Duke of, 303. 

Paulet, Lord H., 48. 

Nisus, 633. 

Orphee, 420. 

Paulghaut, 341. 

Nive, 362. 364—366. 

Orpheus, 474. 

Paulghautcherry, 282. 

Nivelle, 357. 340. 

Orthes, 59. 

Paumier, Capt., 44. 

Noble, Lt., 469. 

Ortona, 417. 

Payne, Capt. J. W., 400. 

Noli, 540. 

Osborne, Adm., 430. 

Paz, 564. 

Nonsuch, 446. 525. 

Osprey, 446. 

Peachey, Lt. F., 399. 

Norbury, Capt. C., 598. 

Ossoor, Fort, 199. 

Pearl, 572. 583. 

Norcott, Maj. 279. 

Ostenburg.Fort, 416. 

Pearse, Ensign, 144. 

Norman, Lt. G. R., 548. 

Ostend, 7. 182. 194. 

Pearse, Co!., 247. 

Normande, 611. 

Ostrich, 520. 

Pearse, Capt. H. W., 634. 

Normandy, Duke’of, 305. 

Oswald, Brig.-Gen., 8. 

Pearson, Capt., 90. 

Norris, Gen., 152. 354.515. 

Oswald, Maj., 82. 206. 

Pechell, Capt. S. J., 402. 

North River, 273. 346. 

Oswego, 128. 192. 476. 

Pedlar, 113. 

Northumberland, 488.498. 

Otto, Lt.-Gen., 117. 131. 

Peebles, Lr. F., 486. 

Northumberland, Earl of, 

Otway, Col., 86. 

Pegase, 465. 

250. 

Otway, Capt., R. W., 491. 

Pelican, 470. 549. 574. 578. 

Norton, Lt.-Col., 34. 

543. 

Pell, Lt. W. ()., 568. 590. 

Norton, Capt., 186. 

Oude, Nabob of, 314. 

Pell’s Point, 309. 








656 

INDEX. 


Pellew, Capt. Sir E., 394. 

Polyphemus, 640. 

Prudent, 534. 

466. 470. 5( 6. 5C8. 

Pombal, 71. 

Prudente, 415, 459. 580. 

Pembroke, Lord, 204. 233. 

Pomona, 556. 

Prussia, Prince F. of, 181. 

Pendegrast, Col., 198. 234. 

Pomone, 591. 449.468. 472. 

Puglitlse, 568. 

Penelope, 750. 625. 

541. 627. 

Pulling, Capt. J. K., 554. 

Pengelly, Lt. J., 439. 641. 

Pompee, 462. 

Pultney, 641. 

Penn, Vice-Adm., 477. 

Pondicherry, 15. 45. 247. 

Pultusk, 633. 

Pennefather, Col., 50. 

255. 291. 308. 

Punalla, 356. 

Pennefather, Mai. Gen , 

Ponsonby, Lt.-Col. F., 

Puniar, 381. 

280. 

304. 

Purcell, Capt. J., 641. 

Pennington, Lt.-Col., 35. 

Ponsonby, Col., 66. 164. 

Putman, Gen., 252. 

Pennington, Maj. - Gen., 

Ponsonby, Gen., 172. 

Pym, Lt., 397. 

331. 

Pensee, 532. 

Pepper, Col., 3. 

Ponte Vedra, 306. 

Ponza, 428. 

Poole, Lt., 77. 

Q. 

Pepperell, Col., 166. 
Perambaucum, 260. 

Poornia, Nabob of, 146. 
Popham, Col., 142. 

Quatre Bras, 167. 

Perche, Gen., 141. 

Popham, Capt., 129. 225. 

Quebec, 128. 139. 269. 275. 

Percie, H., 209. 

617. 

587.617. 

Percy, Gen. Lord, 112.344. 

Port D’Anzo, 522. 586. 

Quesnoy, 267. 

Perdrix, 632. 

Port au Prince, 156. 

Quibble Town, 184. 

Perigort Comte de, 232. 

Port Hercule, 517. 

Quin, Lt. M.. 639. 

Permacoil, 65. 

Port Lemo, 562. 

Quintius Bridge, 77. 

Persanne, 627. 

Perse, Lt., 87. 

Peterel, 414. 

Port Louis, 435. 

Port Navalo, 621. 

Port Nouvelle, 617. 

R. 

Petit, Capt., 299. 

Phaeton, 447. 609. 

Porta Coeli, 446. 

Portland. 414. 475. 

Racoon, 523. 594. 629. 

Phoebe, 423. 449. 487. 638. 

Portlock, Capt. N., 570. 

Raglan, Gen. Lord, 271. 

Phoenix, 397. 480. 545. 622. 

Porto Bello, 38. 623. 

333. 

628. 

Porto Cavallo, 97. 309. 

Ragosniza, 534. 

Phelipeaux Col., 456. 

Porto Ferrajo, 199. 

Rahmanie, 131. 

Philadelphia, 286. 

Porto Novo, 189. 

Railleur, 386. 

Philimore, Capt. Sir J., 

Porto Praya, 463. 

Rainbow, 566. 

428. 

Positano, 592. 

Rainier, Rear-Adm., 48. 

Philip, King, 250. 

Powerful, 630. 

68. 

Philippa, Queen, 226. 

Pownall, Capt. P., 408. 

Rainier, Capt. P.,300.520. 

Philips, Capt., 48. 222. 

488. 506. 

599. 

Philips, Lt. J. R.,573. 

Poyntz, Capt. S., 624. 

Rairee, 45. 

Phillott, Lt. G. R., 559. 

Pratt, Maj., 146. 

Raison, 484. 

Piiipps, 621. 

Pratt; Lt. G., 635. 

Raisonnable, 494. 

Picton, Gen., 9. 59. 79. 97. 
102. 168. 172. 221. 

Prendegast, Lt., 70. 

Raleigh, 565. 

Preneuse, 576. 632. 

Ramilies. 144. 

Piemontaise, 436. 522. 

Preston, 310. 

Ramnadaporam, 93. 

Pierrepoint, Capt. H., 392. 
Pierrepoint, Capt W.,597. 

Preston, Capt., 3. 

Ratnpoora, 10. 

Preston, Capt. D’Arcy, 

Ramsav. Capt. V., 127. 

Pierson, Maj., 6. 

638. 

Randolph, 435. 

Pietra Neira, 47. 

Preston, Col., 62. 

Rangoon, 356. 

Pigot, Gen., 169. 

Prevost, Gen.. 33. 253. 

Ramzan, Maj.-Gen., 187. 

Pigot, Capt., 45. 118. 465. 

Prevost, Lt.-Col., 64. 159. 

Raposa, 391. 

610. 

Prevost, Capt. H., 533. 

Ras-al-Khyma, 619. 

Pilch, Lt. R„ 509. 519., 

Prevoyante, 484. 

Rattlesnake, 440. 576. 

Pilot, 482. 491. 508. 533. 

Price, Lt. David, 553. 

Rawdon, Gen. Lord, 19. 

567. 

Price, Lt. C. P., 477. 

170. 176. 240. 

Pinagra. 326. 

Price, Lt. G.. 522. 5»8. 

Rawlins, Capt., 484. 

Pinkey, 265. 

Prieur, Lt. P., 462. 

Rayacotta, 208. 

Pipon, Lt. P., 554. 611. 
Pique, 389. 447. 514. 

Prima, 486. 

Rayas, 176. 

Princess Augusta, 476. 

Rea, Capt. A., 478. 

Planosa, 543. 

Princess Caroline, 642. 

Recluse, 481. 

Plassey, 180. 

Princeza. 464. 

Recovery, 464. 

Plenderleath. 159. 

Prindts Christian Frede- 

Recruit, 566. 

Plumridge, Lt. J. H., 480. 

rick, 445. 

Redin ha, 72. 

Pocock, Vice-Adm., 568. 

Pringle, Gen., 47. 214. 

Redoutable, 552. 

Point Levi, 45. 

Pritchard, Lt., 115. 

Redwing, 477. 

Pointe du Che. 581. 

Prith, Lt.-Col., 21. 

Reggio, Vice-Adm., 584. 

Pointis, Adm. De, 570. 

Pritzler, tien., 9. 63. 132. 

ReilL, Gen., 164. 179.214. 

Poitiers, 275. 

Proby, Capt. C., 527. 

219. 224. 

Pole, Capt. C. M., 441. 

Procris, 537. 

Renard, 444. 492. 507. 

Polkinghorne, Li. J., 453. 

Procter, Lt. P., 415. 

Renaud, Adm., 471. 

Pollock, Maj.-Gen., 96. 

Procter, Col., 23. 

Renommee, 487. 570. 

248. 268. 

Prother, Lt.-Col., 132. 

Reolaise, 621. 

Polly, 520. 

Prothers, Lt.-Col., 22. 40. 

Republicain 557. 

poison, Lt.-Col., 100. 116. 

46. 75. 

Republicaine, 593. 














INDEX. 


657 


Resistance, 437. 

Resolue, 594. 

Resource, 465. 608. 622. 
Retiro, The, 237. 
Revanche, 428. 464. 492. 
629. 

Revolutionnaire, 461. 495. 
601. 

Reynell, Gen., 19. 
Reynier, Gen., 192. 
Reynolds, Lt., 57. 
Reynolds, Lt. R. C., 410. 
Reynolds, Capt. R. C.,394. 
Reunion, 599. 

Rhin, 535. 

Rhode Island, 362. 
Ribadeo, 573. 

Ribera, 213. 

Richard II., 136. 

Richard III., 129. 200.246. 
Richards, Brig.-Gen., 90. 
Richards, Lt. W., 617. 
Richardson, Lt. W.. 479. 
Richardson, Capt. C., 557. 
Richmond, 404. 

Ricketts, Capt., 43. 

Ridge, Maj. 20. 

Ridge, Col. 97. 

Rigaud, Gen., 112. 

Rigny, R.-Adm. De, 600. 
Rinaldo, 637. 

Rippon, 606. 
Ristnagherry, 124. 

Rivett, Col., 124. 

Riviere du Raisin 23. 
Riviere Noire, 549. 

Rivoli, 425. 471. 

Roarree, 75. 

Roberts, Capt. S., 635. 
Roberts, Capt., 206. 
Roberts, Lt. M., 491. 
Robertson, Lt.-Col.,30.35. 
199. 

Robertson, Gen., 158. 
Robertson, Capt., 50. 185. 
Robertson, Lt., 144. 486. 
596. 

Robertson, Lt. P., 348. 
Robinson, Lt.-Col., 297. 
Robinson, Gen., 255. 
Rodney, Adm., 392. 397. 

460. 463. 

Rogers, Lt.. 14 4. 

Rogers, Capt. W., 585. 
Roize, Gen., 82. 
Rolancourt, Gen., 6. 

Rollo, Gen. Lord, 157. 
Romney, 507.515. 633.640. 
Roncesvalles, 214. 

Ronco, 472. 

Roney, Lt., 144. 

Rooke, Adm. Sir G., 303. 

532. 547. 592. 

Rorica, 241. 

Rosamond, 637. 

Rosario, 631. 

Rosas, 611. 

Rose, 393. 417. 582. 

Rose, Capt., 51. 68. 75. 
Rosetta, 99. 

Ross, Gen., 59. 248. 268. 
353. 

Ross, Col., 193. 214. 


Ross, Maj., 165. 187. 

Ross, Capt., 447. 

Ross, Lt. W., 464. 
Rotterdam, 389. 

Rouen, 19. 

Rousalier, 128. 

Rousseau, Gen., 66. 
Rovigno, 451. 540. 562. 
Rowley, Rear-Adm., 639, 
640. 

Rowley, Capt. C., 626. 
Rowley, Capt. B. S., 465. 
625. 

Rowley, Capt. J. 520. 575. 
Royalist, 606. 641. 

Rubis, 473. 

Ruby, 553. 630. 

Rudd, Capt., 86. 

Rufane, Gen., 25. 

Ruffin, Gen., 66. 217. 
Runjoor, Singh, 29. 
Rupert, Prince, 494. 546. 
Ruse, 641. 

Rushworth, Capt. E., 565 
Russaulghur, 71. 

Russel, Adm., 202. 485. 
Russel, Capt. T.M.. 402. 
Russell, Lt. W., 482. 
Russell, 589. 

Ruthven, Capt. Hon. J., 
613. 

Ryddel, Capt., 484. 


S. 

St. Albans,"415. 

Sr. Amand. 30. 

St. Anne, 501. 

St. Arnaud, Marshal, 271. 
Sr. Aubert, 230. 

St. Augustine, 152. 

Sta. Brigida, 595. 

Sta. Catalina, 441. 

St. Christopher’s, 177. 202, 
203. 

St. Cloud, 336. 

Ste. Croix, Isle of, 640. 
Ste. Croix, Gen., 159. 

St. David, Fort, 272. 2^4. 
St. Domingo, 1. 34. 234. 
412. 627. 

Sta. Dorotea, 526. 

St. Elmo, 201. 

St. Estevan, 15, 16. 

St. Eustatia, 14. 35. 

St. Fernando de Ormoa, 
312. 

St. John’s, 89. 270. 272. 

St. Leger, Lt.-Col.. 42. 

St. Leger, Gen., 159. 273. 
Ste. Lucie, 119, 120. 123. 
146. 148. 178. 367, 368. 
370. 382. 636. 

St. Malo, 157. 502.517. 621. 
Sta. Margaritta, 503. 536. 
618. 

St. Martin, 20. 24.31.37.184. 
Sta. Monica, 572. 

St. Pierre, Eustace, 226. 
367. 

St. Quentin, 223. 

St. Sebastian, 255. 264. 


Sta. Teresa, 413. 

St. Thomas, 639. 

St. Vincent, 418. 

St. Vincente, Fort, 418. 
Sabina, 638. 

Sabugal, 94. 

Sackville, Gen., 159. 223. 
Safo, 588. 

Sahagun, 373.. 

Sale, Gen., 31. 85. 99. 358. 
372. 

Salisbury, 633. 

Salisbury, Earl of, 44. 
Salter, Lt.-Col., 328. 
Salter, Capt. E., 536. 621. 
Saltoun, Col., 172. 
Samiaveram, 107. 

San Bartolomew, Convent 
of, 206. 

San Carlos, 633. * 

San Felices, 78. 

San Fiorenzo, 420.436.458. 
San Josef, 563. 609. 632. 
San Miguel, 590. 

San Millan, 170. 

Sanders, Capt., 425. 
Sandwich, Earl of, 494. 
Sans Pared, 498. 

Santa Cruz, 13. 

Santa Maura, 82. 109.463. 
Sappho,432. 

Sasnee, 3. 

Savoy, Duke of, 233. 262. 
Saumarez, Capt. 590. 599. 
Saumarez, Rear-Adm., 
518. 523. 

Sawyer, Capt. H., 488. 
Sayer, Capt., 186. 

Scarlett, Brig.-Gen., 319. 
Scharles, 436. 
Schellenberg, 190. 
Schelling, 544. 

Schomberg, Capt. C. M., 
487. 

Schonevelt, 494. 

Schultz, Gen., 145. 
Scipion, 614. 

Scorpion, 394. 450. 596. 
Scotland, Lt., 324. 

Scott, Capt., 57. 352. 377. 

415. 425. 

Scott, Maj., 68. 

Scott, Lt.-Col., 25. 

Scott, Lt. J. W., 576. 
Scourge, 439. 

Scriven, Lt. T., 594. 
Scylla, 478. 606. 

Seahorse, 513. 517. 
Sealark, 529. 

Searle, Capt. T.. 468. 
Searle, Capt. J. C., 578. 
Searle, Lt. T., 624. 
Sebastopol, 321. 348. 396. 
Sedghur, 76. 

Seerdasser, 66. 
Seetabaldee, 351. 

Seine, 514. 554. 637. 
Semillante, 492. 
Semiramis, 557. 

Senegal, 387. 525. 612. 
Senhouse. Capt., 5. 
Senhouse, Commod., 149. 
Sens, 168. 


U U 








658 


Sensible, 513. 
Sereenuggar, 4. 
Seringapatam, 33, 39. 50, 
51. 108. 118. 225. 
Serndilla, 77. 

Severndroog, 93. 373. 
Sewell, Maj.,'58. 

Sewolod, 558. 

Seyer, Lt. D. R., 449. 
Seyer, Mid., *511. 

Seymour, Vice-Adm. H., 
243. 

Seymour, Capt. M., 456. 
617. 

Shallapore, 136. 

Shannon, 498. 

Shaw, Capt., 86. 472. 
Shaw, Lt. J., 449. 

Shenaz, 4. 

Shere Singh, 53. 

Sherlock, Maj., 334. 
Sherlock, Lt. C., 126. 
Shipley, Capt.. 447. 
Shippard Lt. Alex., 610. 
Shirley, Lt.-Col., 395. 
Shortland, Lt. T. G„ 541. 
Shortland, Lt.-Gen., 133, 
134. 

Shovel, Lt. C., 395. 
Shovel, Sir C., 5 t 5. 
Shrewsbury, 209. 
Shrewsbury, Earl of, 314. 
Sibly, Capt. E., 507. 574. 
Sibly, Lt., 526. 

Sidon, 581. 

Simcoe, Lt.-Col., 10. 
Simoga, 3. 

Sinclair, Capt. P„ 625. 
Sinclair, Lt. J. t 529. 
Sinclair, Capt. Sir G., 552. 
Sinfray, Capt., 180. 
Sirene, 598. 

Sirius, 607. 

Skelton, Brig.-Gen., 57. 
Skerrit, Lt.-Col., 4. 382, 
383. 

Skinner, Maj., 46. 62. 
Slade, Lt., 547. 

Slade, Maj.-Gen., 89. 94. 
Slaughter, 

Sleigh, Gen., 19. 

Sluys, 511. 

Smith, Lt.-Gen., 199. 253. 
Smith, Maj-Gen.. 52.54. 
Smith, Sir H., 28. 42. 62. 
374. 

Smith, Lionel, 63. 

Smith, Lt.-Col., 44. 46. 62. 
73. 88. 111. 229. 249. 257. 
285. 361. 

Smith, Sir S., 73. 123 . 406. 
443. 483. 

Smith, Maj., 110. 266. 
Smith, Capt. R., 346. 
Smith, Capt. E. T., 386. 
Smith, Capt., 31. 62. 326. 
Smith, Lt. F., 543. 

Smith, Lt. Matthew, 619. 
Smith. Lt. W. (4.), 625. 
Snap, 612. 

Snowe, Capt., 82. 

Sobraon, 42. 

Solebay, 493. 624. 


INDEX. 


Solitaire, 630. 

Somerset, Gen., 58, 59. 
Somerset, Lt.-Col. F., 175. 
Somerset, Duke of, 265. 
Soony, Fort, 22. 

Soult, Marshal. 16.59.102. 
133. 137. 221, 222. 224. 
337. 

Soult, Gen. P., 79. 

Sourier, 50. 60. 
Southampton, 409. 503. 

576. 583. 

Spartan, 473. 

Sparvidre, 473. 

Speedy, 476. 544. 589. 
Spencer, Lt., 57. 

Spencer, Col., 69. 99. 156. 
240. 

Spencer, Maj., 153. 
Spread, Capt., 144. 

Spurs, 241. 

Sporcken, Gen., 222. 
Spragge, Lt. E., 479. 546. 
Squires, Capt., 132. 

Stacey, Gen., 42. 

Stafford, Earl of, 209. 
Staines, Capt. T. 512. 
Standard, The, 245. 
Stanfell, Capt., 394. 
Stanhope, Gen., 204. 
Stanhope, Col., 69. 

Steady, Capt., 162. 

Steele, Capt., 107. 
Steenkirk, 191. 225. 
Stevens, Adm., 15. 
Stevens, Capt. S., 414. 
Stevenson, Col., 283. 
Stewart, Lt. D. 12, 13. 
Stewart, Gen. C., 127.134. 
222. 380. 

Stewart, W., 137. 

Stewart, Lt.-Col., 141.263. 
Stewart, Brig.-Maj., 89. 
Stewart, Capt., 48. 109. 
319. 

Stirling Castle, 208. 
Stirling, Rear-Adm., 21. 
Stirling, Capt. C., 514. 
Stirling, Gen., 158. 
Stirling, Lt. Jas., 520. 
Stoney Point, 152. 

Storey, Adm., 562. 
Stopford, Rear-Adm., 231. 
Stopford, Adm., 668. 575. 
613. 

Strachan, Capt. R., 614. 
622. 

Strangways, Brig.-Gen., 
333. 

Stienowitz, Lt., 165. 
Strickland, Lt.-Col., 201. 
206. 

Strike, Maj., 122. 

Stuart, Capt. Lord G., .387. 
Stuart, Gen., 67. 164. 182. 
Sturgeon, Col. H., 79. 
Subarmalee, 120. 

Succ<5s, 441. 563. 

Success, 623. 

Suchet, Gen,, 105. 226. 
Suckling, Capt. M., 601. 
Sufiisante, 492. 

Suffolk, Earl of, 318. 


Suffrein, Commod., 463. 

510. 518. 

Suftur Jung, 12. 

Sujah Dowla, 124. 

Sulina, 521. 

Sullivan, Serj., 321. 
Sultane, 447. 

Sumatra, 308. 

Sumbalpore, 3. 

Sumpter, Gen., 239. 
Sumroo, 224. 

Sunbury, 9. 

Surat, 64. 115. 

Surinam, 122. 475. 

Surirey, 33. 

Surly, 468. 

Surprise, 607. 

Surveyor, 503. 

Surrey, Earl of, 264. 
Sutherland, Lt., 196. 
Sutherland, Maj., 242. 
Sutherwood, Col., 143. 
Surveillante, 587. 627. 
Sybilie, 386. 402. 507. 
Syder, Lt. G., 540. 

Sydney, Sir R., 24. 

Sylph, 538. 582. 

Sylphe, 546. 

Sylvia, 469. 

Symes, Gen., 185. 

Symes, Col., 102. 

Symes, Capt., 42. 

Swallow, 507. 574. 

Swan, 490. 

Swanton, Commod., 139. 
Swayne, Capt., 57. 110. 
Swiftsure, 476. 

Swiuton, Cornet, 162. 


T. 

Tailour, Lt. J., 611. 

Tait, Lt. D., 611. 

Talavera, 218. 

Talbot, Capt. J., 425. 

Talbot, Lt., 112. 

Tallard, Marshal, 236. 
Talmain, 59. 

Tamar, 557. 

Tamatave, 487. 

Tam is e, 503. 

Tangier, 62. 

Tanjore, 22. 27. 33. 
Tapageuse, 455. 

Tarbes, 79. 

Tarifa, 4. 373. 375. 383. 
Tarleton, Lt.-Col., 33. 62. 

75. 128. 151. 240. 
Tarragona, 226. 

Tartar, 612. 618. 

Tate, Gen., 56. 

Tatuall. Lt. J. B.. 636. 
Taylor, Col.. 96. 245. 
Taylor, Cape. B. W., 410. 
Taylor, Gen.. 34. 155. 
Tees, Maj., 40. 

Telegraph, 443.594 
Temeraire, 552. 

Temple, Lt. F., 513. 
Teneriffe, 465. 
Terpsichore, 410. 431.593. 
613. 634. 









INDEX. 

659 

Terrell, Lt., 61. 

Trigge, Gen., 84. 243. 

Viart, 72. 

Teviot, Earl of, Lt., 62. 

Trimback, 117. 

Vic Bigore, 79. 

87. 

Trincomalee, 2. 11. 285. 

Victoire, 611. 

Texel, 562. 

421. 

Victor, 563. 567. 

Thackwell, Gen., 42. 

Trinidad, 422. 

Victor, Marshal, 4. 

Tliames, 482. 533. 607. 

Trinidad, Fort, 460. 620. 

Victor, Hughes, Gen., 7. 

Theresa, 446. 

627. 

12. 

Thetis, 484. 595. 607. 633. 

Trinomalee, 62. 

Victorious, 425. 

637. 

Tripasore, 247. 

Vigo, 301. 303. 583. 592. 

Thierry, Col., 86. 

Tripoli. 393. 433. 

Villa Velha, 295. 

Thistle, 415. 

Trist, Mate R., 418. 

Wllaporam, 95. 

Thomas, Maj., 70. 

Triton, 59. 

Villaret, Adm., 494. 497. 

Thomiere, Gen., 210. 

Trivampore, 3. 

Villars Marshal, 181. 222. 

Thomson, Lt. T.B., 496. 

Trivadi, 4. 9. 

228. 235. 294. 

Thomson, Lt. W„ 496. 

Trivatore, 351. 

Villatte, Gen., 56.148. 217, 

Thomson, Lt. J., 501.523. 

Trois Rivieres. 160. 

218. 

Thomson. Gen., 160. 

Trollope, Lt. H., 449. 

Ville de Caen, 244. 

Thorn, 490. 

Trollope, Capt. H., 526. 

Ville de Lyon, 577. 

Thornborough, Lieut. E., 

566. 

Ville de Milan. 426. 

545. 

Trompeur, 574. 

Villeroi, Marshal, 144. 

Thornhill, Gen., 21. 24.31. 

Trompeuse, 394. 

Vimiero, 244. 

201. 

Troubridge, Capt. T., 201. 

Vincent, Capt. S., 553. 

Thornton, Lt.-Col., 248. 

216. 534. 

Vincent, Brig.-Gen., 158. 

377. 

Tryon, Gen., 119. 158. 196. 

Vine, Lt G- B., 623. 

Thornton, Capt., 109. 

200. 297. 

Viper, 439. 546. 641. 

Thoulouse, Adm. Comte 

Trvon, Lt., 348. 

Virgitiie. 466. 486. 

de, 547. 

Tryon, Lt. Robert, 621. 

Vivian, Maj., 52, 53. 100. 

Thunder, 590. 

Tucker, Capt., 51. 

102. 

Thunderer, 527. 

Turenne, Vicomtede, 165. 

Vivian, Gen., 55. 59. 172. 

Thurot, Capt., 430- 

Turenne, Prince de, 225. 

Volage, 403. 

Ticonderago, Fort, 243. 

Turner, Lt., 70. 

Volcan, 474. 

Tiger, 426. 

Turnhout, 24. 

Volcondah, 150. 

Tilly, Chev. de, 30. 

Turin, 261. 

Volontaire, 555. 

Tippoo Saib, 39. 67. 87. 88. 

Tupman, Lt. Geo., 414. 

Volpe, 512. 

125. 380. 

Tyrone, 2. 

Voltigeur, 447. 

Tobago, 107. 189. 

Tolosa, 183. 


Vyvian, Lt., 387. 

Tomlinson, Capt. N., 492. 

V. 


Tongue, 233. 


U. 

Tonnerre, 460. 

Val de Mula, 99. 

Ummulneir, 355. 

Topaze, 402. 497. 

Valencia d’Alcantara, 120. 

Tordesillas, 190. 

Valenciennes, 216. 223. 

Unicorn, 391. 465. 484. 

Torrens, Brig.-Gen., 333. 

Valentinois, Comte de, 

503. 612. 

Torrens, Capt. R., 447. 

232. 

Unite, 461.465. 472. 627. 

Torrington, Earl of, 514. 

Valetta, 566. 

Uranie, 607. 

Tortenson. 25. 

Valeur, 462. 481. 

Usagre, 109. 

Tortue, 389. 

Valiant, 388. 409. 

Ussher, Lt. T., 445. 477. 

Tothill, Lt., 468. 

Valiant, Maj.-Gen., 381. 

Utatoor, 131. 

Toulon, 281. 291. 301.343. 

Van Tromp, 423. 424. 484. 

Utile, 503. 

416. 418. 439. 

491. 499. 544. 626. 628. 

Uvedale, Capt., 598. 

Toulouse, 101. 104. 

Vandeleur, Gen., 349. 

Uxbridge, Gen. Lord., 

Tourampoor, 136. 

Var, 421. 515. 

173. 175. 

Tournay, 131. 193. 222. 

Varsovie, 459. 


257. 265. 

Vaughan, Gen., 153. 306. 

W. 

Tourterelle 439. 

Vellore, 10. 13. 197. 

Tourville, Adm. Comte 

Vendome, Duke of, 262. 

Waakzamheid, 607. 

de, 485. 514. 

Venerable, 398. 400. 

Townsend, Co!., 106. 

Vengeance, 391. 432. 439. 

Wade, Lt.-Gen., 306. 

Townsend, Gen., 275. 

543. 554. 557. 

Wainwright, Capt., 4. 

Towry, Capt., G. H., 512. 

Venloo, 275. 282. 

Waldeck, 199. 

Tozer, Lt.. A., 553. 

Venta Cruz, 14. 

Waldegrave, Capt. G. G., 

Tracey, Lt. J., 398. 411. 

Venteux, 513. 

533. 

Trafalgar, 602. 

Ventura, 441. 

Wales invaded, 56. 

Trant, Col., 99. 241. 244. 

Venus, 390. 407. 492. 575. 

Wales, Prince of, 276. 

278 

Vere, Sir F. 7- 24. 189. 

Walker, Col., 358. 

Travancore, 380. 

Vere, Capt. H., 143. 

Walker, Capt. B., 637. 

Trave, 606. 

Ver Huel, Rear-Adm. 

Walker, Lt. W. H., 552. 

Travers, Lt., 70. 587. 592. 

483. 

Walker, Lt. W., 582. 

6H. 

Vernon, Adm., 69. 446. 

Walker, Lt., 618. 

Treilhard, Gen., 235. 

623. 

Wallace, Capt. Sir J., 306. 

Trent, 388. 453. 

Vestal, 425. 

481. 525. 

Tribune, 481.503. 619. 

Vestale, 391. 554. 533. 634. 

Wallace, Sir W r ., 210. 

Trichinopoli, 353. 

Vial Gen., iOO. 

Waller, Capt. J. 626. 







INDEX, 


660 


Wallis, Capt., 154. 

Wallis, Lt.-Gen., 311. 
Walsaw, 151. 

Walsh, Lt., 115. 

Walsh, Gen., 25. 28. 
Walton, Capt. G., 537. 
583. 

Wandewash, 23. 31. 354. 
364. 375. 

Wangenheim, Col., 164. 
Wangenheim, Gen., 223. 
Wantong, 58. 

Wantong, Gen., 223. 
Warbourg, 222. 
Wardroper. Lt., 70. 
Warneton Fort, 181. 
Warre, Capt. W. H., 593. 
Warren, 147. 

Warren, Adm., 84. 
Warren, Cormnod., 121. 

166. 593. 

Warren, Commod. Sir J. 
B., 467. 

Warren, Col., 65. 
Warrenne, Earl of, 118, 
Warwick, 389. 403. 
Warwick, Earl of, 27.196. 
202 . 

Washington, City, 248. 
Washington, Fort, 344. 
Washington, Gen., 267. 
272. 

Waterloo, 170. 

Waters, Col., 134. 
Watling, Lt. W., 548. 555. 
Watson, Rear-Adm., 344. 
Watson, Lt., 142. 
Watteville, De, 193. 
Watts, Lt.-Gen., 478. 
Weasel, 466. 588. 

Webb, Lt. C., 428. 
Webster, Lt.-Col., 33. 62. 
240. 

Webster, Lt. W., 616. 
Wellesley, Col., 88. 266. 
Wellesley, Maj.-Gen., 37. 
234. 

Wellesley, Lt.-Gen., 132, 
133. 238. 241. 244. 283. 
304. 

Wellington, 47. 58, 59. 72. 
76. 80. 102. 104. 126. 148. 

167. 171. 175. 178. 207. 
218-220. 230. 284. 310. 
320. 327. 343. 345. 

W T elsh, Capt., 376. 


Welsh, Maj., 42. 

Welsh, Lt. T., 468. 

Werle, 137 

Western, Capt. F.. 557. 
Western, Lt. J., 444. 
Westphal, Lt. Geo.. 524. 
Westphal, Lt. P., 537. 
Wetheral, Maj.-Gen.,575. 
Whaley, Lt. T., 390. 
Wheatley, Col., 66. 
Wheeler, Capt., 451. 
Whiby, Capt., 234. 
Whitaker, Capt., 532. 
White, Gen., 39. 124. 
White, Lt.-Col., 36. 
White, Capt. C., 572. 
White, Lt. T., 574. 
White’s Plains, 322. 
Whitelock, Lt.-Col., 51. 
Whitmore, Brig.-G n., 
160. 

Whiftingham, Gen., 226. 
Wilkinson, Gen., 42. 91. 
Willes, Lt. G. W., 472, 
473. 

Willes, Lt. J. I., 620. 
Willetts, Lt. M. De, 567. 
William III., 188. 225. 
242. 256. 

Williams, Col., 125. 183. 
Williams, Capt. W. P., 
496. 544. 

Williams, Capt. T., 503. 
Williams, Lt. P., 634. 
Williamson, Col., 116. 
Williamson, Capt., 182. 
Willoughby, Capt. N. J., 
471. 549. 552. 577. 627. 
Wills, Col., 15, 16. 
Wilmot, Capt. D., 123. 
456. 

Wilson, Gen., 349. 
Wilson, Maj., 139. 

Wilson, Capt., 186, 
Winchelsea, 561. 
Winchester, 625. 
Winchester, Gen., 23. 
Winder, Gen., 15S. 
Windham, 554. 

Windsor, 447. 

Windsor Castle, 585. 
Wingate, Surg., 2. 

Wise, Capt. W. F., 420. 
Wolf, 386. 

Wolfe, Capt. G., 446. 524. 
Wolfe, Brig.-Gen., 160. 


THE END. 


London: 

A. and G. A. Spottiswoode, 
New-street-Square. 

iLrs _ A 1 fV'fr 


Wolfe, Maj.-Gen., 215. 
269. 

Wolverine, 388. 570. 
Wood, Lt.-Gen., 266. 
Wood, Commod., 122. 
Wood, Capt., 95. 285. 
Woodburn, Capt., 192. 
Woodgate, Lt., 9. 
Woodman, Capt., 206. 
Wood riff. Capt. D , 579. 
Wooldridge, Lt. W., 609. 
Wooster, Gen., 119. 
Worcester, 257. 
Worcester, Earl of, 209. 
Worth, Capt. J. A., 398. 
Worth, Lt. J. A. 443. 
Wright, Lt. J. W„ 456. 
Wutgenau, Gen., 205. 
Wyburn, Lt., 303. 

Wylie, Dr., 2. 

Wymer, Lt.-Co'., G. P.. 

70, 71. 151. 

Wynendale, 288. 


Y. 

Yarmouth, 435. 

Yates, Lt., 617. 

Yeo, Capt., 7. 128. 409. 
499. 500. 543. 

York, Duke of, 109. 116, 
117. 121. 130, 131. 144. 
146. 230, 231. 242. 292. 
318. 493. 500. 

York Town, 307. 

York Island, 313. 

Yorke, Capt. Sir J., 555. 
Yorkshire, Earl of, 246. 
Young, Capt. 482. 595. 
Young. W. Mate, 549. 
Younghusband, Capt. G., 
446. 


Z. 

Zante, 294. 

Zephyr, 562. 569. 612. 
Zeuse, 510. 

Zittang, 5. 

Zoutman, Rear-Adm.,541. 
Zupano, 588. 

Zuper Sluys, 264. 





















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